Stocks in London finished in the green on Friday, after PCE data from the US came in hotter than expected.Investors are also eyeing interest rate decisions from the US Federal Reserve and Bank of England next week.The FTSE 100 index closed up 99.36 points, 1.2%, at 8,285.71. The FTSE 250 ended up 471.95 points, 2.3%, at 21,356.30, and the AIM All-Share closed up 6.64 points, 0.9%, at 779.67.Over t

Stocks in London were in the green going into Friday afternoon, as investors kept their eyes on US inflation data due out this afternoon.The FTSE 100 index traded up 58.40 points, or 0.7%, at 8,244.06. The FTSE 250 was up 221.33 points, 1.1%, at 21,105.17, while the AIM All-Share rose 3.17 points, 0.4%, at 776.20.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.8% at 823.02, the Cboe UK 250 rose 1.1% to 18,493.38, and th

First half EBITDA up 24%£300 million buyback initiated2024 earnings seen 'top end'Drax (DRX) shares powered up 12.5% to a 52-week high of 636p after the renewable energy generator delivered strong first-half results, issued a positive full-year outlook and said it would shortly begin a £300 million share buyback.Investors were wowed by Drax's smoking-hot results for the half to 30 June, which sh

London's FTSE 100 was on the up in early trade on Friday, and it looks set to register a weekly gain despite what has been a tricky few days for global counterparts.US tech sell-offs and poorly-received earnings in Europe have kept investors on their toes this week, but the FTSE 100 has been resilient and is up around 1% so far this week.Focus in the afternoon turns to US data, with the release of

It has been a very mixed week for US stocks as the big tech names which had led indices to fresh records in 2024 were on the retreat.The catalyst for the sell-off was concern about AI and, notably, Alphabet's (GOOG:NASDAQ) plans to spend heavily in this area without much indication of when this investment might pay off.Notably, outside of tech it was a happier picture for Wall Street with the Russ

European equities nursed heavy losses at the open on Thursday, as investors weighed a mixed bag of earnings and hefty losses in US markets.Still, the FTSE 100 index traded down 60.56 points, or 0.7%, at 8,093.13. The FTSE 250 was down 201.65 points, 1.0%, at 20,749.19, while the AIM All-Share fell 5.35 points, 0.7%, at 771.29.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.7% at 807.72, the Cboe UK 250 dropped 1.1% to

Now that the dust has settled after the UK elections and attention has turned back to markets, we have updated the performance stats on our tips for 2024. Overall, our picks have gained 8.7% year-to-date compared with an 8.3% rise in the FTSE All-Share. That's not to say it has been plain sailing ? our returns range from a gain of almost 60% to a loss of more than 40%, the latter is in a US tech s

Abrdn Asian Income Fund (AAIF) 213pMarket cap: £338.2 millionDollar fluctuations could create volatility for emerging markets assets as the US presidential election draws near, but one region income-hungry investors cannot afford to ignore is Asia Pacific, home to many high-quality companies with the cash flow generation and balance sheet strength to reward shareholders with attractive dividend

Pretty much all investors are tech investors. Whether you like the space or not, it is almost impossible to avoid owning exposure to the technology sector. More than a few analysts have referred to tech as a utility, as vital to modern everyday life as water, electricity, steel, and oil.For example, of the top 10 holdings of the £60.4 billion iShares Core MSCI World ETF (SWDA) ? the biggest world

As fund management legend and Vanguard founder John Bogle once noted: 'The stock market is a giant distraction from the business of investing. In the long run, investing is about the returns earned by businesses not the stock market.' In other words, sentiment may drive prices in the near term but in the end it is profits and cash flows which drive valuation.From the point of view of investors wi

On 17 July, Sir Keir Starmer's new Labour government announced its plans for the first year of the new parliament, with growth and wealth creation the priority.King Charles' speech at the State Opening of Parliament included a total of 39 bills under a new legislative agenda which includes speeding up the delivery of 'high-quality infrastructure and housing' and nationalising railway operators.Sta

Investment bank projects minimum of 18% AWS growthAmazon has splurged on AI projectsInvestors need to see pathway to improved North America retail profitsBooming cloud services and improving profits from its US marketplace are key reasons why Amazon (AMZN:NASDAQ) is the top megacap pick for analysts at investment bank Morgan Stanley.According to Morgan Stanley, which raised its target for Amazon s

London's stocks were shaky going into Wednesday afternoon, despite data showing a pick up in UK private sector growth.Amongst individual stocks, easyJet was flying after it said it is on track to deliver another 'record-breaking summer'.The FTSE 100 index traded 13.83 points lower, or 0.2%, at 8,154.04. The FTSE 250 was down 58.02 points, 0.3%, at 21,033.47, while the AIM All-Share was down 1.34 p

Business simplification plan unveiledHome care and nutrition brands up for saleFull year sales guidance cutShares in Reckitt Benckiser (RKT) rallied 4% to £45.86 after the consumer goods powerhouse unveiled plans to sell a raft of non-core homecare brands and said it was reviewing options for its troubled infant formula business.In a similar strategy to many of its rivals including Unilever (ULVR

The FTSE 100 shrugged off a subdued start to push higher at midday on Tuesday, although an underwhelming session for miners held back further gains.The FTSE 100 index traded 27.12 points higher, or 0.3%, at 8,225.90. The FTSE 250 was down 17.71 points, 0.1%, at 21,120.97, while the AIM All-Share was down 1.33 points, 0.2%, at 781.91.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.3% at 821.39, the Cboe UK 250 was 0.2% l

Operating profit outlook raised again'Good growth' across all regions in Q3New business wins acceleratingShares in Compass Group (CPG) climbed 4.6% to £22.92 in early dealings after the catering giant upped its full year sales and profit guidance for the second time this year.The upgrade followed a forecast-beating third-quarter performance from the Chertsey-based food service star turn, which ha

Stock prices in London closed predominantly higher on Monday, joining European peers in a relatively upbeat finish, following news that US President Joe Biden will not stand for re-election.Amongst individual stocks, airlines slid after Ryanair's warning. Rentokil led the FTSE 100 higher, though, after former BT boss eyed a bid to take over the pest control firm.The FTSE 100 index closed up 43.06

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATURE Capital at risk. The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise and are not guaranteed. Investors may not get back the amount originally invested.Brazil is the largest economy in Latin America[1]. It comprises 60% of the MSCI Latin America index,[2] and has four of the region's five largest companies. It is the highest weighting in the Bl

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATURE Marketing material.A lot has been said about the concentration in the US markets, but investors in European markets have also been focused on a handful of companies. These 'Granolas' may be more diversified than the technology-focused Magnificent Seven ? and not as expensive ? but the focus on them suggests investors remain nervous about branching out. However, there

Markets in Europe shook off nerves on Monday, following Joe Biden leaving the US presidential race.The FTSE 100 index was up 62.43 points, or 0.8%, at 8,218.22. The FTSE 250 was up 108.13 points, or 0.5%, at 21,175.81, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.93 of a point, or 0.1%, at 785.06.The Cboe UK 100 was up 1.0% at 820.39, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.8% at 18,494.63, but the Cboe Small Companies was do