Encouraging start for small caps trustHulse sees value opportunity in UK small capsWindward?s potential excitesShares in Onward Opportunities (ONWD:AIM) rose 1.5% to 111.5p after the smaller companies-focused trust reported an 11.3% NAV (net asset value) total return to 106.5p for the nine months from its March 2023 IPO (initial public offering) to the end of December.That performance compares to

Shares fall on full-year warningSlower demand and mild weather to blameNew contract win benefits to come later than expectedShares Speedy Hire (SDY) sank 17% to 29.9p after the tool and equipment hire company said full year profit to the end of March would be below prior expectations.Today?s fall is the biggest since 22 November after the company reported a 58% drop in first half profit but foreca

There is no question the dominant theme in stock markets last year was AI (artificial intelligence), in particular generative AI.In an interview with Time magazine last June, Sam Altman ? the former chief executive of OpenAI, whose ChatGPT product has been at the forefront of the AI trend ? said he believes the technology will ?transform the way people work and the way people learn. It?s going to

Interim performance seen as reassuringFull-year results to meet forecastsGreen power deal to boost marginsDespite concerns over the sharp slowdown in new housing starts, Speedy Hire (SDY), the UK's leading tool and equipment hire services company posted a resilient first-half trading update and announced a £20 million acquisition.Speedy shares, which have lost nearly a quarter of their value this

The common factor across the latest trading updates from the big housebuilders is they are all forecasting fewer completions and land purchases this year.That could spell trouble for the various trades which support the new-build home industry, from legal services to building materials and equipment hire to fitted kitchens and bathrooms.With mortgage costs soaring after repeated interest rate incr

Equipment rental firm Speedy Hire (SDY) offers that rare combination of growth and value. Sales and earnings are growing at close to 30%, and the firm has just raised its full year outlook, while the shares are trading on just 15 times this year's earnings and less than 13 times next year.The pace of the firm's recovery from the pandemic has been remarkable, with earnings before interest, taxes, d

Both the FTSE 100 index of leading shares and the mid-cap FTSE 250 Index ended Wednesday's trading session in negative territory as concerns regarding UK inflationary pressures mounted.The CPI (consumer price index) rose to a near 10 year high in October of 4.2% from 3.1% in September and is likely to increase further during the rest of the year.Weakness in US equity markets also weighed as invest

Shares in leading tool and industrial equipment rental group Speedy Hire (SDY) climbed 5% to 67p on above-average volume after the firm posted a robust first half trading update and raised its full year outlook.Sales for the first half to September rose 28% to £186.6 million thanks to a 31.8% increase in hire revenues and a 22.2% increase in service revenues, driven by the rehire business.Turnove

London's major stocks opened modestly lower as the inflation genie continues to work its way out of the bottle, although banks defied the gravitational pull.At 9am, the benchmark FTSE 100 was 0.13% down at 7,317.61 after UK inflation rose to its highest in almost a decade. But there was plenty of demand for bank stocks, seen as benefitting from an increasingly likely rise in interest rates, with L

There is a common theme in the current wave of takeovers involving UK stocks, namely that many of the targets operate in the business-to-business space and provide products or services to other companies.Since the middle of July there have been more than half a dozen significant bids, most of which have been recommended by the boards of the target companies.Parker-Hannifin's bid for component make

On a largely uninspiring day for global equity markets, London's FTSE 100 ended modestly lower after trading broadly flat for much of the day.Sterling strength weighed on the overseas earnings dominated index, with the blue chip benchmark closing down 0.3% at 7,029.79, while the more domestically focused FTSE 250 finished 0.2% lower at 22,438.90.Reopening names were in demand, among them the likes

London's FTSE 100 was struggling for direction by midday on Tuesday, down a modest 0.01% to 7,050.78 points after UK public borrowing figures came in lower than expected, although the FTSE 250 edged 0.08% higher to 22,502 points.Government borrowing hit £31.7 billion in April, official data shows, and while this was the second highest amount on record it was lower than the same month last year as

UK stocks continued their winning streak on Tuesday, extending their gains after figures showed Government borrowing came in less than expected last month amid growing optimism over the recovery of public finances.Government borrowing hit £31.7 billion in April, official data shows, and while this was the second highest amount on record it was lower than the same month last year as parts of the e

UK shares started the new week and month in an optimistic mood, shrugging off recent inflation and bond market jitters as the focus shifted to a vaccine-led recovery and US fiscal stimulus.Trading in Asia was strong with the Nikkei 225 gaining 2.4% and the SE Composite adding 1.2%. Gold prices were 0.7% higher at $1,750 an ounce while Brent Crude added 0.25% to $62.63 a barrel. The pound was stead

UK shares started the new in an optimistic mood, shrugging off recent inflation and bond market jitters as the focus shifted to a vaccine-led recovery and US fiscal stimulus.Trading in Asia was strong with the Nikkei 225 gaining 2.4% and the SE Composite adding 1.2%. Gold prices were 0.7% higher at $1,750 an ounce while Brent Crude added 0.25% to $62.63 a barrel. The pound was steady against the U

UK shares opened the new month higher on Monday, shrugging off recent inflation and bond market jitters as the focus shifted to t0 vaccine-led recovery and US fiscal stimulus.Trading in Asia was strong with the Nikkei 225 gaining 2.4% and the SE Composite adding 1.2%. Gold prices were 0.7% higher at $1,750 an ounce while Brent Crude added 0.25% to $62.63 a barrel. The pound was steady against the

UK firms have been subject to around £28 billion of mergers and acquisitions deals so far in 2021, the highest level since 2009 according to data from Dealogic. Investors are now trying to work out which UK stocks could be next.Temporary power supplier Aggreko (AGK) surged 38% on 5 February after a consortium of private equity groups TDR Capital and I Squared Capital made a possible all-cash offe

The FTSE 100 remained in positive territory on Wednesday afternoon as a positive coronavirus vaccine update from US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer lifted markets across Europe and the US.Having started the day in the red, the UK's benchmark index closed 0.31% higher to 6,385.24, mirroring gains seen in other markets with Germany's DAX closing 0.52% higher and the S&P 500 in the US advancing 0.2%.The

The FTSE 100 moved back into positive territory by midday on Wednesday as it emerged the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine is more effective than previously thought.The coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech has now been revealed to be 95% effective, and appears to protect 94% of adults over 65 years old. More data released from their ongoing phase three trial suggests it works just as well

UK stocks slipped into reverse in early trading on Wednesday as a stronger pound pressured exporters, while investors mulled higher inflation, the economic impact from surging coronavirus cases and ongoing Brexit negotiations.The benchmark FTSE 100 fell 0.3% in early deals at 6,345.72, while the more domestically focused mid-cap FTSE 250 recovered opening losses to stay roughly flat at 19,512.67.T