UK stocks look cheap on so many different valuation metrics, not just one or two, suggesting a robust, genuine investment opportunity is available to long-term investors. So why does nobody seem convinced?This article explores the scepticism surrounding the UK?s market?s attractive valuation and examines the underlying evidence to support it. Shares concludes UK stocks really are a compelling inve

Investors seeking to position portfolios for a rally in small and mid cap stocks should buy BlackRock Throgmorton Trust (THRG), a fund with a strong long-run performance record trading at a 7.2% discount to net asset value (NAV), wider than the 4.7% 12-month average.The sell-off in quality growth stocks caused by rising interest rates has been a headwind for the portfolio, but Shares sees manager

Second half and full year to disappointWeak consumer confidence blamedFocus on Travis Perkins tomorrowBuilding materials group Marshalls (MSLH) delivered another bleak assessment of the UK market and warned its full-year results would be below previous expectations, sending its shares down as much as 10% to 248p. Shares in builders' merchant Travis Perkins (TPK), which is due to report inte

While there is much handwringing over the outlook for the new-build housing sector, it seems the rest of the UK construction industry is in rude health. That has helped construction to be one of the best performing sectors in the FTSE 350 index year-to-date, up 20%.The latest S&P Global/CIPS UK Construction PMI survey - which tracks changes in the total volume of construction activity in the UK by

One way to reduce the risks associated with less forgiving markets is to ensure you buy companies at the right valuation. With this in mind Shares has conducted a screening exercise of the market to identify stocks which in our view are too cheap and therefore represent attractive investment opportunities.After running the numbers on discounted stocks with earnings momentum and firms which look ch

Construction and regeneration firm Morgan Sindall (MGNS) posted record profits for the first half of the year, showing further growth on last year which analysts already considered to be a 'step-change in performance'.With the office fit-out market accelerating, an elevated order book and strong cash-flow generation, we think the market is undervaluing the group's shares.Despite a tough operating

Interestingly, the biggest insider deals of the past fortnight have all been sales rather than purchases, which may or may not be telling us something about the mood in the market.The chairman and chief executive of Potters Bar-based social care housing specialist Caretech (CTH:AIM) each sold 750,000 shares at 620p at the start of August, netting £9.3 million between them.The sale, which comes ah

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 component make

The FTSE followed through on Tuesday's earnings-driven gains thanks to strong results from insurer Legal and General (LGEN) and record half year completions from housebuilder Taylor Wimpey (TW.), which lifted the whole sector.Asian markets bounced thanks largely to a recovery in technology stocks, including social media and gaming giant Tencent, which had been hit by intense regulatory scrutiny wh

The FTSE followed the lead of Asian markets and rallied in early trading on Wednesday aided by strong results from insurer Legal and General (LGEN) and record half year completions from housebuilder Taylor Wimpey (TW), which lifted the whole sector.Asian markets bounced thanks largely to a rebound in technology stocks, including social media and gaming giant Tencent, which had been hit by intense

Morgan Sindall (MGNS) £23.85Gain to date: 25.1%Original entry point: Buy at £19.06, 15 April 2021Construction and regeneration firm Morgan Sindall (MGNS) took us and the market by surprise last week with an unscheduled update announcing better than expected trading in its first half and that full year earnings would be 'significantly ahead' of its previous forecast.Shares jumped as much as 15% o

A surprise increase in US jobless claims raised some doubts about the recovery as the FTSE 100 surrendered its earlier modest gains to trade 0.4% lower at 6,968.30.In the US the S&P 500 was broadly unchanged by 4.30pm UK time.FTSE 250 construction firm Morgan Sindall (MGNS) was one of the day's big winners, surging 13.1% to £23.92 as it unveiled its fourth round of earnings upgrades in the last 1

The FTSE 100 had crept above the 7,000 mark by midday as investors awaited the latest update on monetary policy from the European Central Bank and jobless claims from the US later.FTSE 250 construction firm Morgan Sindall (MGNS) was one of the day's big winners, surging 12% to £23.68 as it unveiled its fourth round of earnings upgrades in the last 12 months.Anglo-Dutch consumer goods giant Unilev

Shares in construction and regeneration group Morgan Sindall (MGNS) leapt 14% to a new all-time high of £24.10 after the firm posted a sharp increase in first half earnings and said its full-year results would be 'significantly ahead' of its previous expectations.In an unscheduled trading update, the firm said trading had been strong in the six months to June and the positive momentum across the

Two of the biggest director deals over the past week involve company founders at bus and train operator Stagecoach (SGC) and construction firm Morgan Sindall (MGNS) who have decided to sell down their stakes.Sir Brian Souter and his sister Dame Ann Gloag, who founded Stagecoach, have sold almost 11.6 million of their shares in the business.The siblings cut their holdings by the equivalent of a 2.1

Morgan Sindall (MGNS) £22.80Gain to date: 19.6%Original entry point: Buy at £19.06, 15 April 2021Recently added Great Idea Morgan Sindall (MGNS) is off to a flier as a trading update on 22 April saw the construction and regeneration specialist guide for full year performance 'significantly ahead' of expectations.According to the update which covered the first three months of 2021, the company sa

Construction and regeneration specialist Morgan Sindall (MGNS) has significant share price momentum but remains an inexpensive way to play economic recovery boosted by an internally driven increase in profitability and exposure to bumper infrastructure spending.The shares trade on a 2021 price to earnings ratio of 11.7 and yield 3.4%. That's still a very reasonable valuation ratio and the dividend

The FTSE 100 closed higher on Thursday as a decline in energy stocks was offset by broad based gains across many sectors, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 hit a record high despite weakness in some travel and leisure shares, such as Stagecoach (SGC) and Wizz Air (WIZZ).The FTSE 250 finished the session 0.4% higher at 22,247.54, while the benchmark FTSE 100 ended 0.8% higher at 6,942.22, although it rema

The UK's leading stocks clung on to gains at lunchtime as investors turn their attention to Wall Street's opening. The benchmark FTSE 100 held on to the 0.4% rise earned through the morning session on Thursday buoyed by minutes from the US Federal Reserve meeting indicating that the central bank's 'accommodative stance' to monetary policy will remain for now.At 12.30pm, the FTSE 100 traded at 6,91

London's FTSE 100 traded higher on Thursday, the blue chip benchmark buoyed after the minutes from the US Federal Reserve meeting indicated that the central bank's 'accommodative stance' to monetary policy will remain for now.The latest signal from the Fed that it has no intention of lifting interest rates anytime soon helped set the FTSE 100 on course for a third straight day of gains, supported