London?s blue-chips remained in demand, pushing to new highs, with investors hoping US inflation data later does not derail the optimistic mood.In the FTSE 100, ConvaTec was an outlier, after Peel Hunt downgraded the firm?s investment rating. On the other side of the index was NatWest, with a set of well received results.The FTSE 100 index was up 35.73 points, 0.4%, at 8,114.59. The FTSE 250 was u

After last week?s market spasm over hints from Fed officials that rates may need to rise rather than fall due to the resilience of the US economy, this week the focus moved on to earnings with around one third of S&P 500 companies posting first-quarter updates.So far most firms have beaten estimates, leading to slim gains for the indices, but an increasing number have tempered their guidance for t

Australian miner launches deal worth proposed $38.8 billionAnglo has huge copper assets crucial to buyoutCopper prices at two-year highs as renewable energy demand risesFTSE 100 mining group Anglo American (AAL) has huge iron ore, platinum, coal and, through its? controlling stake in dealer De Beers, diamonds, but make no mistake, BHP?s (BHP) interest in the business is a big bet on copper.Copper

Shares in Ocado (OCDO) have fallen by 20% over the past month as the online grocer continues with its fractious relationship with joint venture partner Marks & Spencer (MKS).Despite reporting average orders per week of 414,000, an 8.4% increase compared with the first quarter of 2023, and a 10.6% rise in revenue for Ocado Retail for the 13 weeks to 3 March, trouble is brewing for the online grocer

After almost closing at a new high in early April, the UK?s blue-chip FTSE 100 has finally made it into the ranks of indices hitting new all-time highs thanks to a 4.5% gain since the start of January.On 22 April the index reached its highest ever close and on 23 April it moved through its previous intra-day high.The UK clearly isn?t in the same league as the US, where the S&P 500 has notched up n

Chip stocks are coming under pressure from investors made nervous by hints of weakening demand during the first half of 2024. During the past week or so there have been warnings from industry bellwethers from Europe and the Far East, dampening enthusiasm just as earnings season gets going in earnest.On 22 April Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSM:NYSE), or simply TSMC, the world?s bigg

I?m going to be 50 next year, and so far, I have saved about £18,000 in a workplace pension. I have been automatically enrolled since 2016.My question is should I stick with it and get a SIPP pension as well? Or should I just put more in the workplace one until retirement?I hadn?t really thought about a pension until I hit 50.FranRachel Vahey, AJ Bell Head of Public Policy, says:Generally, for th

It?s been a busy month in small-cap land with good news, bad news and downright weird news for investors to digest.First the good news, as the persistent undervaluation of UK companies ? and small caps in particular ? draws increasing numbers of corporate buyers.Financial services software provider Gresham Technologies (GHT) agreed a 163p per share cash offer from funds managed or advised by STG P

The persistently high interest rate environment means companies are under pressure to cut costs and jobs are an obvious target. While they can cut their workforce through redundancies or slash the wage bill through shorter or fewer shifts, others might already be operating with a skeleton crew and cannot pare back any further.It is against this scenario that higher wages are adding to companies? p

This feature explores spin-offs or de-mergers, looking at the rationale for them and how they have performed, and asks if they can be a promising hunting ground for investors.One of the UK?s largest recent spin-offs was GSK?s (GSK) demerger of its consumer healthcare division in 2022.GSK reportedly rebuffed a £50 billion offer from personal goods giant Unilever (ULVR) to buy the division, named H

Over the past six months United Airlines (UAL:NASDAQ) shares have gained over 45% as the US airline managed to shrug off negative news concerning delayed deliveries and canceled flights related to safety issues at aircraft maker Boeing (BA:NYSE).On the day of its first quarter results (16 April) United Airlines shares gained nearly 20% at one point hitting the $50 mark as the US airline upgraded g

Interest rates are expected to stay higher for longer to combat the sticky inflation which remains a threat to investors? hard-earned wealth and purchasing power. During periods of high inflation, it is crucial to invest in companies that possess pricing power, because these firms can pass on increased costs to customers, enabling them to maintain profit margins and generate the robust cash flows

Stocks in London ended in the red on Wednesday, despite the FTSE 100 hitting another record high earlier in the day, while Tesla was the star in New York, where wider markets mixed.The FTSE 100 index gave back 4.43 points, 0.1%, at 8,040.38. The blue-chip index traded as high as 8,092.19 earlier Wednesday, its best-ever level. Selling pressure in the afternoon prevented it from achieving another c

Signs of customer restockingFirst quarter tops forecastsShares up over 7% after-hoursAI (artificial intelligence) has dominated the chip conversation in recent months but from the sounds made by Texas Instruments (TXN:NASDAQ), the industry could be primed for a far more broadly-based demand bounce as the months roll forward.The Dallas-based business is the world?s biggest manufacturer of analog se

Lowest profit margins in four years predictedElectric vehicle maker appears to have ditched its low-cost model plansStock has fallen 42% this yearMega tech earnings kick-off this week with Tesla (TSLA:NASDAQ) set to get the ball rolling after the market close Tuesday (23 Apr), and the results and commentary are likely to be bleak.The electric vehicle giant earlier this month reported an 8.5% decli

Deal priced at 21% premiumPurchase is earnings-accretiveUS now 40% of group revenueJD Sports Fashion (JD.) was one of the top gainers in the FTSE, gaining 7% to 126.1p as investors sensed a win-win outcome following the acquisition of US rival Hibbett (HIBB:NASDAQ) for $1.1 billion (£899 million) in cash.The proposed transaction values Hibbett at $87.5 per share, equating to a 21% premium to its

Margins beat across the boardInterim dividend raised sharplyFull-year outlook increasedGrocery-to-retail conglomerate Associated British Foods (ABF) delivered investors a double helping of good news with consensus-beating first-half results and a 46% increase in the interim dividend.In response the shares jumped 9% to £27.50, topping the FTSE 100 leader board and returning to their pre-pandemic p

Digital coupons business jumps 17% post New York IPOJoins Reddit and Astera Labs as major new listings this yearAt $103.25 day one close, Ibotta market cap over $3 billionThere?s been plenty of talk about an IPO (initial public offering) market revival this year, and Ibotta?s (IBTA:NYSE) blistering New York debut will only bolster that narrative.On its first day as a public company, shares in the

Third quarter revenue up 6%Strong showing in Mecca BingoFull year outlook affirmedCasino and bingo operator Rank (RNK) said like-for-like net gaming revenue for the third quarter to 31 March increased by 6% to £182.3 million, with trading continuing to improve in April.Shares in the Grosvenor Casinos and Mecca Bingo operator increased 2.6% to 72.9p and sit around 4% lower than the start of the ye

Stock prices in London opened in the green on Thursday, with some positive corporate updates helping lift the FTSE 100, a far cry from the sell-off New York tech shares suffered overnight.The tech sector comes into focus again, with streaming service Netflix, traditionally one of the FAANG stocks alongside Facebook owner Meta, Amazon, Apple and Alphabet, reporting quarterly earnings later.The FTSE