Australian miner launches deal worth proposed $38.8 billionAnglo has huge copper assets crucial to buyoutCopper prices at two-year highs as renewable energy demand risesFTSE 100 mining group Anglo American (AAL) has huge iron ore, platinum, coal and, through its? controlling stake in dealer De Beers, diamonds, but make no mistake, BHP?s (BHP) interest in the business is a big bet on copper.Copper

Net interest income fallsInvestment bank slipsBuyback target confirmedHigh-street lender Barclays (BARC) reported a drop in first-quarter pre-tax profit due to a combination of weaker net interest income and lower income from its investment bank, but the results were slightly ahead of market expectations.The shares gained as much as 9p or 4.5% to 200p, their highest level in over a year, as the fi

The persistently high interest rate environment means companies are under pressure to cut costs and jobs are an obvious target. While they can cut their workforce through redundancies or slash the wage bill through shorter or fewer shifts, others might already be operating with a skeleton crew and cannot pare back any further.It is against this scenario that higher wages are adding to companies? p

Stocks in London ended in the red on Wednesday, despite the FTSE 100 hitting another record high earlier in the day, while Tesla was the star in New York, where wider markets mixed.The FTSE 100 index gave back 4.43 points, 0.1%, at 8,040.38. The blue-chip index traded as high as 8,092.19 earlier Wednesday, its best-ever level. Selling pressure in the afternoon prevented it from achieving another c

Net interest income fallsCost-to-income ratio jumpsFull-year guidance maintainedThe UK?s largest mortgage lender, Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY), delivered a weak first-quarter trading update with most of the key metrics seemingly heading in the wrong direction.The lack of mention of share buybacks or guidance on the dividend also disappointed investors, however confirmation of the bank?s full-year t

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATURE Capital at risk. The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise and are not guaranteed. Investors may not get back the amount originally invested.Latin American economies welcomed 2024 with new economic vigour. They have shaken off a legacy of economic mismanagement, and now look set to play a new role in the global economy. The region?s e

Sales and earnings top forecastsHigher spending and interest chargesFull-year earnings target maintainedThose looking for evidence wealthy US Americans are still spending freely need look no further than American Express (AXP) after the credit card giant topped first-quarter earnings expectations on Friday (19 April).The shares leapt 6% to a new all time high of $231 taking year-to-date gains to 2

Investors in London showed confidence on Monday, as Ocado boosted the FTSE 100 despite shareholder pressure to move its listing to the US, while takeover talks drove Hipgnosis Songs Fund and Tyman in the FTSE 250.Amongst individual stocks, Ocado boosted the FTSE 100 on pressure to move to the US. The FTSE 250 got a boost from takeover talks for both Hipgnosis Songs Fund and Tyman.The FTSE 100 inde

Stock prices in London improved at the open on Monday, with FTSE 250 stocks Hipgnosis and Tyman rising on news of prospective takeovers for both firms, while investors more widely shook off nerves ahead of a key US inflation reading later this week.The FTSE 100 index opened up 96.75 points, 1.2%, at 7,992.60. The FTSE 250 was up 152.32 points, 0.8%, at 19,543.62, and the AIM All-Share was up 3.13

Stock prices in London closed up on Friday, but investors remained tentative as Israel carried out retaliatory strikes on Iran.The FTSE 100 index closed up 18.80 points, or 0.2%, at 7,895.85. The FTSE 250 ended down 59.37 points, 0.3%, at 19,391.30, and the AIM All-Share closed up 0.38 of a point, 0.1%, at 745.67.Across the week, they were down 1.3%, 1.7% and 1.4% respectively.The Cboe UK 100 ende

Third quarter revenue up 6%Strong showing in Mecca BingoFull year outlook affirmedCasino and bingo operator Rank (RNK) said like-for-like net gaming revenue for the third quarter to 31 March increased by 6% to £182.3 million, with trading continuing to improve in April.Shares in the Grosvenor Casinos and Mecca Bingo operator increased 2.6% to 72.9p and sit around 4% lower than the start of the ye

Centamin (CEY) 128.3pGain to date: 31.3%We flagged the appeal of Egyptian gold miner Centamin (CEY) a little over two months ago based on two key factors: operational improvements and exposure to strong gold prices.WHAT?S HAPPENED SINCE WE SAID TO BUY?The recent move higher in gold prices has been extremely helpful as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East escalate and inflationary pressures con

A quick run-through of the first-quarter results from the US banks suggests a clean sweep of better-than-expected revenue and earnings, yet that didn?t translate into a rise in their share prices.First to report was JPMorgan Chase (JPM:NYSE), which smashed earnings forecasts due to the strong underlying performance of all of its businesses.Chief executive Jamie Dimon described the economic outlook

Stock prices in London closed largely up on Wednesday, as the FTSE 100 shrugged off hotter-than-expected UK inflation data.The FTSE 100 index closed up 27.63 points, 0.4%, at 7,847.99. The FTSE 250 ended down just 4.40 points at 19,340.14, and the AIM All-Share closed up 4.84 points, or 0.7% at 743.12.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.6% at 785.06, the Cboe UK 250 closed up 0.1% at 16,784.15, and the Cbo

Equity prices in London found some composure heading into Wednesday afternoon, recovering from an uncertain start following an unnerving UK inflation reading.International Distribution Services jumped, after a billionaire shareholder?s takeover proposal that was rebuffed by the Royal Mail parent.The FTSE 100 index rose 46.18 points, 0.6%, at 7,866.54. The FTSE 250 climbed 107.23 points, 0.6%, at 1

Annual underlying revenue up 13% to £732.7 millionRiver Cruise and Travel returns to profitStrong customer base of 9.6 millionShares in Saga (SAGA) were marginally higher this morning as the over 50s travel and insurance company reported a 146% rise in underlying pre-tax profit to £38.2 million for the year ending 31 January 2024 lifted by forward bookings from their cruise and travel businesses

Weak first-half sales priced inProfit seen ?significantly? higher New finance director appointedShares in ASOS (ASC) rallied 10% to 366.2p in early dealings after the online fast-fashion retailer maintained its full-year 2024 guidance and flagged progress in shifting its mountain of excess stock as chief executive Jose Calamonte?s turnaround plan gains traction.Nevertheless, the retailer?s transit

Stock prices in London opened mixed on Wednesday, as UK consumer price inflation ebbed, but not by how much economists were expecting, prompting investors to rethink their Bank of England interest rate expectations.The reading followed numbers showing UK wage growth was loftier than expected in the three months to February. Sterling traded higher early Wednesday.The FTSE 100 index opened just 1.54

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATURE Abby Glennie and Amanda Yeaman, managers of abrdn UK Smaller Companies Growth TrustThe long-awaited turnaround in smaller companies is unlikely to happen just because shares are lowly-valuedHowever, an improving economic and interest rate backdrop could spark renewed interest in the sectorM&A activity is also providing support for the smaller companies sectorInvest

Markets were gripped on Monday by concerns over how Israel might respond to Iran?s recent drone strike, with commodity prices falling.The FTSE 100 index closed down 30.05 points, 0.4%, at 7,965.53. The FTSE 250 ended down 22.35 points, 0.1%, at 19,698.89, and the AIM All-Share closed down 5.63 points, 0.7%, at 750.28.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.5% at 795.31, the Cboe UK 250 closed down 0.1% at 17