The advent of globalisation has helped to drive considerable earnings growth for companies on the UK stock market thanks to them doing business with an ever-growing number of countries. Unfortunately, widespread geographical expansion means the list of UK stocks with exposure to Russia is bigger than you might think. Many professional and retail investors have raised a moral objective to ...

In the first of a two-part series Shares talks to a range of fund managers about the stocks they like for 2022. Covering both UK and overseas markets, the experts offer a range of ideas spanning technology and banking to leisure and automotive sectors. The second part of the series (to be published on 23 December) will reveal a selection of fund managers’ biggest disappointments for 2021 ...

Quoted car retailers are enjoying an upgrade cycle fuelled by the highly unusual supply and demand dynamics seen in the UK automotive market since the summer of 2020. Post-lockdown, pent-up consumer demand is being released at the same time as the global semiconductor shortage impacts new car production, which is driving up second hand vehicle prices in particular and boosting sector-wide ...

Risk-averse investors wary about rising rates and their potential to roil long-duration assets including highly rated growth stocks should look at Fidelity Special Values (FSV), the investment trust with stakes in cheap UK stocks that boast significant recovery potential. While the shares have swung from a net asset value discount to a modest premium, this reflects the fund’s strong ...

Despite gains for index heavyweights including Lloyds Banking (LLOY) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), the FTSE fell on Thursday due to negative movements from both Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) and HSBC (HSBA). The blue chip benchmark traded 0.36% lower at 7,227.24 points on a busy day of corporate results. The European Central Bank was set to update the market later in the day and investors will be ...

This is the final part of our three-part series on the FTSE 250. Read our introduction here and catch up on the growth versus value debate in part two here. In this last part of our mini-series on the FTSE 250 we take a look at some of the higher quality stocks that inhabit the UK’s mid-cap universe. We will discuss some of the companies that demonstrate real financial strength and balance ...

Shares in Marshall Motor (MMH:AIM) revved up 4.7% to a five-year high of 200p after the automotive dealership upgraded profit guidance again in an unscheduled trading update. Following on from a significant profit upgrade in May, Marshall Motor insisted it is on the road to recording another record result for 2021, management also flagged up a ‘high level of uncertainty’ ahead due to ...

London’s FTSE 100 was down sharply by close of play on Friday, the blue chip benchmark shedding 1.7% to 7,029.92 points as oil prices slumped, hurting the shares price of index heavyweights BP (BP.) and Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB). Investors have been in ‘risk off’ mode in the latter half of the week, unsettled by guidance from the US Federal Reserve suggesting rate hikes will come in 2023 ...

London’s FTSE 100 was down 0.9% to 7,092.26 points by noon on Friday with some index heavyweights under pressure, investors factoring in guidance from the US Federal Reserve suggesting rate hikes will come in 2023 and with UK retail sales figures for May coming in below expectations. Retail sales fell by 1.4% between April and May as people chose to visit reopened bars and restaurants instead ...

Shares in Inchcape (INCH) motored 5.6% higher to 805.5p after the global automotive distributor said it expects to deliver 2021 pre-tax profit ‘significantly’ ahead of the £2.16 million market consensus forecast. There was also relief as the company assured investors that semiconductor shortages have had limited impact on the business to date. Chief executive Duncan Tait is off to a ...

Leading UK shares were marked lower in early trading on Friday as retail sales figures for May came in below expectations. Retail sales fell by 1.4% between April and May as people chose to visit reopened bars and restaurants instead of buying food at supermarkets. The Office for National Statistics said sales fell most significantly at food stores as consumers took advantage of Covid ...

There has been a wave of takeover approaches for listed companies, both from rivals and from private equity buy-out firms in 2021. Something we have noticed is that, where private equity is concerned, rather than looking for companies which are on their knees and in desperate need of turning round, buyers seem to prefer companies which have already begun the turnaround process and therefore ...

Since the Covid bottom in March 2020, London’s FTSE 100 has rebounded by 36% to 7,061.78 points, but the FTSE 250 has rallied an even more impressive 67.8% to 22,813.47 and this index of ‘second liners’ is testing new highs. Mid cap companies are attractive to investors for a variety of reasons; more established than smaller firms, they are regarded as less risky, yet they also tend to be ...

With ‘value’ investing still in the ascendancy in global markets, and with UK stocks still trading at a hefty discount to their international peers, we have screened the FTSE All-Share index for cheap stocks which we believe offer significant upside potential. As well as looking at straightforward price to earnings ratios for the next 12 months, we have included returns on capital – in ...

UK shares rose on Thursday as the pound dipped against the euro and the dollar. Knife-edge Brexit talks were set to continue, with a new deadline of Sunday, while the UK economy expanded at its slowest rate since returning to growth in May, with GDP increasing by just 0.4% month on month in October. Overnight in the US, shares in Facebook dropped more than 5% as it faced a new antitrust lawsuit ...

UK shares made tentative gains on Thursday as fractious Brexit talks continued with a new deadline of Sunday. The UK economy reported its slowest expansion since returning to growth in May with GDP growing 0.4% month on month in October. In the US, shares in Facebook dropped more than 5% as it faced a new antitrust lawsuit from the US Federal Trade Commission. Meanwhile food delivery company ...

Six months since the departure of Mark Barnett from asset manager Invesco, two investment trusts previously run by the once-star fund manager have finally settled into their new homes. Investors are rightfully expecting better performance under the new managers, but what’s in store for them? Perpetual Income & Growth Trust last week completed its merger with Murray Income Trust ...

UK markets were dragged lower in early trading on Thursday as gloomy results from banks and other companies gave investors reasons to pull money out of stocks despite drugs maker AstraZeneca (AZN) rising after topping analysts’ expectations on the back of strong drug sales during coronavirus-driven lockdowns. The benchmark FTSE 100 was down 0.8% at 6,084.50 at 8.50am. Lloyds Banking ...

Shares in retailers Dunelm (DNLM), Marks & Spencer (MKS) and Next (NXT) jumped after the bank holiday on news that the government aimed to allow all ‘non-essential’ shops to reopen within the next month. In terms of timeline, outdoor markets and car showrooms are allowed to reopen from 1 June, while all retailers from small independents to department stores can open their doors from 15 ...

New Woodford Income Focus managers Aberdeen Standard Investments (ASI) have given a glimpse of what the revamped portfolio will look like, with only two of the top 10 holdings left over from the Woodford days. Renamed the ASI Income Focus, the new fund will reopen tomorrow under the management of ASI fund managers Charles Luke and Thomas Moore. Investors are able to place trades from midday ...