Trading platform Plus500 (PLUS) announced on 21 March that it is entering into the Japanese market. This move is motivated in part by the success its rival IG (IGG) has experienced in the region.IG is on track to generate revenue of nearly £90 million per annum from its operations in Japan. This equates to approximately 20% of Plus500 full year expected 2022 revenue, and provides an...

Shares in global financial technology company IG Group (IGG) fell by 2.5% to 763p despite announcing another positive trading update.The market has taken fright at management guidance that revenue growth for Tastytrade, its US online brokerage and investor education platform, will miss the previously guided 25-to-30% range for 2022.There were fears that the $1 billion price tag IG Group paid...

For now, the escalating conflict in Ukraine shows no signs of easing. After the initial shock, markets were hopeful the economic impact of the war might be contained as the West's opening salvo of sanctions in response to Russia's invasion (24 Feb) were weaker than some had anticipated.However, any relief soon dissipated as Ukraine put up stiff resistance against the Russian invaders and...

European stock markets slumped in early dealings on Thursday as markets digested the US Federal Reserve's statement last night.Investors were unnerved after Fed chair Jay Powell signalled the US central bank could be open to more rate hikes this year than it has previously guided.US stocks fell further after the announcement and the sell-off extended to most of Asia and Europe, although the...

UK stocks rallied on Wednesday, regaining much of the previous day's losses along with European and US markets as fears surrounding the latest Covid strain eased.Travel and leisure stocks International Consolidated Airlines (IAG) and Whitbread (WTB) traded higher, while energy stocks BP (BP.) and Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) were also well bid as oil prices rebounded.Telecom firm BT (BT.A) was...

UK stocks rallied on Wednesday despite US stocks falling overnight after Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell suggested inflation was no longer transitory and hinted that tapering of financial stimulus would have to go ahead no matter the impact of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.Travel and leisure stocks International Consolidated Airlines (IAG) and Whitbread (WTB) were the top performers,...

London's FTSE 100 firmed 1.24% to 7,146.73 points early on Wednesday, despite US stocks falling overnight after Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell suggested inflation wasn't transitory after all and hinted that tapering of financial stimulus would have to go ahead no matter the impact of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.Although the combination of a Covid-related knock to growth, reduction in...

City of London Investment Trust (CTY) has been a popular choice for investors over the years, but a period of underperformance versus the UK Equity Income investment trust sector average on a three and five-year basis is a worry.Typically investing in FTSE 100 companies, City of London has been a hit with certain types of investors, particularly those approaching retirement or already in it....

London's FTSE 100 was 0.5% firmer at 7,050.56 points early on Thursday following after a rebound in the US and another dip for Asian equities overnight.A flurry of positive corporate news and decent US data overnight outweighed lingering concerns about the Chinese economy, which dragged down the miners and other companies with links to China such as luxury brand Burberry (BRBY), off 2.75% to...

As the world economy starts to get back to something approaching normal, and with supply chains struggling to keep pace, inflation has once again reared its head.From the UK to Europe, the US and China, consumer and producer prices are rising at a faster pace than politicians and central bankers would like.For investors, this year has been a test of how their portfolios might perform if there...

Pharmaceuticals, insurance, tobacco and financials are good places to find income on the UK market, says Richard Marwood, co-manager of the £1.7 billion Royal London UK Equity Income Fund (B3M9JJ7).He believes the prospects for dividends from UK stocks are improving, which should be good news for any investor seeking to generate an income from their portfolio.Many companies had to cut or...

For people approaching retirement it can be daunting to plan for a change of pace in lifestyle, while the financial side of things can even be more scary. It is, therefore, always worth getting some form of financial guidance or advice around such life-changing events. If you're not sure, you should seek help from a financial adviser.In this article, we highlight some of the financial options...

UK stocks ended Thursday in positive territory as investors cautiously welcomed stimulus pledges from the European Central Bank to counter the pace of the selloff in bond markets.Rising interest rates and falling bond prices have rattled stock markets in recent weeks. Some ECB officials are reported to believe the selloff in bonds could prove a headwind to the economic recovery in Eurozone...

Financial trading platform IG Group (IGG) reported a strong third quarter as it milked market volatility and a retail trading frenzy. IG saw revenue jump 65% in the three months to 28 February 2021 to £230.3 million as new customers piled in to financial markets and existing clients traded more.Large numbers of new investors have been attracted to trading financial markets this year thanks to...

UK stocks fell into negative territory by midday on Thursday as markets trade cautiously ahead of the European Central Bank's latest policy decision this afternoon.The slow pace of the vaccine rollout across the Eurozone has fueled concerns its economic recovery is falling behind, with bank officials set to decide whether rising government-bond yields across the globe threaten the region's...

UK stocks nudged higher in early trade on Thursday matching tentative gains on European bourses after fresh records on Wall Street and a decent handover from Asia.The Dow Jones rose 464.28 points overnight, or 1.5%, to notch a new record closing high at 32,297.02, after House Democrats passed Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion Covid relief package. Gains for the S&P 500 were more measured while the...

The internet has transformed how financial markets are accessed and, in some ways, has democratised trading and investing.A whole range of different asset classes and investment vehicles are now available to ordinary punters in a way which would have been unthinkable in the 1990s when you would phone your broker to place a buy or sell order on a share or fund.The development of social media...

The decision by online trading company IG Group (IGG) to increase the margin it requires for trading in over 1,000 small-cap stocks to 100% sparked fears small cap-stocks could crash as some investors were forced to dump holdings they can no longer afford to finance.The main advantage of spread betting is the financial leverage that it provides, whereby clients can open and run positions with...

Shares in contract for difference (CFD) derivatives trading platform Plus500 (PLUS) fell 1.8% on Wednesday to £13.55 after the firm announced a new dividend policy indicating lower payouts.Having already flagged full year to 31 December headline results on 5 January, the company reset expectations for 2021 revenues saying that they would grow from the 'normalised levels' of 2019.The...

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index closed in the red on Tuesday as the pound strengthened on hopes a Brexit trade deal can still be achieved.Despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson playing down the chances of a deal, many analysts and market commentators think an agreement could still be done by the end of the week. The pound rose 0.4% against the dollar and euro.The UK's benchmark index, which is full...