Fresh allegations from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) about money laundering at HSBC (HSBA) and Standard Chartered (STAN), among other leading global banks, may pertain to wrong-doing which is already covered by previously-paid regulatory fines, according to the lenders themselves. But even if that is the case, the story gives investors another reason to wonder ...

Increasing investor anxiety is leading to bigger share individual price moves on a daily and weekly basis and the last week was no exception with a number of large fallers. Engineering group Rolls-Royce (RR.) was forced to release a statement after increasing speculation that the company was planning to raise new funds, leaving the shares down 24% between 14 September and 21 September and ...

UK stocks tumbled on Monday as the number of virus cases in the UK continued to rise and fears grew of a second nationwide lockdown.   At the close the benchmark FTSE 100 index was down over 200 points or 3.4%, its biggest daily loss since July, to 5,804 points. International Consolidated Airlines (IAG) was the biggest FTSE faller, dropping 12% to 97p on fears of new travel ...

UK stocks fell sharply on Monday as the number of virus cases in the UK continued to rise and fears grew of a second nationwide lockdown. At midday the benchmark FTSE 100 index was down over 200 points or 3.4% to 5,801. International Consolidated Airlines (IAG) was the biggest FTSE faller, dropping 13% to 96p on fears of new travel restrictions, while low-cost rival EasyJet (EZJ) shed 8% to ...

Shares in Barclays (BARC) and HSBC (HSBA) dropped sharply after leaked documents reportedly alleged that they and other European banks moved large sums of potentially illicit funds over a period of more than two decades. According to what are known as suspicious activity reports filed with the US Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCen), the reports allege major ...

The FTSE 100 plummeted well below 6,000 in early trading on Monday as investors became increasingly concerned about the rising possibility of a second national lockdown. The Government’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty is set to warn later this morning that the UK is at a ‘critical point’ in the coronavirus pandemic and that the country is currently ‘heading in the wrong ...

David Smith, fund manager of Henderson High Income Trust (HHI), argues the lockdown losers that dragged on performance in the half to June will emerge from the Covid-19 crisis in ‘a strong position relative to their competition’. And despite having been through a period of dividend suspensions, deferrals and cuts, Henderson High Income forecasts an increase in the 2020 total ...

The UK’s benchmark FTSE 100 reversed early morning losses on Monday to rally strongly in late morning as investors shrugged-off geopolitical worries and soaring losses posted by HSBC (HSBA), the UK’s largest listed bank. At 12.30pm, the FTSE 100 was trading more than 0.7% higher at 5,939.60, as technology, transport, personal goods and pharma offset weak banks. The mid-cap FTSE 250 also ...

Shares in global banking giant HSBC (HSBA) fell 4% to 328p, their lowest level since the financial crisis in 2009, after first half earnings missed expectations and the firm increased its forecast for full year bad loan provisions. Profits before tax for the six months to 30 June were down 65% to $4.32 billion against a market forecast of $5.67 billion, due to lower revenues and higher expected ...

UK stocks started the week in uncertain mood while gold prices touched an all-time high of $1,991 per ounce as investors weighed continued weakness in the US dollar and a collapse in real US bond yields. The dollar, which has lost 10% of its value against global currencies since the start of the pandemic, has come to reflect growing concern over the unchecked spread of the virus in the US and ...

Research reports on companies listed on a stock market can provide valuable information to investors, helping them get a handle on the opportunities and threats for a business, thus helping to shape their decision whether to buy the shares or not. For most retail investors, accessing in-depth written research on companies has always been hard work. Historically, it was only available to big ...

There remains ‘significant concentration risk’ across the Investment Association (IA) UK Equity Income Sector, says a leading fund manager. The latest analysis from Octopus Investments warns that the wave of dividend cuts in recent months demonstrates the need for ‘genuine diversification’ if investors are to avoid further instability to their income. The number of UK equity income ...

Many first-time investors will start by building a basic portfolio from funds. The next step is to look at shares in individual companies. Investing in shares (also known as stocks and equities) can be both an exciting and rewarding activity. However, before you take the plunge it is worth having a good understanding of the fundamentals behind shares and share ownership. BECOMING A PART ...

Stock markets around the world have staged a big recovery from their March lows, yet there are many individual companies that have stubbornly failed to find their feet. Supermarket chain Sainsbury’s (SBRY) and aircraft engines maker Rolls-Royce (RR.) are among a small clutch of FTSE 100 companies to have extended share price losses since 23 March, when the UK’s benchmark index hit its ...

At the time of writing, the FTSE All-Share stands 32% above its March lows, which sounds pretty good, even reassuring, on the face of it. However, that rebound means that the All-Share has still lagged the FTSE All-World over the same period. It also means that the UK has underperformed most major equity markets during the current recovery phase and indeed for the year as a whole. Cynics ...

Investors seeking exposure to a wide range of UK companies still paying dividends should snap up BMO Capital & Income Investment Trust (BCI) as its portfolio contains many of these prized names. This trust could be an easier and more convenient way for income investors to back the dividend payers as it only requires buying a single product rather than lots of individual shares. Among the ...

For all the talk of stock markets bouncing back from March lows, UK shares have only delivered marginal gains in the past six weeks. At 6,088 on 26 May, the FTSE 100 index was up just 5.1% since 14 April, despite some wild one-day moves. US stocks have performed in a similar fashion. While coronavirus and its impact on the economy and company earnings are still the main drivers, older concerns ...

Shares in high street lender Barclays (BARC) climbed 5% to 103p despite the bank reporting a big hit to first quarter earnings from increased provisions for bad loans. Statutory profit before tax was £0.9bn after the bank took a £2.1bn credit impairment charge to reflect its ‘initial estimates of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.’ Profit before tax excluding credit impairment ...

Shares in global banking group HSBC (HSBA) were little changed at 415p, despite a 48% drop in first quarter earnings due to a sharp increase in provisions for  bad loans. Pre-tax profits for the three months to 31 March were $3.2bn compared with $6.2bn a year ago, after the bank increased its charges for expected credit losses and other impairments from $0.6bn to $3bn. OIL EXPOSURE Most ...

UK stocks inched higher on Tuesday, helped by gains in Asian markets and growing optimism that more countries would allow businesses to re-open in a phased relaxation of the global lockdown. The FTSE 100 index of leading stocks rose 0.2% to 5,856, with gains in industrial stocks and insurers helping to offset losses in heavyweight banks, oils and retailers. Shares in global bank HSBC ...