The markets appear to be treading water ahead of the key US non-farm payrolls release later with the FTSE 100 up a modest 0.1% to 6540.11. The move follows falls in US and Asia overnight. Financials are under pressure with Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) down 1.9% to 155.6p and Aviva (AV.) falling 0.76% to £13.07 but mining stocks provide some support on stronger metals prices with Rio Tinto ...

No longer seen as an esoteric facet of the tree-hugging ethical investor’s portfolio, Alternative Energy is a sub-sector laden with opportunities. Whether it’s at the cutting edge of fuel cell technology with the likes of AFC Energy  (AFC:AIM) or Intelligent Energy (IEH) or battery technology pioneers like Ilika (IKA:AIM), the alternative energy space has the capacity to offer technological ...

The car industry is racing ahead thanks to popular credit schemes enabling consumers to get the latest cars at low monthly prices. Car sales in the US hit a record 17.5 million in 2015 and European car sales are improving. Against this backdrop is a wealth of opportunity for UK investors thanks to a plethora of companies on the London Stock Exchange being linked to the automotive ...

London stocks are on the front foot in early trade on Tuesday, driven by a swathe of food and fashion updates, including better-than-expected trading from supermarket Wm Morrison Supermarkets (MRW) and department stores chain Debenhams (DEB). The FTSE 100 index pushes around 26 points, or 0.45%, higher to 5,898, with midcaps and smaller companies also in positive territory. Major European indices ...

Eagle Eye (EYE:AIM) 165p AIM is littered with strugglers chasing the mobile commerce dream but Eagle Eye is off to a decent start. SMS marketing and vouchers space has potential, but this is also high-risk territory. Earthport (EPO:AIM) 45.25p New management is key to ending years of failure and cash calls. Making rapid progress to promised global platform for medium-sized cross-border ...

Data capture software supplier Kofax (KFX) crashes more than 16% to 396p as full year results miss expectations. The company blames several seven-figure licence sale failures for the miss. That wipes out almost all of the shares' recent 40% rally since early May. Gauloises Blondes-to-Golden Virginia maker Imperial Tobacco (IMT) rises 3.87% to £27.62 as it confirms possible acquisition talks ...

Cabling and electronics manufacturer Volex (VLX) goes cap in hand to investors for £18.1 million of new funding via a share placing and open offer. Priced at 75p per share, a fairly modest 6% discount to last night's 79.25p close, might suggest that investors are willing to back management's turnaround strategy. Solid state battery technology developer Ilika (IKA:AIM) leaps more than 11% to ...

Credit agency Experian (EXPN) falls 6.1% to £10.65 after full-year results flag short-term headwinds. Subdued trading in Brazil and a likely hit to revenue in the US, due to operational changes, are combining to constrain growth in the first half of its new financial year. Read our latest view on Experian in this cover story on investment themes from December 2013 which flagged some of the risks ...

Africa and Middle East focused oil firm Afren (AFR) gains 4.6% to 151.5p after flagging potential for record revenues of £1.65 billion for 2013 as output comes in at the top end of expectations at 47,112 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd). This total represents a 13% year-on-year increase and is largely thanks to building output from its Nigerian fields – though production is expected to ...