Shares in global small and mid cap investment trust Smithson (SSON) traded sideways at £18.86, despite a decidedly sub-par performance in the first half and a shortfall in dividend income. For the six months to June, the total net asset value return per share was just 5.9% against a 12.4% return for the MSCI World Small and Mid-Cap Index. In addition, dividend income was lower than ...

Major UK stocks accelerated morning gains as markets moved into the afternoon session, bolstered by hefty dividend payout announcements and largely upbeat earnings updates. At 12.30pm, the benchmark FTSE 100 had jumped nearly 1% higher to trade at 7,079.18, led by pest control company Rentokil Initial (RTO), with oil major Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) and miner Anglo American (AAL) also firmly ...

Shares in pest control and hygiene group Rentokil Initial (RTO) jumped as much as 7% to 563p after the firm posted a sharp increase in first half sales and earnings and raised its full year profit forecast. For the six months to June, revenues rose 18.3% on a constant currency basis to £1.46 billion driven by strong demand for its core pest control and hygiene services, as one-off revenues ...

UK markets made a bright start to a busy Thursday as encouraging earnings and huge dividend payouts from some of UK's biggest companies offset lingering worries about rising inflation and Covid-19 cases. At 9am, the benchmark FTSE 100 was around 25 points to the good, or 0.36% at 7,041.76, led by oil major Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB), miner Anglo American (AAL) and pest control company Rentokil ...

Shares in FTSE 100 pest control and hygiene group Rentokil (RTO) dropped as much as 4.5% 489p in early trade despite what appeared to be a strong first quarter update  with healthy underlying sales growth. Revenues for the first three months of 2021 rose 15.4% to £711.3 million thanks to 9.4% organic growth and a 6% contribution from the seven acquisitions made during the ...

UK stocks eked out a small gain on Thursday as weakness in oil stocks crimped gains in consumer and technology stocks. The FTSE 100 index added 14 points or 0.2% to 6,909 points. Global markets extended their rebound with analysts predicting more new highs to come as investors put aside fears over the resurgence of the virus to focus on the strength of corporate earnings. Oil prices ...

The FTSE 100 fell 0.73% to 6,626 in early trade on Thursday as another selloff in the bond market ignited concerns over inflation and the impact on equity markets. It comes after Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the first hike in corporation tax in nearly half a century in the Budget yesterday, as the Government looks to repair the public finances amid the pandemic. The midcap FTSE 250 index ...

As the oft-quoted disclaimer forewarns, ‘past performance is no guide to future returns’, yet those funds and managers that routinely outperform over economic and stock market cycles must be pursuing a winning process that should pique the interest of investors. To find theses super-consistent unit trusts and open-ended investment companies (OEICs), Shares analysed data from FE Fundinfo to ...

The UK’s basket of leading shares has ended the first trading week of 2021 in stellar fashion and recorded gains of more than 6% as investors bet on a swift economic recovery. The benchmark FTSE 100 index closed 0.24% higher to 6,873.26 led by housebuilder, consumer and energy stocks. In the US the S&P 500 was also modestly higher, up 0.13% despite the ongoing political turmoil ...

The UK’s basket of leading shares remains on track to end the first trading week of 2021 in stellar fashion and record gains of more than 6% as investors bet on a swift economic recovery. By 12pm, the benchmark FTSE 100 index had edged a few points higher to 6,861.60, led by housebuilder, consumer and energy stocks. The mid-cap FTSE 250 gained 0.55% to 21,126.07 as data showed Britain’s ...

The UK’s leading shares rose in early trading on Friday, putting the FTSE 100 index on track to end the first week of 2021 with gains of more than 6% as investors bet on a swift economic recovery. The benchmark FTSE 100 gained more than 0.2% to 6,873.56, led by housebuilders, consumer and energy stocks, following a firm opening for major market across Europe and on Wall Street. The mid-cap ...

London’s FTSE 100 clung on to earlier gains to end Friday’s indecisive session 0.27% higher at 6,351.45 points as investors focused on vaccine optimism, hopes a Brexit deal is close to being finalised and better than expected UK retail sales for October. SAGE SLUMPS In company news, the big faller was software group Sage (SGE), which tumbled 13.3% to 589.2p after its organic operating ...

Despite vaccine optimism being counteracted by concerns over the economic impact of Covid-19 lockdowns, the FTSE 100 gained ground on Friday as UK retail sales beat expectations for October and briefings suggested a Brexit deal is gradually moving closer. By midday, the blue chip benchmark was up 0.5% to 6,366.15, with US futures markets suggesting a mixed open on Wall Street later as concerns ...

The FTSE 100 recorded modest gains in early trading on Friday as UK retail sales beat expectations for October and look set to keep growing ahead of Christmas. There was little earnings news for the market to digest, with attention turning to retail sales as volumes last month increased by 1.2% from September and were 5.8% higher than the same month a year ago, the Office for National ...

UK stocks moved into positive territory by lunchtime on Thursday, having recouped earlier losses as Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled increased support for firms hit by Tier 2 coronavirus restrictions. Sunak announced significant changes to the Job Support Scheme (JSS), set to replace furlough from next month. Under the updated scheme employers will pay less and staff can work fewer hours ...

Shares in hygiene and pest control firm Rentokil (RTO) climbed 2.6% to 530p against the backdrop of a weak UK market, after it posted a positive third quarter trading update showing ongoing revenues up almost 10% during the period. The group performed well in the three months to September with ongoing sales up 9.8% thanks to 'exceptional growth' in its Hygiene division from continued high ...

UK stocks retreated on Thursday after British Airways-owner International Consolidated Airlines (IAG) posted a quarterly loss and investors looked to a parliament address later in the day by Chancellor Rishi Sunak on the economic outlook. The benchmark FTSE 100 fell 0.3% to a five-month low of 5,760.57, dragged lower by weak real estate and energy stocks, while defence firm BAE Systems ...

Investors pulled money out of shares throughout Thursday as the bad news amid the coronavirus crisis kept on rolling in. A slew of company updates showed big losses from some firms as the effects of the pandemic become clear, with banking group Lloyds (LLOY) and oil giant Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) reporting particularly large losses. Then the UK government announced it was increasing the ...

The FTSE 100 dropped sharply by lunchtime after companies’ financial reports revealed the impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on their earnings, with Lloyds (LLOY) and Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) in particular posting big losses. Also weighing on the stock market was confirmation from the Government of an extension to the isolation period for those with coronavirus symptoms from seven days ...

UK markets were dragged lower in early trading on Thursday as gloomy results from banks and other companies gave investors reasons to pull money out of stocks despite drugs maker AstraZeneca (AZN) rising after topping analysts’ expectations on the back of strong drug sales during coronavirus-driven lockdowns. The benchmark FTSE 100 was down 0.8% at 6,084.50 at 8.50am. Lloyds Banking ...