The FTSE 100 fell into the red in afternoon trade, as housebuilding stocks fell again, while Imperial Brands slid on a report that the UK government is sizing up a tax on vaping products.Mainland European equities ended higher, meanwhile, though stocks in New York were mixed on underwhelming US data.The FTSE 100 index ended down 1.28 points at 7,683.02. The FTSE 250 rose 36.74 points, 0.2%, at 19,

Stock prices in Europe were mixed on Tuesday midday, as investors await US data that could be indicative of future interest rates.The FTSE 100 index was down 10.79 points, 0.1%, at 7,673.51. The FTSE 250 was down 19.91 points, 0.1%, at 19,107.01, and the AIM All-Share was down 1.02 points, 0.1%, at 744.79.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.1% at 768.73, the Cboe UK 250 was flat at 16,487.42, and the Cboe

Shares up 13% in morning tradingAgreement made to access Ryanair?s seat supplyBetter relationship between OTB and RyanairShares in On The Beach (OTB) rose over 13% to 159p in morning trading as the online package holidays in the sun seller announced a long-term distribution agreement with budget airline Ryanair (RYA).The shares are down 5% over the last year compared with a 3% drop in the FTSE Al

Stock prices in London opened slightly higher on Tuesday, despite weakness in New York, as data suggests easing UK shop price inflation.The FTSE 100 index opened up 8.58 points, 0.1%, at 7,692.88. The FTSE 250 was up 20.49 points, 0.1%, at 19,147.41, and the AIM All-Share was down 0.32 of a point at 745.49.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.2% at 770.90, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.1% at 14,499.03, and the Cbo

Rolls Royce tops the momentum listInvestors reward Marks & Spencer turnaroundOn The Beach sees strong forward bookingsMomentum is widely considered a powerful driver of stock returns and there are many ways to incorporate it into different trading strategies.There is more to momentum than share price strength, and it can include earnings revisions, earnings surprises, and analysts? recommendations

For the second part of our annual survey, we asked fund managers if they had changed their view on any stocks this year, for better or for worse, and what lay behind their decisions.As with the winners and losers survey last week, the answers were often frank and once again we would like to thank everyone who took part.Thomas Moore - Aberdeen Equity Income Trust (AEI)THE STOCK THAT I CHANGED MY MI

Shares up over 14% to 133pReinstates dividend from full year 2024Adjusted group revenue up 19% to £171 millionShares in On The Beach (OTB) were up over 14% to 133p in morning trading as the online package holidays in the sun seller said group adjusted pre-tax profits were up 66% to £23.6 million for the year ending 30 September 2023.On The Beach said it had 'the best summer ever' and delivered

Can investors expect slumping stocks to bounce back? The obvious answer to this question is, it depends which stocks, and why they slumped. Share prices fall for many reasons. Some remain unloved, cast aside by equity markets like sodden paper bags. Others recover, fixing perceived problems and re-emerging from the equities' emergency room.Digging around the debris of past disasters is what so-cal

Group pre-tax profits top end of expectationsSummer 2023 passenger numbers 11% ahead of 2022Winter bookings ahead by 26%Shares in On The Beach (OTB) were up 14% to 118p in morning trading as the online package holidays in the sun seller said that the group's adjusted pre-tax profits would be at the top end of market expectations for the year ending 30 September 2023.Analysts at Shore Capital previ

Balfour Beatty CEO snaps up sharesOn The Beach chief buys on weaknessMarks & Spencer director adds to holdingLeo Quinn, chief executive of construction and infrastructure group Balfour Beatty (BBY), has bought a total of 57,269 shares in two separate tranches this week - 32,269 at 308p and 25,000 at 310p for £198,992 on the 16 and 17 August 2023 respectively.The purchases come after the company r

To say online travel agent On The Beach (OTB) has had a bad year is an understatement.The first summer holiday season not besmirched by either Covid or major delays has been marred by escalating marketing spend which has helped keep the company loss-making - £6 million in the red for the six-month period to 31 March 2023.The company has faced strong competitive pressures in the value short-haul m

Wizz Air and Ryanair report double-digit increases in passenger numbers for JuneTravel stocks pulled higher in their slipstreamPost-Covid recovery was hit by delays and cancellations in 2022After a 2022 when the post-Covid travel recovery stalled amid airport delays and flight cancellations, the latest passenger numbers from Wizz Air (WIZZ) and Ryanair (RYAAY:NASDAQ) suggest the sector is in bette

As an investor, you should be willing to sell shares in a company should you believe its best days are in the past. You will inevitably get things wrong from time to time and/or the investment case can change and, in these circumstances, you must summon up the courage to click the sell button.Buying low and selling high is the key objective when it comes to investing in shares, but even experience

European stocks closed lower on Tuesday amid trepidation ahead of new US debt ceiling discussions, and after Chinese retail data proved disappointing.The China numbers hurt shares in mining companies in London and luxury retail in Paris. Also sliding, meanwhile, was telecommunications firm Vodafone on poorly-received results.The FTSE 100 index ended down 26.62 points, or 0.3%, at 7,751.08. The FTS

Profits wiped out by extra marketing spendShares down 30% year-to-dateCompany remains optimisticDespite all of its efforts and a strong recovery in consumer demand for holidays, On The Beach (OTB) is still losing money.Its shares sank 15% to 107p after reporting half-year results which flagged the company had spent heavily on marketing.Investors were seemingly displeased with the results, particul

The more experienced investorThis is the second in a multi-part series aimed at building your knowledge if you have at least some experience of investing. Look out for the next part in the series in a future issue of Shares.What can you do in five minutes? Spend a penny, have a smoke, pop round the shops for a pint of milk, but what about analysing a company's financial results? Think, no? Think a

On The Beach (OTB) 177pGain to date: 37.2%We originally flagged On The Beach (OTB) at 129p in July 2022 noting the shares were trading at their lowest valuation in the seven years since they had listed. We argued this had created an excellent opportunity to invest in a financially strong and 'fundamentally sound' business with good longer-term prospects.WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE WE SAID TO BUY?Initial

- Impact of cost-of-living crisis on 2023 demand 'unclear'- Nearly £25 million wiped of company's valuation- CEO and founder Cooper to stand down within a yearOnline package holidays in the sun seller On the Beach (OTB) raised concerns about the impact the cost-of-living crisis might have on travel for Brits in 2023, undermining the ongoing Covid recovery of the company.On the Beach reported that

The market remains unenthused about holiday seller On The Beach (OTB), with its share price stuck in the mud. At 102.43p, the shares are down 65% year-to-date and 83% lower than the pre-pandemic high of 615p in April 2018.A trading update on 25 October said full-year pre-tax profit was in line with market expectations, five-star holiday sales were doing very well and investment in the business put

- Hospitality giant's profits top pre-pandemic levels- Warns cost inflation will crimp second half margins- Premier Inn replicating UK success in German marketPremier Inn owner Whitbread (WTB) reported a swing into profit for the first half to 1 September 2022 as the hotel sector recovered and the FTSE 100 hospitality giant insisted demand levels remained robust.The return of business travel is cl