Equities in London went into Wednesday afternoon in largely negative territory, though peers in Europe were in the green and equities in New York are called higher.Nonetheless, there was still some trepidation in the air ahead of a US inflation reading on Friday.Some of the FTSE 100?s heavyweights weighed on the index. Shell and BP fell 1.3% and 1.5% as Brent prices fell. HSBC lost 1.7% after Barc

London?s FTSE 100 edged lower after the opening bell on Wednesday, as investors moved with trepidation as eyes turn to a US inflation reading due later in the week.The FTSE 100 index opened down 13.02 points, 0.2%, at 7,917.94. The FTSE 250 was down 23.35 points, 0.1%, at 19,754.29, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.27 of a point at 739.79.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.2% at 791.57, the Cboe UK 250 was

Stock prices in London reacted to dimming optimism of future US interest rate cuts, falling as the week?s developments countered upbeat sentiment at the end of 2023 of loosening monetary policy.?Global market moves in the first week of the year appear to have been driven by investors becoming more cautious about the timing of the first Fed rate cut and about the total amount of policy easing for 2

UK is the best performing major market this monthFTSE 100 aided by big oil-price gains and weak poundFTSE 250 flat on the monthFor most major markets September has been something of a washout with the S&P 500 index losing 4%, the Nasdaq 100 off 4.5% and Germany's DAX down 3%.A key driver of weakness has been the relentless rise in bond yields, which hit their highest levels since 2007 in the US wi

European stocks continued to decline on Wednesday, with investors unnerved by the outlook for US interest rates, which are likely to remain elevated for longer.Oil and gas firms were among the best performers in London, getting a boost from rising commodity prices and some good news for FTSE 250-listed Ithaca Energy.Among some smaller London listings, there was some M&A excitement involving Pendra

Equity markets in Europe continued to struggle on Wednesday, as an elevated interest rates outlook in the US and beyond left investors perturbed.Events in US Congress continue to cast a dark cloud on stocks also, as a government shutdown is yet to be averted.The FTSE 100 index was down 22.94 points, or 0.3%, at 7,602.78. The FTSE 250 was down 55.60 points, or 0.3%, at 18,281.05, and the AIM All-Sh

Stocks in London closed higher on Wednesday, as some tepid UK economic data means that the Bank of England may 'pause for thought' when making its next interest rate decision.Equity markets were also confident looking ahead to the Jackson Hole central banking event.The FTSE 100 index closed up 49.77 points, or 0.7% at 7,320.53 on Wednesday. The FTSE 250 ended up 202.23 points, or 1.1%, at 18,226.4

London's FTSE 100 traded higher on Wednesday afternoon, benefitting from a weaker pound, as the blue-chip index recovers some lost ground on the eve of the Jackson Hole central banking event.The pound fell markedly after a poor purchasing managers' index reading in the UK. Foreign exchange traders also sold the euro after similarly tepid data from the single currency area.Utility stocks were among

Stock prices in London rose at the open on Wednesday, as investors awaited Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's speech at Jackson Hole on Friday.The FTSE 100 index opened up 21.63 points, 0.3%, at 7,292.39. The FTSE 250 was up 76.25 points, 0.4%, at 18,100.51, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.14 points, 0.2%, at 733.32.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.2% at 726.65, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.4% at 15,871.53,

Share price gains for miners and another rise for British Airways owner IAG propelled the FTSE 100 into positive territory on Monday.Save for a slight decline for the DAX 40 in Frankfurt, it was a largely positive day in mainland Europe too, helped by favourable eurozone data.There are two central bank decisions for equity markets to negotiate, first the Reserve Bank of Australia on Tuesday, befor

London's FTSE 100 achieved a two-month closing high on Friday, as the blue-chip index nudged higher at the end of a bullish week.The FTSE 100 index ended up 17.68 points, 0.2%, at 7,663.73. For the week, it rose 3.5%, with most of its gain stemming from a cooler UK inflation reading.Central banks, as well as a slew of corporate earnings, take centre-stage next week. Ahead of the Federal Reserve de

i3 Energy cuts dividend in halfCanadian oil and gas producer responding to weaker energy pricesSeveral UK oil stocks are trading on lofty dividend yieldsThe market was ringing the alarm bell on i3 Energy's (I3E:AIM) dividend before today's news of a cut with the shares trading on a yield of nearly 13%.Following news the company cutting its dividend in half the share price has fallen 17.6% to 13.4p

Stocks in London were trading in the red on Friday at midday, with the FTSE 100 set for a negative week as a whole, as most attention shifts to a series of in-play interest rate decisions due next week and the following week.Among individual listings on Friday, downbeat trading update from Croda International sent chemicals company shares lower, but Harbour Energy and Ithaca Energy got a boost, af

While the rates of interest available on cash savings accounts have increased significantly of late, research carried out by Shares shows a quarter of the FTSE 100 and 30% of the FTSE 250 offer dividend yields of more than 5%.You can get a 5% rate from cash on deposit but it typically involves putting your money away for at least one year. Unlike cash, stocks have the potential for capital gains (

London share prices had a bright start on Friday, as markets close out a mostly negative week filled with company earnings and central bank decisions, including interest rate hikes in the US, EU and Australia.While Wall Street closed lower on Thursday, Apple earnings after the New York close provided some better news leading into the European day.Ahead on Friday is the US nonfarm payrolls report f

Cooling inflation on the continent, weaker US data and another day without any banking sector scares lifted stocks in London on Thursday.Blue-chip European shares remain off where they were on March 9, the day before equities suffered a melt-down following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. Markets are making a stellar recovery as the month draws to a close, however.Riskier assets were on the up

A strong close on Wall Street, led by technology shares, led into a positive open for European markets on Thursday, amid a risk-on investor mood as the banking crisis appeared to have been contained.The FTSE 100 index opened up 36.08 points, 0.5%, at 7,600.35. The FTSE 250 was up 178.77 points, 1.0%, at 18,811.58, and the AIM All-Share was up 4.54 points, 0.6%, at 800.74.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.6

Stocks in Europe ended markedly higher on Wednesday, amid a growing conviction that a crisis in the banking sector is being contained.The FTSE 100 index jumped 80.02 points, 1.1%, at 7,564.27. The FTSE 250 surged 236.12 points, 1.3%, to 18,632.81. The AIM All-Share climbed 3.75 points higher, 0.5%, at 796.20.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.9% at 755.36, the Cboe UK 250 added 1.5% at 16,235.83, and the

The past month has seen a significant fall in oil prices. Having flirted with the $100 per barrel mark for the first time since the summer in early November, Brent crude is now closer to $80 as traders fret about the impact on demand of a slowdown in the global economy.Renewed hopes of a loosening of Chinese Covid restrictions gave the crude market a bit of relief at the start of December but it h

Returns from shares and funds come in the form of a capital gain, if and when they increase in value, as well as dividend payments.Not all funds and stocks pay dividends but for those that do, reinvesting these payments back into the relevant collective or share can be a highly lucrative strategy.By putting money into an investment that delivers a consistent income and reinvesting that cash as and