- Pre-tax profits hit £172 million from £48 million - Value of the portfolio has doubled in a year - Demand far exceeds supply meaning rents can keep rising The past year has been a transformational one for investor in mid-size industrial property Urban Logistics (SHED) resulting in pre-tax earnings more than tripling to £172 million. The firm’s portfolio has doubled in value to ...

The news last month that distribution firm Clipper Logistics (CLG) had agreed a £965 million takeover offer from US-based rival GXO Logistics has propelled the normally staid world of third-party logistics into the limelight. Crucially, the deal is predicated on revenue synergies, derived from moves like cross-selling and having complementary geographic locations, rather than cost ...

Stocks sold off globally on Monday as the Omicron variant continued to spread unabated, causing governments in several countries to impose restrictions and throwing the global recovery into doubt. In recent business surveys looking at the prospects for next year the virus had been seen as less of a concern compared with inflation and supply chain issues, but the rapid transmission of the latest ...

Stocks around the world lurched downward on Monday as the Omicron variant spread, causing governments in several countries to impose restrictions and threatening the global recovery. In addition, the decision by US Democrat senator Joe Manchin to oppose president Biden's $2 Trillion infrastructure bill sent US futures sharply lower on fears growth next year could disappoint. Brent crude were ...

Global markets have taken fright at the rapid spread of Omicron and government actions to slow the virus’ progress, threatening the global recovery. The blue-chip German DAX index opened 2.6% lower while US futures indicated the S&P 500 index would open 1.4% lower. Overnight in Asia, the Nikkei 225 was 2% lower and China’s SE Composite was 1% down. Brent Crude was 3% lower at $71.32 ...

UK stocks recovered from their intraday weakness to close marginally higher, despite a rise in sterling as expectations grow of a rise in official interest rates at next month's Bank of England meeting. At the close on Monday the FTSE 100 index was 4 points to the good at 7,352 points with financial stocks offsetting a sluggish mining sector following the COP26 climate conference. Brent ...

UK stocks were slightly weaker on Monday as investors eyed Wednesday's inflation report and expectations grew of a rise in official interest rates at next month's Bank of England meeting. At midday the FTSE 100 index was 14 points or 0.2% lower at 7,335 points with mining stocks lagging in the wake of the COP26 climate conference. Overnight trading in Asia was mixed with China’s SE ...

The FTSE 100 index was flat in early trading as weakness in mining shares offset gains in oil and bank stocks. At 9am the index of leading shares was up 0.2% to 7,358 points. Overnight trading in Asia was mixed with China’s SE Composite up 0.6% after retail sales and industrial output beat expectations, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 index was down 0.2%. Brent crude prices were down 0.7% to ...

The gradual reopening of the UK economy has been matched in the property investment space by a similarly gradual reopening of open-ended real estate funds. This follows a long period when trading in numerous property funds was suspended due to the difficulty of valuing their holdings in the pandemic. There are mounting arguments that these vehicles are becoming ‘uninvestable’ thanks to the ...

UK stocks failed to keep pace with European markets on Wednesday, with the FTSE 100 index down 25 points or 0.4% to 7,070 points in early trading as weakness in insurers and house builders offset meagre gains for travel and leisure stocks. Brent crude prices rose to $72.50 per barrel on signs of strong demand in the US and Europe, while concerns over Iranian supplies coming back to the market ...

UK investors were in upbeat mood on Friday, helped by a rebound in US markets overnight after two days of losses, an encouraging retail sales report and a slew of positive company updates. At 8.30am the FTSE 100 index of leading stocks was up 60 points or 0.9% to 6,735 points, led by miners and consumer-facing ‘recovery’ stocks. Sterling was steady at $1.376 while Brent crude futures ...

The UK market got off to a slow start heading into the weekend with the FTSE 100 index drifting off 11 points to 6,606 following a weak session on Wall Street overnight and a drop in oil prices. Energy, financial and healthcare stocks were the main losers while mining and travel-related stocks were in favour. Brent crude futures fell 0.8% to $63 per barrel, sending shares in BP (BP.) and ...

UK stocks tumbled on Monday as the number of virus cases in the UK continued to rise and fears grew of a second nationwide lockdown.   At the close the benchmark FTSE 100 index was down over 200 points or 3.4%, its biggest daily loss since July, to 5,804 points. International Consolidated Airlines (IAG) was the biggest FTSE faller, dropping 12% to 97p on fears of new travel ...

UK stocks fell sharply on Monday as the number of virus cases in the UK continued to rise and fears grew of a second nationwide lockdown. At midday the benchmark FTSE 100 index was down over 200 points or 3.4% to 5,801. International Consolidated Airlines (IAG) was the biggest FTSE faller, dropping 13% to 96p on fears of new travel restrictions, while low-cost rival EasyJet (EZJ) shed 8% to ...

Like all parts of the market the investment trusts space has been shaken up by coronavirus. As share prices and valuations have begun to settle back into place, many trusts have been left at wider and narrower than usual premiums and discounts to net asset value (NAV). In this article Shares has used data from Winterflood Securities to identify trusts which have diverged significantly from ...

UK stocks gave up most of yesterday’s gains heading into the weekend as growing geo-political tensions between the US and China over Hong Kong sent Asian markets down overnight. Investors are concerned that President Trump could change the US's trade stance towards Hong Kong at a press conference later today, spurring retaliation from China including the black-listing of US companies ...

A REIT or real estate investment trust is a vehicle which owns, operates or finances income-generating property. The so-called REIT regime came into force in January 2007. By February of that year nine of the UK’s big listed property firms had converted to REIT status and more than a decade on, the number of UK REITs is pushing in the direction of three figures. There has been an ...