With around 40% of S&P 500 constituents reporting earnings last week including heavyweights Microsoft (MSFT:NASDAQ) and Alphabet (GOOG:NASDAQ), the micro picture was widely expected to be the main investor focus.As things turned out, a surprisingly weak first quarter GDP (gross domestic product) print and higher-than-anticipated March inflation gave investors and the Federal Reserve further pause

It has been a while since investors in UK banks had cause to celebrate but shareholders in Barclays (BARC) were toasting a small win last week as the high-street lender posted first-quarter profit above market expectations, sending its shares to new 12-month high of 200p.!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document

The FTSE 100 is not the best-performing major stock index in the world this year ? that honour lies with Japan?s Nikkei 225, which is up by 12% in local currency terms ? but the UK?s premier benchmark is (finally) setting new all-time highs, at least when measured in sterling. The picture does not look quite so rosy in US dollars and while this can be used as a pretext to cavil it can also be a fu

Scottish American Investment Company (SAIN) 503pMarket cap: £898 millionBallie Gifford-managed Scottish American (SAIN), also referred to as ?SAINTS?, is trading at an 8% discount to net asset value which offers a great opportunity to buy high-quality assets on the cheap.The fund is steered by co-managers James Dow and Ross Mathison, after Toby Ross stepped away from co-managing the fund in Febru

Since BP (BP.) reported its full-year results on 6 February, events in the Middle East have helped drive Brent crude oil prices higher to bubble around the $90 per barrel mark.While this has already provided a boost to BP?s share price, it is only likely to have affected the last few weeks of the first-quarter trading period which BP will be reporting on when it updates the market on 7 May.!functi

Whitbread (WTB) £31.76Loss to date: 8.5%When we initially recommended buying Premier Inn owner Whitbread (WTB) last summer our thesis was the shares were too cheap given the firm?s prospects and the renaissance in travel in general.Throw in an element of self-help, such as the sale of certain low-yielding assets, and we expected the market to come to its senses and re-rate the company?s shares.!f

Chemicals companies produce the compounds used in a huge variety of different industrial and consumer products across sectors which include agriculture, healthcare, technology, aerospace, sports, leisure and beauty.The breadth of the industry?s focus means its fortunes are closely tied to the economy and movements in GDP as well as volatility in raw material prices and energy costs.In 2023 the sec

While the market?s focus moved on to US company earnings last week, spurring a strong rebound, investors received another reality check in the form of the first-quarter GDP and core PCE (personal consumption expenditure) figures.GDP grew at the slowest rate in two years while the PCE came in sticky as expected, presenting the Federal Reserve with an unwelcome combination as it prepares to meet for

In the last few weeks, the drumbeat of companies complaining about the lowly valuation of their shares and floating the idea of moving to the US market has grown steadily louder.First there was miner Glencore (GLEN), then oil major Shell (SHEL) started making noises and most recently online retailer Ocado (OCDO) has come under shareholder pressure to move its listing.What is significant is these a

London stocks were mixed at the closing bell, a few hours before the evening?s long-awaited interest rate decision from the Federal Reserve, with Haleon hampering the FTSE 100 and a poor performance from Aston Martin dragging down the FTSE 250.The FTSE 100 index closed down 22.89 points, 0.3%, at 8,121.24. The FTSE 250 ended down 38.80 points, 0.2%, at 19,926.59, and the AIM All-Share closed up 4.

Company confirms approachShares almost doubleBridgepoint has till 29 May to make offerGlobal specialist consultancy services provider to the asset management and insurance industries Alpha Financial Markets (AFM) saw its shares almost double at one point to 460p after the company confirmed bid interest from private equity groups.Responding to press speculation the board said it had received a non-

First quarter losses nearly double as volumes fallNet debt soars £230 million in three months to top £1 billionShares down 36% year-to-dateShares in Aston Martin Lagonda (AML) fell sharply in morning trading as the luxury car maker reported more quarterly losses, volumes and revenue declines, and soaring net debt that topped £1 billion. Desperately scrabbling to offer investors a positive spin,

Stock prices in London were slightly down heading into the afternoon on Wednesday, as investors awaited the latest interest rate decision from the US Federal Reserve this evening.The FTSE 100 index slipped just 1.15 points to 8,142.98. The FTSE 250 was down 35.58 points, 0.2%, at 19,929.81, and the AIM All-Share was up 3.07 points, 0.4%, at 763.81.The Cboe UK 100 was flat at 813.38, the Cboe UK 25

Full-price sales up 5.7%Full-year guidance unchangedFirm outperforming the marketHigh-street retailer Next (NXT) beat expectations with its first-quarter trading update but tempered its outlook for the second quarter so as to leave its full-year guidance unchanged.Traders took the opportunity to top-slice the shares, which have gained over 12% this year, sending them lower by 72p or 0.8%. O

Large-cap London stocks in London opened in the green on Wednesday, despite nervy trade in New York overnight ahead of the Federal Reserve?s interest rate decision later.A host of financial markets in mainland Europe and beyond, including Paris, Frankfurt and Shanghai, are closed for public holidays.The FTSE 100 index rose 24.30 points, 0.3%, at 8,168.43. The FTSE 250 was down 17.21 points, 0.1%,

London?s FTSE 100 pushed higher on Tuesday afternoon, as its winning streak looks set to continue, though blue-chip benchmarks in Frankfurt and Paris struggled as shares in carmakers went into reverse.The FTSE 100 index was up 47.90 points, 0.6%, at 8,194.93. The FTSE 250 slipped just 2.92 points, to 20,081.87, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.85 of a point, 0.1%, at 764.18.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.

Cards-to-gifts seller reinstates shareholder rewardStore estate performing wellFY25 profits will be second half weightedShares in Card Factory (CARD) rallied 6% to 106.6p after the value-focused greeting cards-to-party supplies retailer announced a welcome return to the dividend list, having paused payouts during the pandemic.The reinstatement of dividends signalled confidence from Card Factory an

Profits beat consensusBuyback bigger than thoughtChief executive stepping downInvestors in Anglo-Pacific bank HSBC (HSBA) had plenty to cheer as the group posted first-quarter results above expectations and increased the size of its buyback.The shares continued their recent rally, adding another 17p or 2.5% to take them to a new post-pandemic high of 685p. BETTER RESULTS AND BUYBACKFor the

Equities in London made a bright start to trading, led by lender HSBC, as the recent bullish run continued.Trade was more cautious in mainland Europe, however, ahead of key eurozone data later.The FTSE 100 index rose 26.28 points, 0.3%, at 8,173.31. The FTSE 250 was up 51.07 points, 0.3%, at 20,135.86, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.36 points, 0.2%, at 764.69.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.4% at 817.04,

London equities finished in the green on Monday, outpacing its European peers, ahead of the Federal Reserve?s eagerly awaited interest rate decision on Wednesday.The FTSE 100 index closed up 7.20 points, 0.1%, at 8,147.03. The FTSE 250 ended up 260.63 points, 1.3%, at 20,084.79, and the AIM All-Share closed up 8.05 points, 1.1%, at 763.33.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.1% at 814.08, the Cboe UK 250 cl