London?s FTSE 100 achieved a record close on Monday, as sabre-rattling in the Middle East began to die down, while the pound struggled on renewed hope that the Bank of England is taming UK inflation.Among individual shares, there was some M&A impetus for Tyman and Hipgnosis Songs Fund. A bullish broker note lifted some UK high street and grocer stalwarts, though model train maker Hornby went off t

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

London stock prices mostly recovered on Thursday from the threat of higher for longer US interest rates, while initial jobless claims remained stable.The FTSE 100 index closed up 29.06 points, 0.4%, at 7,877.05. The FTSE 250 ended up 110.53 points, 0.6%, at 19,450.67, and the AIM All-Share closed up 2.17 points, up 0.3%, at 745.29.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.2% at 786.93, the Cboe UK 250 closed up

Investors in London were not deterred by continuing concerns of higher for longer US interest rates, as stocks were up heading into the afternoon.The FTSE 100 index was 14.38 points higher, 0.2%, at 7,862.37. The FTSE 250 was up 63.75 points, 0.3%, at 19,403.89. The AIM All-Share was up 0.59 of a point, 0.1%, at 743.71.The Cboe UK 100 was a touch higher at 785.28, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.1% at 16

Stock prices in London opened in the green on Thursday, with some positive corporate updates helping lift the FTSE 100, a far cry from the sell-off New York tech shares suffered overnight.The tech sector comes into focus again, with streaming service Netflix, traditionally one of the FAANG stocks alongside Facebook owner Meta, Amazon, Apple and Alphabet, reporting quarterly earnings later.The FTSE

Portfolio independently valuedNo dividends in prospectFirm in litigation with founder and adviserShares in music royalties firm Hipgnosis Songs Fund (SONG) slid 15% to a new all-time low of 54p after an independent assessment of its portfolio chopped 26% off the valuation.In response, the firm said it would divert its free cash flow to paying down its debt and there would be no dividends ?for the

Stocks in London were predominantly lower at midday on Monday, as investors remained cautious ahead of a busy week of monetary policy decisions and economic data.The FTSE 100 index was down 33.74 points, 0.4%, at 7,648.76. The FTSE 250 was down 81.03 points, 0.4%, at 19,273.35, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.12 of a point at 741.43.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.5% at 766.27, the Cboe UK 250 was down

Stocks in London were predominantly in the red at Monday?s open, as investors look for signs of cuts to national insurance ahead of the UK Spring budget on Wednesday.The FTSE 100 index opened down 15.31 points, 0.2%, at 7,667.19. The FTSE 250 was down 39.07 points, 0.2%, at 19,315.31, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.16 points, 0.2%, at 742.47.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.3% at 768.30, the Cboe UK 250

SCOTTISH ORIENTAL SMALLER COMPANIES TRUST (SST) £13.50Market cap: £324 millionDespite some stand-out individual performances in 2023, emerging markets remain under-owned and undervalued with heavyweight country China firmly out of favour with investors.One savvy way to benefit from a revival in sentiment towards the region?s corporate small fry is to buy Scottish Oriental Smaller Companies (SS

The retail sector accounts for £104 billion of the FTSE 350 index by value of its 22 constituents, making it of significant importance to the UK stock market and to any investor with exposure to UK equities.The fortunes of retailers can tell us about the state of the consumer and in turn provide clues on economic activity. Therefore, even if you do not have exposure to individual stocks in this s

Bets that the Federal Reserve will start cutting interest rates as early as March are starting to look optimistic after stronger-than-expected US jobs numbers over the past week, pushing up bond yields and leaving equity investors pondering what to do next.In a shortened working week, thanks to the Martin Luther King Day holiday (15 Jan), major US equity markets ended pretty much where they starte

Media company Spotify Technology (NYSE:SPOT) primarily generates cash from streaming music to listeners digitally, and judging by its third-quarter results, where total revenue grew 11% on the previous year to $3.4 billion, business is good for the Swedish-based firm.Subscribers and non-subscribers are able to listen to millions of songs from a variety of genres from indie, rock and pop to classic

Stocks were in the red on Thursday at midday, as investors failed to get into the festive spirit ahead of a US economic data read later in the day.It is London?s last full day of trading before markets shut early for a Christmas break on Friday.The FTSE 100 index was down 37.23 points, 0.5%, at 7,678.45. The FTSE 250 was down 148.60 points, 0.8%, at 19,480.49, and the AIM All-Share was down 2.78 p

Results were due to be published earlierShares marginally downReaffirms suspension of dividendShares Hipgnosis (SONG) were marginally down at 70p in morning trading as the music royalty fund finally published its results for the six months ending 30 September.The music royalty firm was scheduled to publish its results earlier this week, but this was delayed due to an issue surrounding the valuatio

A positive run-up to the year-end holidays for London stocks, fuelled by hopes for lower UK and US interest rates in 2024, stumbled early Thursday.The FTSE 100 index opened down 6.54 points, 0.1%, at 7,709.14. The FTSE 250 was down 87.19 points, 0.4%, at 19,541.90, and the AIM All-Share was down 1.31 points, 0.2%, at 750.13The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.2% at 769.62, the Cboe UK 250 was down 0.4% at 1

Stock prices in London were little moved on Tuesday midday despite inflation in the eurozone getting closer to its 2% target.The FTSE 100 index was up 0.94 of a point at 7,615.42. The FTSE 250 was up 101.02 points, 0.5%, at 19,321.57, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.41 points, 0.3%, at 743.60.The Cboe UK 100 was flat at 760.22, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.8% at 16,818.19, and the Cboe Small Companies

Stock prices in London opened in the green on Tuesday, as expectations of interest rate cuts in the US solidified, and investors eyed the latest central bank decision in Japan.The FTSE 100 index opened up 24.68 points, 0.3%, at 7,639.16. The FTSE 250 was up 94.49 points, 0.5%, at 19,315.04, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.17 points, 0.3%, at 743.36.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.2% at 761.94, the Cboe UK

Stock prices in London began the last week before Christmas finishing in the green, as comments hawkish US Federal Reserve officials failed to deter investors.The FTSE 100 index closed up 38.12 points, 0.5%, at 7,614.48. The FTSE 250 ended up 11.58 points, 0.1%, at 19,220.55, and the AIM All-Share closed up 1.88 points, or 0.3%, at 741.19.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.5% at 760.32, the Cboe UK 250 cl

Sale is at 14% discount to September valuationInterim results out on 19 DecemberShares down 23% year-to-dateMusic royalty firm Hipgnosis Songs Fund (SONG) revealed it had completed the sale of some 20,000 non-core songs for $23.1 million at a 14.2% discount to the valuation as of 30 September.The shares were barely changed at 66p after the announcement, leaving them down 23% year-to-date. N