Stock prices were up in London heading into the afternoon on Thursday, with Anglo American leading the charge on confirming it was ?reviewing? a takeover bid from its larger Australian rival BHP Group.The FTSE 100 index was up 54.22 points, 0.7%, at 8,094.60. The FTSE 250 was down 20.05 points, 0.1%, at 19,699.32, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.33 of a point at 755.02.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.7% a

Stock prices in London were lower at midday on Monday, as markets nervously eyed upcoming inflation data from the world's two largest economies, out on Wednesday and Thursday.The FTSE 100 index was down 55.72 points, 0.7%, at 7,508.65. The FTSE 250 was down 96.25 points, 0.5%, at 18,838.37, and the AIM All-Share was down 2.30 points, 0.3%, at 761.11.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.7% at 749.00, the Cbo

Stocks in Europe closed lower on Thursday, as investors digest interest rate hikes from both the European Central Bank and the US Federal Reserve.The FTSE 100 index closed down 85.73 points, or 1.1% at 7,702.64 on Thursday. The FTSE 250 ended down 120.69 points, or 0.6%, at 19,244.91. The AIM All-Share closed down 3.30 points, or 0.4%, at 824.98.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 1.0% at 770.87, the Cboe

FevertreeCan the posh mixers maker regain some fizz when it posts 2022 results?After enjoying years of fizzing earnings upgrades and share price gains off the back of its 2014 stock market listing, posh mixers maker Fevertree (FEVR:AIM) has gone flat in recent times.In January the company downgraded 2023 guidance thanks to rising costs - this negative news coming off the back of three profit warni

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 performance and

A 14% discount to net asset value at Strategic Equity Capital (SEC) suggests significant rerating scope remains at this concentrated trust of 20 carefully selected small cap names.Since seasoned investor Ken Wotton took over as lead manager last September, the discount has narrowed, and we think an improved net asset value performance driven by portfolio changes offers a catalyst to bring the disc

Shares in estate agency Countrywide (CWD) jumped 7% to 365p first thing on Monday, valuing the firm at £123m, on confirmation that it is in discussions with rival agency LSL Property Services (LSL) 'regarding a possible all-share combination.'Reports had begun circulating at the weekend that the companies, two of the UK's largest listed estate agencies, were in talks about a possible tie-up.Count

The FTSE 100 tumbled on Monday as Italy's lockdown and a sharp rise in cases in South Korea fueled market fears over the coronavirus outbreak becoming a pandemic.The UK's benchmark index plunged close on 3% to 7,187.17, worse than Asian markets overnight. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong fell 1.8% to 26,820 and the Shanghai Composite in China fell 0.3% to 3,031.Though, as is usually the case in times of

London's FTSE 100 recovered some of the heavy ground lost yesterday, rising a modest 11.3 points to 7,423.3 early on Tuesday, although markets are likely to be in a holding pattern until there is greater clarity on how and when the coronavirus can be contained.Recently in the doldrums following a savage profit warning last summer, IRN-BRU-to-Rubicon maker A.G. Barr (BAG) fizzed 14.7% higher to 624

London estate agency Foxtons (FOXT) gains 6.9% to 78p as it posts a resilient update for the third quarter. Yet that still leaves the shares significantly down on the price at which the company joined the stock market four years ago.The company was floated on the Main Market in 2013 at 230p and shareholders have endured a steady fall in the value of their investment as the London property market h

Today's Queen's Speech setting out the legislative agenda for Theresa May's minority government was a slimmed down affair and the market reaction also seems modest.Sterling is strengthening slightly after a pledge to 'build the widest possible consensus on the country's future outside the European Union'. The tone suggesting a 'softer' approach to Brexit. Eight of the 27 bills outlined relate to t

Estate agents often top the list for the least popular professionals and they can also quickly lose favour with investors at the slightest bit of bad news.We believe sentiment has become too negative for Countrywide (CWD) and that its shares are worth buying after a 50% fall in the past 12 months.Its shares look too cheapCountrywide is the UK's largest estate agent. It is now valued at less than o

The potential impact to earnings from the recently-announced ban on upfront lettings fees is beginning to emerge for the quoted property agent contingent.The move, announced in the Autumn Statement, led to big share price declines at the likes of Countrywide (CWD), compounded by a mild Brexit-related warning (24 Nov). Other names suffering a decline included LSL Property Services (LSL) and Foxtons

The market is underwhelmed by Chancellor Phillip Hammond's Autumn Statement although there are a few notable stock movements including infrastructure specialists and estate agents.MARKET UNDERWHELMEDThe domestic focused FTSE 250 barely moved on Hammond's statement. That's despite a promised reduction in corporation tax to 17% and the announcement of a £23bn infrastructure and innovation fund - bo

The FTSE 100 is up 0.6% at 6,863.3, taking its cue from a positive session on Wall Street overnight and ahead of the Autumn Statement at 12.30pm.Travel operator Thomas Cook (TCG) gains 3.7% to 76.3p as it announces its first dividend in five years alongside full year results and reports 'encouraging' summer bookings for 2017. Profit after tax more than halves year-on-year to £9m, reflecting the p

The number of house sales in the UK is expected to fall in the second quarter of 2016, estate agency LSL Property Services (LSL) warned on Thursday.In an update the group saw revenue from house sales improve 19.9% in the three months to 31 March, but reports a softer market in April.Shares in the £305 million cap remained largely flat on the update, moving 0.9% higher to 293p.Such an upbeat first

Shares in estate agency and lettings business LSL Property Services (LSL) remain flat as 2015's results offered few surprises.The stock trades 0.7% higher to 260.5p as operating profit edging 2% higher during the calendar year to within touching distance of £43 million.Investors received a 2% higher dividend than they did in 2014 at 12.6p a share, a 4.8% yield.The only figure that has made analys

London equities make fractional gains in early trade on Thursday with rising miners and oilies only just outstripping falls among utilities, financials and pharmas. European markets are modestly firmer overall, following drops on Wall Street and across Asia after the Fed Reserve held its benchmark interest rate overnight.The FTSE 100 index nudges just a point or two higher to 5,990, although mid c

Estate agency and related services provider LSL Property Services (LSL) trades 3.8% lower at 360.5p as interim pre-tax profits 80%. The group, which owns 12 estate agency brands including Your Move, is seeing a massive slowdown in residential sales, slashing pre-tax profits from £31.4 million a year ago to just £6.2 million.The company is blaming uncertainty in the General Election run-in that

London equities recover from declines posted at the market open to rally modestly with miners reversing early falls despite commodity prices acting as a drag on the sector. The start of the UK government's £2.1 billion share sale of its stake in Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is another big issue that will be closely watched by investor on Tuesday.The benchmark FTSE 100 index manages to nudge aroun