UK markets were flat in early trade on Tuesday as gains from rising commodity prices, mining and energy stocks and a firm reopening trade were neutralised by weakness from banking giant HSBC (HSBA), which ditched its long-term profitability targets. At 9am, the commodity-heavy FTSE 100 benchmark was struggling to make any ground, clawing single point gains at 6,613.56. Mid-caps were much ...

Asset manager Aberdeen Standard Investments, part of Standard Life Aberdeen (SLA), is bolstering its position in the buoyant logistics real estate space through the acquisition of 60% of sector specialist Tritax for an undisclosed sum. Tritax has assets under management of £5.1 billion and runs Tritax Big Box (BBOX) and its Europe-focused counterpart Tritax EuroBox (EBOX). The Tritax ...

Amid all the wild swings in the stock market over the past week, it has emerged that a number of bosses at big firms used the opportunity to either buy or sell shares. The biggest deal to note comes from FTSE 100 trainers-to-tracksuits retailer JD Sports (JD.) and its executive chairman Peter Cowgill, who sold £19 million worth of shares at a price of 745.6p each. JD Sports said Cowgill ...

After a strong morning session, lifted by hopes of further fiscal stimulus in the US, UK stocks gave up most of their day’s gains on Thursday as momentum was undermined by weak economic data and a sharp fall in oil prices. At the close the FTSE 100 index was up just 13 points or 0.2% to 5,879, with Brent oil prices tumbling 5% to $40 per barrel which sent shares in big oil stocks BP (BP.) and ...

A combination of hopes for further US fiscal stimulus and signs that the government was shying away from a new national lockdown helped lift UK stocks in late morning trade. At lunchtime the FTSE 100 index was up 0.9% to 5,917, homing back in on the psychologically-important 6,000-point level again thanks to strength in materials stocks such as DS Smith (SMDS), Mondi (MNDI) and Smurfit Kappa ...

Shares in specialist alternative asset manager Gresham House (GHE) rallied 4.3% to a new year-high of 720p, against the backdrop of a sickly UK market, after it posted strong interim results thanks to a further rise in assets. In the six months to 30 June the firm reported a 33.3% increase in total core income to £17.8 million as assets under management (AUM) rose to £3.26 billion, an ...

UK stocks ended sharply lower on Thursday after minutes from the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting at the end of July struck a cautious note on the pace of the US recovery and US weekly jobless claims came in above expectations, reinforcing the market's negative mood. At the close the FTSE 100 index of leading stocks was down 98 points or 1.5% to 6,013, led lower by financial stocks such as ...

UK stocks fell sharply on Thursday after minutes from the US Federal Reserve's last policy meeting at the end of July struck a cautious tone on the pace of the US recovery and concerns mounted of a resurgence of the Covid virus in several European countries. At midday the FTSE 100 index of leading stocks was down 68 points or 1.1% to 6,044, led lower by financial stocks such as wealth managers ...

UK stocks traded largely unchanged at the close on Friday as investors shrugged off better than expected US non-farm payroll figures and a slew of positive earnings surprises from companies. At 4.35pm the benchmark FTSE 100 index inched up 5 points to 6,032 as weakness in banks, energy stocks and mining firms offset a strong performance by companies reporting earnings. WINNERS Generic ...

UK stocks traded marginally lower on Friday as investors mulled growing trade tensions and markets awaited the latest US non-farm payroll figures for an insight into the world’s leading economy. At midday the benchmark FTSE 100 index edged down 5 points to 6,022 as weakness in banks and energy stocks offset a strong performance by companies reporting earnings. WINNERS Generic drugs ...

Shares in asset management behemoth Standard Life Aberdeen (SLA) gained 1% to 266p as it kept its dividend and maintained plans to complete its share buyback programme. It came after the firm posted a 30% fall in adjusted pre-tax profits in the first half of the year to £195 million. The firm pinned the fall on a 13% drop in fee-based first half revenues to £706 million due to outflows ...

It was a slow start to trading in shares on Friday as rising Covid-19 cases and US-China tensions dented sentiment at the end of a week marked by largely upbeat quarterly earnings and improving economic data. The benchmark FTSE 100 opened a fraction lower in subdued trading, nudging 0.03% lower to 6,025.37, but remains on course for its first weekly gain in three as investors bet on more ...

Oil and gas giant BP (BP.) has shown there are still some dividend payers on the FTSE 100 after committing to a $2bn payout despite reporting a $4.37bn loss for the first three months  of 2020. Increasing numbers of companies are cutting dividends as more and more look to preserve cash to survive the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, but there still some like BP which have ...

Private investors, not just big institutions, should be allowed to participate in discounted equity fundraisings, according to an open letter from senior figures in the investment industry. Amid rising concerns that the rights of small investors are being flouted by the current fundraising rush as companies shore up their finances in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, the letter calls on ...

Hopes of a 'V-shaped' recovery in the UK stock market look to be fading as shares continue to take a beating, while dividend wipe-out across the market continues. The benchmark FTSE 100 index opened 3.7% down at 5,602 this morning, with investors hopes also dented by a warning from the Bank of England that the UK economy is set for long-term damage as a result of the coronavirus ...

London’s FTSE 100 jumped 2% to 6,110 points on Tuesday following on from gains across Asia on speculation of coordinated stimulus from global central banks and governments. Brent crude gained 5% to $36 a barrel paring back yesterday’s brutal falls while the pound was steady against the US dollar trading at $1.31. In corporate news, events and publishing company Informa (INF) gained ...

Seasoned investor Richard Penny (pictured below) says the UK is cheap, particularly further down the market capitalisation scale. The fund manager also believes that financial sector firms have become ‘somewhat de-risked’ following the Conservative Party’s thumping general election victory. The well-followed manager of TM CRUX UK Special Situations (BG5Q5X2) is also palpably excited about ...

With assets under management of £444bn, Schroders (SDR) is one of the few UK financial firms able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with its international peers. While the UK accounts more than a third of assets under management, two thirds of operating revenue comes from outside the UK making it a truly diversified global business. In terms of products, equities account for 37% of the ...

Begbies Traynor (BEG:AIM) Insolvency specialist and property services company Begbies Traynor (BEG:AIM) derives two thirds of its revenue from activities which are counter-cyclical, which means that in any future slowdown or even recession the business will see rising demand for its insolvency services. The company’s shares therefore provide a compelling hedge against future ...

Just as it looked like a short-term resolution to the Brexit saga was in sight, with a deal agreed with the EU and subsequently gaining early stage approval from MPs, a refusal by the same MPs to go along with Boris Johnson’s timetable led him to put the legislation on pause and push for a general election. Johnson, who, as a result, failed to deliver on his ‘do or die’ promise to deliver ...