The FTSE 100 enjoyed a third consecutive day of solid gains on Wednesday, gaining 0.34% by the close to 7,150.12. The more domestic focused FTSE 250 ended within sight of the record levels attained earlier in the day while the S&P 500 was up 0.2% to 4,493.81 by 4.30pm UK time. MAJOR STOCKS ON THE MOVE Engineer Weir (WEIR) gained 3.1% to £16.97, while ‘in play’ supermarket chain ...

London’s FTSE 100 traded 0.15% higher at 7,136.57 points by noon on a quiet day for local corporate and economic news, as investors brace for an update from the US Federal Reserve at this week’s Jackson Hole get-together. The FTSE 250 rose 0.7% to an all-time high of 24,043.49. MAJOR STOCKS ON THE MOVE British Airways-owner International Consolidated Airlines (IAG) gained 2.3% to ...

Shares in building materials distributor and DIY retailer Grafton (GFTU) added 2.7% to £13.44 after the firm posted record first half operating profits thanks to the strength of the home improvement market. The company, which operates the Selco distribution business and the Leyland SDM DIY chains in the UK and Chadwicks and Woodies in Ireland, reported a 46% increase in revenues to £1.03 ...

Being in the teeth of summer holidays season was has always led to low volume and limited corporate news and the UK’s major stocks seem to be set adrift in early trading on Wednesday with no real concerted direction. That investors may be keeping their powder dry ahead of the latest Federal Reserve pronouncements at this week's Jackson Hole get-together only added to the subdued mood. At ...

One of the very few positive effects of last year’s pandemic was an increase in consumers spending on the repair, maintenance and improvement of their flats and houses. Having been confined indoors for months at a time, it didn’t take long for people to set about redecorating and adding more indoor or outdoor space so they could live and work remotely more comfortably. That led to an ...

London’s FTSE 100 finished Friday’s trading session broadly flat, off a mere 0.03% at 7,123.27 points, despite a stronger than expected jobs report in the US which confirmed that the world’s biggest economy continues to heal at a steady clip. The FTSE 250 closed 0.6% to the good at 22,747 points. AJ Bell financial analyst Danni Hewson said the slightly less celebratory mood in London ...

London’s FTSE 100 was up 0.23% at 7,141.32 by noon on Friday, the blue chip benchmark nudging higher with miners and pharmaceutical stocks leading the way, although traders keeping their powder dry ahead of the latest US employment data. Yet concerns over a recent jump in coronavirus infections outweighed reopening optimism and kept the index on course for a muted weekly ...

The UK’s leading shares had made decent gains after a slow start in relatively quiet trading on Friday with traders keeping their powder dry ahead of the latest US employment data. But concerns over a recent jump in coronavirus infections outweighed reopening optimism and kept the index on course for a muted weekly showing. At 9am, the benchmark FTSE 100 had moved 0.46% higher to 7,158.11 ...

The FTSE 100 made a decent start to the second half as the market awaits UK manufacturing data and unemployment figures from the EU. At 9am the FTSE 100 was up 1.1% at 7,119 led by consumer stocks and house builders. COMPANY NEWS Primark owner AB Foods (ABF) raised its guidance for full year pre-tax earnings to 'not less than £550 million' against market estimates of £525 ...

Shares in Irish building materials group Kingspan (KGP) touched an all-time high of €80.60, up 4.7% on the day, after it published a half-year update showing trading ahead of expectations. The firm reported that the first quarter’s strong momentum, which it flagged in its April trading update, had continued into the second quarter with ‘most key markets strongly ahead of the first half of ...

BlackRock Throgmorton (THRG) 916.59p Gain to date: 30.4% Original entry point: Buy at 702.79p, 26 November 2020 Our call to buy investment trust BlackRock Throgmorton (THRG) for its focus on quality companies which had been sold off in the initial value rally has proved a canny trade. The portfolio is dominated by small and mid-cap names which have performed strongly in the interim. A ...

It’s been a relatively quiet week for director deals with little in the way of buying or selling, but two companies in particular have seen notable activity after surges in their share price. One such company is FTSE 250 building products firm Grafton (GFTU). Chief executive Gavin Slark has sold £2.15 million worth of shares in the group, at a price of £11.98 each, after results last week ...

London’s FTSE was flat at the open on Tuesday, edging a mere 0.03% higher to 6,800.19, as concerns over the economic impact of a third nationwide lockdown were offset by a flurry of earnings upgrades. KINGFISHER CLIMBS Home improvement retailer Kingfisher (KGF) climbed 2.7% to 287p as the B&Q-to-Screwfix owner assured it is ‘comfortable’ with the top end of current market ...

Optimism surrounding Covid-19 vaccines combined with positive factory data from China and the UK to send the FTSE 100 higher on the first trading day of December, the blue chip benchmark ending the session 1.9% up at 6,384.73. Gold regained its shine again amid a rare down day for cryptocurrency Bitcoin, while US shares were in demand with the S&P 500 up 1.3% to 3,669.14 by 4.30pm UK ...

The FTSE 100 was 2.1% firmer at 6,396.64 on Tuesday, the blue chip benchmark buoyed by positive factory data from China and the UK, although sterling remained volatile with Brexit talks going down to the wire. CORPORATE NEWS In corporate news, department store Debenhams announced it is entering liquidation after JD Sports (JD.) pulled out of a deal to buy the group out of ...

Following on from recording its biggest monthly gain in three decades in November, London's FTSE 100 started December in bright fashion with blue chip stocks soaring in early trade. At around 8.30am, the UK's benchmark index jumped 1.44% to 6,356.15, as positive Chinese factory data fueled global economic recovery hopes that are already supported by upbeat coronavirus vaccine ...

Building supplies and garden centre firm Grafton (GFTU) gained 7% to 845p as it upped guidance thanks to a home improvement boom. The company said it experienced ‘exceptional growth’ for the four months to the end of October due to very high demand for home maintenance and improvement products. The owner of the Woodie’s DIY, Home and Garden business revealed that its performance was ...

Online retail firm The Hut Group, the Manchester-based owner of the Lookfantastic website, is to raise £920 million in a stock market listing, valuing the business at £4.5 billion. The planned share offering would be the biggest this year on the London market and the first since the coronavirus pandemic, though in our view, there are several red flags around this offering. Hut Group, whose ...

Shares in building products distributor and retailer Grafton (GFTU) climbed 5.7% to 789p after the firm posted a resilient first half trading update and said it expected second half operating profits to reach a similar level to last year. The group reported sales for the first half down 19% to £1.058 billion on a continuing operations basis as its UK distribution business – which accounts ...

UK stocks drifted on Thursday as all eyes turned towards the annual meeting of US Federal Reserve bankers and a speech by chairman Jerome Powell. Sterling held firm at $1.32, close to its recent highs after its best weekly performance since June. Brent crude oil prices hit five-month highs of $46 per barrel as hurricane Laura forced the closure of most production and refining facilities in the ...