Stocks in London were in the green going into Friday afternoon, as investors kept their eyes on US inflation data due out this afternoon.The FTSE 100 index traded up 58.40 points, or 0.7%, at 8,244.06. The FTSE 250 was up 221.33 points, 1.1%, at 21,105.17, while the AIM All-Share rose 3.17 points, 0.4%, at 776.20.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.8% at 823.02, the Cboe UK 250 rose 1.1% to 18,493.38, and th

Margin falls less than fearedBank buys Metro mortgage bookFull-year forecasts increasedAfter seeing shares in high-street rival Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) sag yesterday on mixed results, investors in NatWest Group (NWG) had low expectations coming into today's first-half update so the strong performance came as a pleasant surprise.The shares, which had already gained more than 50% this year, powe

First half EBITDA up 24%£300 million buyback initiated2024 earnings seen 'top end'Drax (DRX) shares powered up 12.5% to a 52-week high of 636p after the renewable energy generator delivered strong first-half results, issued a positive full-year outlook and said it would shortly begin a £300 million share buyback.Investors were wowed by Drax's smoking-hot results for the half to 30 June, which sh

London's FTSE 100 was on the up in early trade on Friday, and it looks set to register a weekly gain despite what has been a tricky few days for global counterparts.US tech sell-offs and poorly-received earnings in Europe have kept investors on their toes this week, but the FTSE 100 has been resilient and is up around 1% so far this week.Focus in the afternoon turns to US data, with the release of

It has been a very mixed week for US stocks as the big tech names which had led indices to fresh records in 2024 were on the retreat.The catalyst for the sell-off was concern about AI and, notably, Alphabet's (GOOG:NASDAQ) plans to spend heavily in this area without much indication of when this investment might pay off.Notably, outside of tech it was a happier picture for Wall Street with the Russ

Stocks in Europe took a hit on Thursday, with eyes on US economic data due out this afternoon and on Friday.The FTSE 100 index traded down 59.21 points, or 0.7%, at 8,094.48. The FTSE 250 was down 224.81 points, 1.1%, at 20,726.03, while the AIM All-Share fell 7.50 points, 1.0%, at 769.14.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.7% at 807.67, the Cboe UK 250 dropped 1.2% to 18,129.36, and the Cboe Small Compani

Pre-tax profit ahead of consensusBeat helped by lower provisionsNet interest margin narrowsWith the earnings season in full swing, attention turned to high-street lender Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY), the first of the 'Big Four' to report, and while earnings may have topped estimates there was little in the way of celebration.The shares, which have had a good run this year gaining 24%, opened down 2

European equities nursed heavy losses at the open on Thursday, as investors weighed a mixed bag of earnings and hefty losses in US markets.Still, the FTSE 100 index traded down 60.56 points, or 0.7%, at 8,093.13. The FTSE 250 was down 201.65 points, 1.0%, at 20,749.19, while the AIM All-Share fell 5.35 points, 0.7%, at 771.29.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.7% at 807.72, the Cboe UK 250 dropped 1.1% to

Berkshire-based Cohort (CHRT:AIM), which provides advanced military systems and software to clients including the UK's Ministry of Defence, posted record revenue and profit for the year to the end of April as rising geopolitical tensions drive more customers to its door.Sales for the year hit £202 million, up 11%, while adjusted operating earnings also rose 11% to £21 million and the firm reveal

Porsche AG (P911:ETR) €69.98Market cap: €31.3 billionAt first glance it may look like an odd time to pitch Porsche AG (P911:ETR) to readers, but we have seen many times that fundamentally good companies can be picked up on the relative cheap during testing times, and that's the scenario we now believe is in front of investors.The shares trade under the name of Dr ING F Porsche AG, which

Since we emerged from the pandemic, people's spending have shifted from stuff to experiences with holidays particularly prized by those with the means to afford them.Airlines and travel operators enjoyed bumper demand as people were desperate to get away for a week in the sun, having been denied the opportunity during lockdown, and had money to spend. This enabled the industry to pass increased co

The apparent coronation of vice president Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee after incumbent Joe Biden's exit from the presidential race has had a relatively mild market impact thus far.While the recent 'Trump trade', with investors expecting renewed inflationary pressure, a worsened fiscal situation and higher corporate profits if America's 45th president gets another crack as commander-in-c

Burberry (BRBY) 719pLoss to date: 44.3%It's never easy confronting a big loss, but we have to admit we were too early in calling the turn at mono-brand fashion firm Burberry (BRBY).We said at the time there was risk involved given the company had issued two profit warnings, which tend not to be isolated events, but we felt with the shares having halved in the 12 months to February there wasn't muc

Now that the dust has settled after the UK elections and attention has turned back to markets, we have updated the performance stats on our tips for 2024. Overall, our picks have gained 8.7% year-to-date compared with an 8.3% rise in the FTSE All-Share. That's not to say it has been plain sailing ? our returns range from a gain of almost 60% to a loss of more than 40%, the latter is in a US tech s

Whatever the occasion, audience, or setting, I'm always asked the same question: how have I balanced being a mother of nine with a big City career?Looking back, especially over those years when my children were very young, it's hard to fathom it myself ? but certain things have helped, both practically and emotionally. I hope that some of those lessons learned might be of help to other mothers ? a

Abrdn Asian Income Fund (AAIF) 213pMarket cap: £338.2 millionDollar fluctuations could create volatility for emerging markets assets as the US presidential election draws near, but one region income-hungry investors cannot afford to ignore is Asia Pacific, home to many high-quality companies with the cash flow generation and balance sheet strength to reward shareholders with attractive dividend

So far 2024 has been a decent year for investors ? most major global indices are in positive territory as inflationary pressures have eased and some central banks have pulled the trigger on rate cuts.KEY DATES FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2024Bank of England meetings: 1 August, 19 September, 7 November, 19 DecemberFederal Reserve meetings: 31 July, 18 September, 7 November, 18 DecemberUK Budget: September

Shares in online property portal Rightmove (RMV) have been trading in the same sideways range for a year, and each time they look set to break out to higher ground the sellers emerge out of the woodwork.Supporters ? including the Shares team, who picked the stock as a Great Idea back in January, towards the bottom of the range ? will be hoping the firm brings positive news when it publishes its ha

There has never been a better time to be an income investor in UK equities, as payouts for the period from April to June hit an all-time quarterly record of £36.7 billion according to the latest Dividend Monitor from Computershare.Most of the increase was thanks to one-off special dividends, leaving the underlying growth rate at just 1%, but for those clipping the coupons or reinvesting the incom

I am earning above the £50,000 tax threshold and want to pay money into a SIPP to avoid paying 40% tax. I also have existing shares and want to avoid paying dividend tax so am also keen to put these into a SIPP.Can I transfer existing shares into a SIPP using 'Bed & SIPP' and also claim tax relief? Or do I need to put cash into the SIPP from my bank account in order to claim tax relief?'Another r