Shares in unloved retailer Quiz (QUIZ:AIM) rebounded the best part of 40% to 14.95p after the fast fashion brand said it expected to report a return to profit for the year to March 2022, its first annual profit in three years. At the height of the pandemic, Glasgow-based Quiz faced the twin challenges of its stores being shuttered and its customers being stuck in lockdown, meaning they stopped ...

UK stocks resisted the general downdraft in markets after official figures showed the economy grew 0.9% in November compared with October, well ahead of the consensus forecast of a 0.4% increase and taking it back above its February 2020 pre-pandemic level for the first time. US markets fell sharply overnight after more hints from the Federal Reserve that interest rates could rise sooner rather ...

London’s FTSE 100 finished Wednesday’s session down 0.04% at 7,337.35 points, so broadly flat on the day, the blue chip benchmark giving up earlier gains with the UK on the cusp of fresh restrictions designed to slow the growth in Omicron cases. The pound weakened and travel and leisure stocks were under pressure as investors weighed the likely impact of new rules being imposed in the ...

UK stocks rose on Wednesday as concerns about the Omicron coronavirus variant continued to cool amid early signs that it could cause milder symptoms. By lunchtime, the FTSE 100 was up 0.38% at 7367.82 and the mid-cap FTSE 250 traded 0.35% higher at 23,319.28. The blue chip benchmark built on its gains of recent days as fears about the new variant waxed and waned amid mixed news on vaccines ...

Shares in fast-fashion brand Quiz (QUIZ:AIM) rallied 3.3% to 19p after the retailer reported a first half sales rebound and a narrowing of underlying losses, as well as a return to profitability at the underlying EBITDA level, as the return of social events boosted demand for its products. The Glasgow-based purveyor of occasion wear and dressy casual wear also said sales more than doubled ...

UK equity markets continued to trade in positive territory on Wednesday, as market fears regarding the potential economic impact of the Omicron coronavirus variant continued to abate. In addition, a distinctly positive showing from all of the American equity markets provided further positive momentum. Markets eagerly awaited the Department of Labour’s publication of the JOLTS labour market ...

If online retailers were among the big winners of 2020, many have endured considerable bad luck in 2021 with share prices slumping across parts of the fast fashion sector. Boohoo (BOO:AIM) and ASOS (ASC:AIM) have been seen their share prices fall by nearly 40% year to date. Zara-owner Inditex and Next (NXT) have bucked the trend with double-digit share price gains. Quiz (QUIZ:AIM) has ...

Leading UK stocks continued their morning rally into the afternoon session as investors turn attention to an anticipated rebound when New York opens for business later. The benchmark FTSE 100 had jumped 0.84% to 7,086.90 at 12.45pm on Wednesday, and while worries over inflation, energy and supply chain issues will remain on the market’s mind, the index is chock full of multinational stocks ...

Shares in clothing and homewares retailer Next (NXT) topped the FTSE 100 leader board in early trading, the shares jumping 4% to £84 after the firm raised its sales and earnings outlook for the year to next April. In its fulsome first half earnings release, high street stalwart Next recorded an 8.8% increase in brand full-price sales compared with the first half of 2019, which the firm says is ...

UK stocks fell on Monday after a disappointing end to the Euro football championships, with domestic-focused stocks such as B&M European Value (BME) and Ocado (OCDO) among the few gainers. At 8.45am the FTSE 100 index of leading shares was down 46 points or 0.6% to 7,080 points, pulled lower by weakness in banks, miners and travel stocks. Sterling recovered against the US dollar to trade ...

London’s FTSE 100 finished Tuesday’s session in negative territory, giving back earlier modest gains as investors fretted over a resurgence of Covid-19 cases and the economic impact of fresh restrictions, not to mention waning hopes of a pre-election stimulus package in the US. By the close of play, the blue chip benchmark was 1.1% lower at 5,728.99, while the FTSE 250 ended down 1.5% at ...

Having continued to fall early on amid persistent concerns about rising global coronavirus cases, the FTSE 100 turned positive by lunchtime as investors focused their attentions on better-than-expected earnings updates from market bellwethers BP (BP.) and HSBC (HSBA). Investors were also optimistic that Wall Street would claw back some of Monday’s losses after US stock markets suffered their ...

Shares in Quiz (QUIZ:AIM) edged 2.1% higher to 7.35p on Tuesday after the embattled womenswear brand said it has ‘taken multiple actions’ to preserve the liquidity required to see it through the Covid-19 crisis. Yet the struggling fast-fashion brand still faces an uphill struggle to turn its fortunes around. Quiz has failed to keep pace with the accelerated structural shift towards online ...

UK shares continued to fall on Tuesday as persistent concerns about rising global coronavirus cases offset better-than-expected earnings updates from market bellwethers BP (BP.) and HSBC (HSBA). The benchmark FTSE 100 index fell 0.2% to 5,782.65 in early trading, continuing its losses after a sharp drop yesterday as markets across the world fell significantly. US stock markets suffered their ...

London’s FTSE 100 closed in positive territory on Wednesday after investors largely shrugged off news that a leading Covid-19 vaccine trial was put on hold because a recipient developed a serious unexplained illness. Sentiment was buoyed by some more positive earnings updates and dividend revivals, allowing investors to put worries over Brexit and the impact of the UK’s new restrictions on ...

London’s FTSE 100 traded higher on Wednesday after investors largely shrugged off news that a leading Covid-19 vaccine trial was put on hold because a recipient developed a serious unexplained illness. Sentiment was buoyed by some more positive earnings updates and dividend revivals, while a weaker pound helped exporters. By 12.50, the blue chip benchmark index was up 56.77 points, or ...

Embattled fast-fashion brand (QUIZ:AIM) rallied 9.4% to 8.15p on Wednesday as investors peered past a disastrous 77% sales slump. That was the outcome for the five months to August as stores were closed through lockdown and competition intensified. There was no detail on profitability. Quiz also conceded sales from UK standalone stores and concessions remain below last year’s ...

UK stocks continued to fall throughout trading on Friday morning, having been led down by the airlines after the Government’s sudden decision to quarantine arrivals from France, the Netherlands and Malta. The new quarantine rules for British travellers helped take the shine off what had been a strong week of stock market gains that were mostly powered by bets of more economic ...

UK markets retreated in early trading on Friday as a surprise dip in Chinese retail sales dashed hopes for a swift post-pandemic recovery. New quarantine rules for British travellers also helped take the shine off a strong week of stock market gains that were powered by bets of more economic stimulus. The benchmark FTSE 100 was down 0.73% at 6,140.24, with investors also treading water ahead of a ...

Shares in ASOS (ASC:AIM) advanced 3% to £34.74 on Wednesday despite news of slower third quarter sales, after the online fashion retailer said it expected annual profit to be at the top end of market expectations. Investors were relieved that overall sales had grown through the pandemic, and probably heartened by the absence of the ethical sourcing issues that have emerged at ASOS’ fast ...