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

Investors bought in London at the open on Friday, with news led by Anglo American rejecting BHP?s £31.1 billion takeover offer and Darktrace accepting a $5 billion private equity takeover offer.The FTSE 100 index opened up 42.14 points, 0.5%, at 8,121.00. The FTSE 250 was up 151.94 points, 0.8%, at 19,753.92, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.41 points, 0.3%, at 755.53.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.6% at

Second-quarter guidance disappointsAI spending plans spook investors$200 billion wiped off market valueSocial media and technology outfit Meta Platforms (META:NASDAQ) saw its recent share price momentum stall in a big way overnight as investors fretted its ?year of efficiency? in 2023 would give way to a period or profligacy.At one point more than $200 billion had been wiped off the company?s valu

Followers of Bitcoin will have been closely watching the latest ?halving event? in the cryptocurrency which took place on 19 April.For the fourth time, the number of new Bitcoin entering the market has been slashed by cutting the rewards earned by Bitcoin miners by 50%.Mining Bitcoin involves using powerful computers to solve extremely complicated mathematical problems in order to verify transacti

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

The FTSE 100 hit an all-time high on Tuesday, before returning some gains after somewhat hawkish words from a UK monetary policymaker.The FTSE 100 index closed up 20.94 points, 0.2%, at 8,044.81. The FTSE 250 shot up 200.33 points, 1.0%, at 19,799.72, and the AIM All-Share ended up 5.69 points, 0.8%, at 754.87.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.2% at 803.32, the Cboe UK 250 rose 0.9% to 17,156.66, and the

Stock prices in London rose on Tuesday heading into the afternoon, as UK economic data buoyed investors with ?fresh optimism? and helped the FTSE 100 hit another intraday high.Amongst individual stocks, AB Foods was the star of the morning, thanks to a jump in its interim profit. JD Sports also rose, after agreed to buy US sports fashion retailer Hibbett for just over $1 billion.The FTSE 100 index

Stock prices in London closed largely up on Wednesday, as the FTSE 100 shrugged off hotter-than-expected UK inflation data.The FTSE 100 index closed up 27.63 points, 0.4%, at 7,847.99. The FTSE 250 ended down just 4.40 points at 19,340.14, and the AIM All-Share closed up 4.84 points, or 0.7% at 743.12.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.6% at 785.06, the Cboe UK 250 closed up 0.1% at 16,784.15, and the Cbo

Markets were gripped on Monday by concerns over how Israel might respond to Iran?s recent drone strike, with commodity prices falling.The FTSE 100 index closed down 30.05 points, 0.4%, at 7,965.53. The FTSE 250 ended down 22.35 points, 0.1%, at 19,698.89, and the AIM All-Share closed down 5.63 points, 0.7%, at 750.28.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.5% at 795.31, the Cboe UK 250 closed down 0.1% at 17

The FTSE 100 was lower on Monday at midday as the oil price declined despite high tensions between Iran and Israel, while the FTSE 250 was a tad higher.The FTSE 100 index was down 33.43 points, 0.4%, at 7,962.15. The FTSE 250 was up 12.21 points, 0.1%, at 19,733.45, and the AIM All-Share was down 4.01 points, 0.5%, at 751.90.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.5% at 795.86, the Cboe UK 250 was marginally d

Final quarter exceeds guidanceOperating profit up sharplyFurther £50 million buybackFacilities management and business service firm Mitie Group (MTO) surprised the market with stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter results and a fresh £50 million share buyback.The shares climbed 6p or 5.5% to a new five-year high of 117.5p on above-average trading volume. STRONG DEMAND FOR SERVICESIn its t

London?s FTSE 100, the outperformer on Friday as investors fretted over a possible escalation in the Middle East, was the laggard on Monday in the wake of Iran?s strikes on Israel over the weekend, as the blue-chip index?s oil majors tracked crude prices lower.Large-cap benchmarks in Frankfurt and Paris, which fell on Friday, were on the up on Monday. Stocks in New York tumbled at the end of last

The FTSE 100 achieved a solid gain and almost hit its best-ever level on Friday, with its mining and oil producing contingent sparing it from declines seen in equities elsewhere.Shares in Frankfurt and New York failed to find their feet as investors fretted over rising tensions and US interest rate worries.The FTSE 100 index ended up 71.78 points, 0.9%, at 7,995.58, closing below the 8,000 point m

Stocks in London were higher on midday Friday with miners, housebuilders and oil majors rising amid news that the UK is exiting a mild and short recession.The FTSE 100 index was up 96.05 points, 1.2%, at 8,019.85. The FTSE 250 was up 125.41 points, 0.6%, at 19,912.28, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.87 points, 0.4%, at 761.70.The Cboe UK 100 was up 1.3% at 802.07, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.6% at 17,

Healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson (JNJ:NYSE) is expected to report first-quarter earnings on 16 April before the market open. Consensus forecasts call for EPS (earnings per share) of $2.63, a slight fall of 2% compared with the same period in 2023.Over the prior four quarters the company has bested consensus estimates by an average of around 5% according to Nasdaq.com.Fourth-quarter 2023 earnings

Store group gaining market shareOperating profit tops forecastFurther £1 billion share buybackThe UK?s largest supermarket group, Tesco (TSCO), reported record operating profits for the year to February 2024 and announced a fresh share buyback as it continues to attract shoppers and inflation eases.Shares in the Hertfordshire-based company gained 6p or 2% to 293p. VALUE PROPOSITION DRIVES

Blue-chip stocks in Europe fell on Tuesday, though oil majors and miners stopped London?s FTSE 100 from suffering a sharper decline.Stocks struggled, but gold was on the rise again, achieving another record high. Defence firms were sold off, meanwhile.The FTSE 100 index ended down 8.68 points, 0.1%, at 7,934.79. The FTSE 250 ended down 91.23 points, 0.5%, at 19,763.35, while the AIM All-Share rose

London?s FTSE 100 ended Tuesday morning how it started it, barely budging in cautious trade ahead of Wednesday?s US inflation report.Miners were on the up, as were oil majors, though that still could not lift the FTSE 100 into the green. Heavyweights such as drugmaker GSK, down 0.5% and defence firm BAE Systems, sliding 4.2%, were among those holding back London?s blue-chip benchmark.The FTSE 100

Stocks in London started the week on the front foot, picking up strength as Monday?s trading session wore on, to post healthy gains by the close.Gold hit a new high before fading, airlines and miners were in demand, while Entain prospered on bid speculation.The FTSE 100 index closed up 32.31 points, 0.4%, at 7,943.47. The FTSE 250 ended up 128.64 points, 0.7%, at 19,854.58, and the AIM All-Share c

The FTSE 100 rose on Monday morning, albeit not as confidently as peers in Paris and Frankfurt, as investors reflect on a slew of data releases from last week, and look ahead to what could be a key few days for inflation and monetary policy developments.The FTSE 100 index rose 9.70 points, 0.1%, at 7,920.86. The FTSE 250 climbed 68.77 points, 0.4%, at 19,794.71, and the AIM All-Share advanced 4.55