UK stocks traded higher on Wednesday as mining stocks found favour thanks to a sharp rally in metals and commodity prices. In Asian trading the Shanghai Composite SE index surged 1.4% and Japan’s Nikkei 225 index gained 0.2%. Gold prices were 0.3% higher at $1,845 an ounce and Brent oil prices were slightly lower at $60.8 a barrel. At 12 pm the FTSE 100 was up 27 points or 0.4% t0 6,559 ...

UK stocks opened higher on Wednesday after a clutch of positive corporate results and dividend resumptions. In Asian trading the Shanghai Composite SE index surged 1.4% and Japan’s Nikkei 225 index gained 0.2%. Gold prices were 0.3% higher at $1,845 an ounce and Brent oil prices were slightly lower at $60.8 a barrel. At 08.45 am the FTSE 100 was 14 points higher at 6,546 ...

London’s FTSE 100 took a turn for the worse in afternoon trading on Monday as rising coronavirus cases and the prospect of tighter lockdown restrictions finally caught up with the stock market. Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned the UK is at a ‘perilous’ moment in the pandemic and said ministers are keeping lockdown restrictions under ‘constant review’, adding that ‘where we have ...

UK stocks fell throughout morning trading as reports emerged that the Government is considering tighter lockdown restrictions. Stocks had already started in subdued fashion as investors took profits following strong recent gains, driven by expectations of more US stimulus and Covid vaccine success, but continued to fall on Monday as concerns mount over rising coronavirus cases and the ...

The FTSE 100 made a slow start to the new trading week with opening enthusiasm from vaccine roll-outs and US stimulus giving way to the grim reality of mounting coronavirus cases. Increasingly draconian measures are reportedly being contemplated by the Government to halt the spread of the more virulent form of Covid with worries intensifying that the NHS is close to being swamped. At ...

Markets in the US and Europe moved lower on Thursday as technology-led declines continued on disappointment at the US Federal Reserve’s pledge to keep rates low for an extended period. In the UK, the Bank of England echoed the Fed by keeping interest rates near zero and warning of an ‘unusually uncertain’ recovery ahead. The FTSE 100 ended the session 0.47% lower at 6,049.92, sentiment ...

The FTSE 100 slipped lower on Thursday following the Federal Reserve’s announcement last night that it was likely to keep interest rates near zero for several years while the global economy recovers from Covid-19. At 11.25, the blue chip benchmark was 50.4 points, or 0.83%, lower at 6,028.11. Fed chair Jerome Powell said the central bank would ‘maintain an accommodative stance of ...

UK shares tracked declines on Asian stock markets in early trade on Thursday as the lack of new stimulus measures by the US Federal Reserve left investors disappointed ahead of a Bank of England policy meeting. The benchmark FTSE 100 and the mid-cap FTSE 250 were both sharply lower in opening deals with banks, miners and automakers leading the declines. The FTSE 100 was off by around ...

UK stocks eked out relatively modest gains in early trading on Monday as investors weighed signs of economic recovery with a potential resurgence in coronavirus cases. At 0825, the benchmark FTSE 100 index was up 13.71 points, or 0.2%, at 6,173.01. Mining company Rio Tinto (RIO) shed 0.9% to £44.95, even as it reached an agreement with the government of Mongolia on a new source of domestic ...

Having invested in shares since he was a kid, Duncan from London is using his investment expertise to rebuild his ISA after spending most of his savings on house renovations. Duncan, who is in his early 40s, has been investing actively for around 15 years. He works full-time and owns his own home with a mortgage. He describes investing as his hobby and says: ‘My late grandfather was an ...

The property sector is facing its biggest test since the 2016 Brexit vote, with the coronavirus pandemic leading to a new wave of property fund suspensions, dividends being cut and a collapse in valuations. People have been left to question if investing in commercial property is still a viable option and whether it can be relied on for income in the same way as before. However, not all parts of ...

Income is a big motivating factor for people to invest in the markets. The idea of securing a regular stream of cash which can be used to pay the bills or reinvested to help boost capital returns is an attractive one. However, this income is not guaranteed and the last two months or so of dividend cuts, suspensions and deferrals have seen billions of pounds worth of payouts from UK stocks taken ...

The FTSE 100 slumped in early trade on Thursday as investors mull the threat of a resurgence in coronavirus cases. This comes after several countries, which have recently eased lockdown restrictions, reported a renewed spike in infections. Germany, China and South Korea have struggled to put a lid on new Covid-19 cases and are bracing themselves for a second wave of outbreaks and re-imposing ...

After opening lower on Wednesday as the coronavirus death toll approached 500 in China, the FTSE 100 firmed 31.46 points to 7,471.28 with global stock markets in recovery mode, although oil remained weak amid fears the outbreak will lead to persistently lower demand from China and clobber the global tourism sector. Tobacco maker Imperial Brands (IMB) wafted 8% lower to £17.97 on a warning full ...

The FTSE 100 got off to a slow start this morning after US president Donald Trump signed into law a bill backing Hong Kong’s protesters. Stock markets around the world fell sharply on the news, fearing that China will retaliate. Beijing has consistently warned the US and other countries against interfering in what it sees as its internal affairs. The UK’s benchmark index no different to ...

Although there were few nuggets of corporate news as the third quarter drew to a close, the FTSE 100 index of leading stocks continued to climb towards a two-month high adding another 0.1% to 7,331. Support came mainly from the Banks, with HSBC (HSBA) gaining 0.5% to 627p, Barclays (BARC) gaining 0.3% to 151p and Lloyds (LLOY) also adding 0.3% to 55p. Weighing on the index were the ...

The £396m acquisition by professional residential landlord Grainger (GRI) of a portfolio of homes in London and the South East will accelerate its transition from an historic focus on regulated tenancies to the private rented sector. It also brings forward the company’s likely conversion to real estate investment trust (REIT) status. WHAT IS IT BUYING? Funded by a £346.7m rights issue ...

European markets are in recovery mode on Wednesday, investors regaining confidence following yesterday’s gains on Wall Street and the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 rebounding by 49.4 points to 7,191 and 105.3 points to 19,368 respectively. Among the blue chips, unloved tobacco titan Imperial Brands (IMB) wafts 3p lower to £27.27 despite a reassuring AGM trading update. Though the ...

Activist investors are back on the agenda thanks to hedge fund Sachem Head Capital taking a small stake in Whitbread (WTB) and a high profile spat between TCI and London Stock Exchange (LSE). While these events have been headline-grabbing news, it is worth bearing in mind that activist investors have been omnipresent in UK stocks for several years, as part of a growing trend across many stock ...

Many people think of activist investors as private hedge funds who use their position as a shareholder in an individual company to enforce change in a business. But did you know that some of these activist investors are actually on the stock market in the form of investment trusts? It means you can invest directly in the activist rather than the target, if you so wish. Activist engagement by ...