Despite posting a strong finish to 2021 and forecasting strong trading this spring and summer, theatre operator Cineworld (CINE) is still the most-shorted UK stock according to daily data from the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority). Short sellers are also targeting other companies which are dependent on discretionary spending such as retailers. LIGHTS OUT? Sifting through the FCA data its ...

We might have thought we’d seen it all after 2020 but it’s been quite a year in 2021 too with an impressive rebound for the markets from the ravages of the pandemic. But which stocks have done best? Read on to discover the top performers up and down the market cap spectrum and find out why they’ve done so well. For the purposes of this article we’ve deliberately excluded investment ...

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 ...

Stocks rallied in afternoon trading almost taking the FTSE 100 back to last Friday's year-high. After a great deal of intra-day sector rotation, consumer staples and travel stocks littered the loser board while healthcare and financial stocks dominated the leader board. Despite its heavy weighting in export-driven companies and the rally in sterling, which advanced as much as 1% intra-day to ...

Stocks traded sideways at lunchtime despite a strong showing from US technology stocks which fed through into Asian trading overnight. Gains in miners were offset by falls in travel, leisure and retail stocks as strength in energy and commodities stoked fears of a Christmas rate rise, which in turn drove the pound higher. At midday the FTSE 100 was virtually flat at 7,208 points while ...

UK stocks regained some poise on Tuesday helped by a strong showing from US technology stocks which fed through into Asian trading overnight with Japan’s Nikkei 225 and Shanghai Composite indices both gaining close to 1%. The big five US tech names - Alphabet, Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Microsoft - all made gains overnight, adding between 1% and 3%. Brent crude prices were 0.3% higher at ...

UK stocks extended losses on Tuesday afternoon as the economic realities of paying for the pandemic loomed large after the government hiked taxes to pay for increased costs in the NHS. A new social care tax of 1.25% will be levied on individuals and businesses while investors earnings more than the £2,000 a year tax free limit from dividends will pay an extra 1.25%. At the close the FTSE ...

There are lots of good reasons why investors should have allocations to the FTSE 250, London’s high-flying index oriented to mid caps which provides a purer play on the domestic UK economy than the exporter-heavy FTSE 100. The FTSE 250 captures those growth stocks that have come up from the small cap ranks and therefore had a chance to establish themselves. And crucially, it can catch these ...

Given the caution with which investment bankers started this year and the low expectations for corporate activity, 2021 has been remarkable in terms of the speed and size of deal-making. According to Refinitiv, the value of global mergers and acquisitions as of the start of August was $3.6 trillion, slightly more than the amount registered in the whole of last year and an all-time ...

London’s FTSE 100 fell in early trading on Monday following the release of disappointing Chinese economic data and amid mounting geopolitical concerns sparked by the Taliban’s swift resurgence in Afghanistan. Asian stocks fell overnight after China released disappointing retail sales and industrial production data, amid a surge in Delta coronavirus cases there and elsewhere in the ...

London’s FTSE 100 ended Thursday’s trading session materially lower after US producer prices data came in ahead of forecasts, the blue chip benchmark closing down 0.4% at 7,193.23 points despite better than expected UK GDP figures. In the US the S&P 500 was flat at 4,447.27 points by 4.30pm UK time. STOCK SPIRITS RECOMMENDS CVC OFFER In company news, central European branded ...

London’s FTSE 100 was struggling for direction by lunchtime on Thursday, the blue chip benchmark index trading 0.2% lower at 7,206.3 points despite better than expected GDP figures showing the UK economy experienced robust growth of 4.8% during the quarter from April to June. Mining stocks were weaker, mirroring losses overnight in Asian markets. Shares in Rio Tinto (RIO) were 7.2% lower at ...

The FTSE 100 index drifted lower in early trading, falling by 15 points to 7205, despite GDP figures showing that economy had experienced robust growth of 4.8% during the quarter from April to June. Mining stocks were weaker, mirroring losses overnight in Asian markets. Shares in Rio Tinto (RIO) were 7.5% lower at £56.37 after it paid a special dividend. COMPANY NEWS Shares in gaming ...

The pace of UK takeovers shows no sign of slowing down as the buyout battle for Morrisons (MRW) heats up and inhaler technology developer Vectura (VEC) was briefly put on the auction block. Takeover regulators have extended the battle for Morrisons by a further two weeks, giving US private equity suitor Clayton, Dubilier & Rice more time to make a bid. CD&R have been given until 5pm on ...

The FTSE 100 index finished the day breaking through the 7200 level to close 59 points or 0.8% higher at 7,220 points, taking it above its pre-Covid high. The gains were helped by a softer than expected reading in US core CPI numbers, meaning American inflation may be peaking. The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index responded positively to the CPI data, trading 0.5% higher, whilst the Nasdaq ...

Investors often look for certain attributes when researching stocks to help spot the most attractive opportunities. The list of desirable factors can include an improvement in a company’s financial position, operational efficiency gains, niche skills with limited competition, and underappreciated assets which means a company could be considerably more attractive than its headline ...

There is a common theme in the current wave of takeovers involving UK stocks, namely that many of the targets operate in the business-to-business space and provide products or services to other companies. Since the middle of July there have been more than half a dozen significant bids, most of which have been recommended by the boards of the target companies. Parker-Hannifin’s bid for ...

UK stocks began August on the front foot, lifted by further UK merger and acquisition activity in mid-caps. Oil and Gold prices were lower with Brent Crude down 0.9% to $74.7 per barrel and Gold was 0.4% down at $1,807 per ounce. At the close the FTSE 100 index of leading shares was up 50 points or 0.7% at 7,082 points led by aerospace and retail stocks. The mid-cap FTSE 250 index was up ...

UK stocks started the month on the front foot, lifted by strong gains in Asia after China signaled support for the economy and further UK merger and acquisition activity. China’s SE Composite index gained close to 2% reversing some of last week’s heavy losses while Japan’s Nikkei 225 also added 2%. Oil and Gold prices were lower with Brent Crude down 0.9% to $74.7 per barrel and Gold ...

Takeover activity showed no sign of slowing as markets entered August with two FTSE 250 stocks agreeing offers and talk of a bid battle in the grocery sector. Aerospace engineering firm Meggitt (MGGT) announced it had agreed an 800p per share cash bid from US industrial controls firm Parker-Hannifin, sending its shares up 58% to 743p. KNOCK-OUT BID The bid represents a 70% premium to ...