When a director of a firm sells shares there could be any number of reasons for their decision, the most common one being they need to raise cash to pay an income tax or capital gains tax bill. However, when a director dips into their own pocket to buy shares there is usually only one reason – they expect the price to go up. The question is, can investors rely on insider buying as a useful ...

In recent decades globalisation has transformed economies, societies, and capital markets. More and more companies started operating on an international scale, enabling them to look beyond their homeland for manufacturing, supplies and labour. This period was accompanied by a marked decline in inflation and lower central bank interest rates. By participating in the global economy millions of ...

- Shares placed at 9.4% discount - Firm claims 'significant' shareholder support - Analysts say another hurdle 'cleared' Online grocery delivery firm Ocado (OCDO) raised £575 million from investors overnight in order to fund the expansion of its OSP smart technology platform. The fund raise consisted of a placing of 72.3 million new shares, representing 9.7% of Ocado’s existing ...

Online retailer and logistics provider THG (THG) presents investors with a major conundrum at the moment. The shares currently trade at 114p compared with their post-IPO highs of 800p, while valuations vary from 110p to 700p depending on which analyst’s research you read. Most brokers have a ‘buy’ or ‘hold’ recommendation, yet over the last six months they have all slashed their ...

Every chief executive talks about creating shareholder value, but which ones walk the walk? While the investment trust industry can count on 27 managers with at least 20 years under their belt at the same firm, there are very few FTSE 100 chief executives with that kind of track record. The most obvious is Simon Wolfson (pictured), who has headed Leicestershire-based high street retailer ...

It is one thing for analysts to forecast which stocks and sectors will do well in a rising-rate or inflationary environment, but when it actually comes to pass it’s always fascinating to see what works in practice. Judging by the list of stocks making 12-month highs over the past week, those who favoured real assets were on the money. Standing tall are 3i Infrastructure (3IN), AEW UK REIT ...

The latest grocery market share data from research firm Kantar makes chilling reading for the big four supermarket groups. First, the 12-week ‘till roll’ data shows the market has been contracting in value terms for an unprecedented 10 months as shoppers make fewer shopping trips. More worrying for the retailers is the fact volume sales were down more than 10% in the 12 weeks to late March ...

Shares in Ocado (OCDO) were the worst performers on the FTSE 100, plunging 9% to £10.97 as the online grocery delivery firm reported a challenging start to its new financial year with consumer behaviour reverting to pre-Covid trends and inflationary pressures persisting. Reporting a drop in first quarter sales for Ocado Retail, its joint venture with Marks & Spencer (MKS), the online ...

The rollercoaster ride for investors in online grocery delivery firm Ocado (OCDO) continues following news that the UK company has broadened the scope of its agreement with French hypermarket group Casino. The two firms signed an MOU (memorandum of understanding) to extend their partnership with the creation of a joint venture to provide logistics services to Ocado Smart Platform-powered CFCs ...

Having briefly touched a two-year high, London’s FTSE 100 ended Tuesday’s trading session marginally lower, off a mere 0.09% at 7,567.07 points, despite a decent start on Wall Street and as an early boost from oil major BP (BP.) faded by the close. Investors remained cautious in the face of worries over inflation, interest rates and geopolitical tensions and a decline in oil prices acted as ...

London’s FTSE 100 lost some of its early momentum to trade just 0.1% higher at 7,584.12 points by midday on Tuesday. The blue chip benchmark began the session on the front foot, despite a mixed trading session in the US overnight, with investors encouraged by positive results from BP (BP), SSE (SSE) and Bellway (BWY). The most recent BRC-KPMG retail sales monitor also showed  continuing ...

UK equity markets are higher in early trading on Tuesday despite a mixed trading session in the US overnight. Investors were encouraged by positive results from BP (BP), SSE (SSE) and Bellway (BWY). The most recent BRC-KPMG retail sales monitor also showed  continuing resilience among consumers with sales growth of 11.9% in January 2022, compared to 2021. Growth was 7.5% on pre-pandemic 2020 ...

Online grocery retailer Ocado (OCDO) disappointed the market with its latest results which showed the firm made more losses in the year to 28 November 2021 and is likely to continue trading at a loss this year due to the enormous cash spend on rolling out its smart platform. Shares in the FTSE 100 firm slumped as much as 10% to £12.64 in early trading on Tuesday, wiping almost £1 billion ...

The FTSE 100 index added to early gains at midday on Wednesday, mirroring global stock markets which have regained some composure following January’s steep losses. US markets were buoyed by a stronger than expected earnings report from Google-owner Alphabet, with the shares gaining 10% in after hours trading. Investors will be hoping for the same from Facebook when it reports after the US ...

London’s FTSE 100 opened higher on Wednesday as investors continued to shrug off fears about rising inflation, although sentiment will be tested on Thursday when the Bank of England provides an update on interest rates. The blue chip benchmark was also lifted after Wall Street markets finished in positive territory last night, the continued rebound in US shares helping to lift investor ...

London’s blue chip benchmark closed Friday’s session 1.2% lower at 7,466.07 points, while the FTSE 250 finished almost 1% down at 21,643.3, rounding off a volatile week for markets as investors fretted over inflation and rising interest rates as well as the threat of conflict in Ukraine. Despite higher yields, banking stocks dragged on the blue chip benchmark with HSBC (HSBA) off 1.9% at ...

Following a reasonably steady start, the FTSE 100 was down materially by midday, with a 1.2% fall to 7,462.81 points, while the FTSE 250 was off 0.8% at 21,673.64. This followed weak trading in the US overnight as well as strength in sterling, which hits the relative value of the overseas earnings which dominate the blue chip benchmark index. Negative sentiment was compounded by persistent ...

UK equity markets came under selling pressure on Friday morning following weakness in both US and Asian markets. This negative sentiment was compounded by persistent geopolitical concerns surrounded Ukraine. In early trading, the blue chip FTSE 100 index lost 0.69% to 7,502.33 and the mid-cap FTSE 250 index drifted 0.7% to 21,702.23. Today marks the final day that mining leviathan BHP ...

The FTSE 100 closed Wednesday’s session with a modest gain, edging 0.16% higher to 7,516.87 points on ongoing optimism over the impact of the less severe Omicron strain and support from a solid ADP private sector payrolls report across the pond, which prepared investors for a decent non-farm payrolls print on Friday. Blue chip miners Rio Tinto (RIO) and BHP (BHP), banks Lloyds (LLOY) and ...

By midday on Wednesday, London’s FTSE 100 had shaken off its earlier losses and resumed the upwards momentum it displayed on its first trading day of 2022, as broker upgrades helped lift some heavyweight stocks and supermarkets gained ground on positive industry data. The blue chip benchmark traded 0.19% higher at 7,519.62 by lunchtime, though the FTSE 250 was flat at 23,895.60. Investors ...