Every time anyone in the UK puts money into a pension, a deal is struck. The government adds tax relief to the contribution, and the quid pro quo is you have to lock that money away for retirement. Hence why you can only access a pension after the age of 55, rising to 57 from 2028.The idea is that if you?ve got your own funds to live on in retirement, you won?t fall back on the benefits system and

Wizz Air expected to report a loss for the year but hopes for recoveryBudget carrier is looking for a return to profit in the current financial yearThe European budget airline Wizz Air (WIZZ) is expected to report an overall net loss for the year ending 31 March 2023 on 8 June, hit by a range of issues such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict as well as rising maintenance and fuel costs.However Jozsef

Cannabis stocks have been through the classic stages of the hype cycle - rallying on expectations for big things and crashing as they don't live up to earlier promises. Many investors have lost interest but some are still holding out for a rebound thanks to pockets of positive news.A good example is medicinal cannabis supplier Celadon Pharmaceuticals (CEL:AIM) which jumped as much as 124% on 14 Ma

Robust oil and gold prices and the safe haven appeal of utility stocks supported the FTSE 100, though peers in Europe struggled as investors nervously count down the minutes until a US labour market reading.The ADP jobs data is reported at 1315 BST on Wednesday. It is an understudy to the main event, Friday's nonfarms. Elsewhere on Wednesday, there are US PMI readings at 1445 BST and 1500 BST.The

- WPP acquires Bower House Digital- Deal strengthens WPP's digital offering- Shares held back by by fears of slowdown in advertising spendShares in global advertising agency WPP (WPP), drifted 0.5% lower to 815.6p after announcing the acquisition of Bower House Digital, a leading marketing technology services agency located in Australia.The acquisition strengthens WPP's digital offering.Shares in

The FTSE 100 closed lower Friday as inflation and higher interest rates came into focus on a strong US jobs report and a bounce back for major tech stocks.The unexpected surge in jobs last month, up 467,000 versus an estimate of 150,000 rise, spiked bond yields and reaffirmed to investors that the Federal Reserve would continue with its plan to raise interest rates as soon as March.At the close, t

The UK's major shares reversed morning gains to nudge into the red at lunchtime on Friday, joining Europe's major markets under water. Having closed in on two-year highs of 7,600 following near-1% gains earlier, the FTSE 100 lost its momentum as the market mood turned more nervous ahead of US jobs data due at 1.30pm UK time.At 12.45pm, the UK's benchmark index has dipped a toe into the red with a

UK stocks began the last trading of the week in better spirits despite a turbulent overnight session for US equities as shares in Facebook owner Meta lost $250 billion in value, the largest single one-day loss in US history, contributing to a 4.2% slide in the Nasdaq 100 technology index.In contrast, Amazon delivered better than expected earnings thanks to its cloud business, sending its shares up

In a development giving J Sainsbury's (SBRY) shareholders food for thought, the UK Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) has announced (23 Aug) the formal launch of its investigation into the grocer's proposed mega-merger with Asda with a broader than anticipated remit.The regulator will consider the supply chain and the impact upon shoppers of the Sainsbury's/Asda merger, looking at whether the e

Whisper it quietly: spin-offs are the City's best-kept secret. Investing in the shares of demerged businesses has delivered market-beating performance in all but the harshest market environments.US fund manager Joel Greenblatt at Gotham Capital made his fortune in the 1980s and 1990s relying heavily on the strategy. He claimed indiscriminately buying demerged securities in the US delivered annual

Investors have come to expect rapid growth promises from newly floated UK companies over the past couple of years, but Manx Telecom (MANX:AIM) is offering a very different proposition. With a long history of running a virtual monopoly in broadband and calls, growth is not high of the company's 'to do' list.This is illustrated by recent financials. In 2009, about 300 people worked for Manx, which r

The events in Syria are a good prompt to revisit the oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) sector, whose mainly Aim-quoted contingent remains in the doldrums following a laggard performance since 2012.Tight supply conditions in the global crude market resulting from militia activity in Libya, which has forced the closure of oil terminals and oilfields in what is a major energy exporter, had

Data released earlier this month by intelligence and consultancy services provider Hannon Westwood shows more than 40% of the 133 oil companies with licences in the UK North Sea have no reserves which can be brought into production.This puts a greater premium on those operators which already have assets onstream and investors looking to access this mature province could consider the merits of Brid