After almost closing at a new high in early April, the UK?s blue-chip FTSE 100 has finally made it into the ranks of indices hitting new all-time highs thanks to a 4.5% gain since the start of January.On 22 April the index reached its highest ever close and on 23 April it moved through its previous intra-day high.The UK clearly isn?t in the same league as the US, where the S&P 500 has notched up n

Every time anyone in the UK puts money into a pension, a deal is struck. The government adds tax relief to the contribution, and the quid pro quo is you have to lock that money away for retirement. Hence why you can only access a pension after the age of 55, rising to 57 from 2028.The idea is that if you?ve got your own funds to live on in retirement, you won?t fall back on the benefits system and

It must be maddening for analysts that every time they?ve put forecasts for Darktrace (DARK) into the market, they?re forced to tear them up and start again. It happened for the third time already this year earlier this month (11 April), in the wake of a surprisingly strong third fiscal quarter update (to 31 March) that the company predicts will mean an extra $2.4 million of ARR, or annual recurri

Chip stocks are coming under pressure from investors made nervous by hints of weakening demand during the first half of 2024. During the past week or so there have been warnings from industry bellwethers from Europe and the Far East, dampening enthusiasm just as earnings season gets going in earnest.On 22 April Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSM:NYSE), or simply TSMC, the world?s bigg

This feature explores spin-offs or de-mergers, looking at the rationale for them and how they have performed, and asks if they can be a promising hunting ground for investors.One of the UK?s largest recent spin-offs was GSK?s (GSK) demerger of its consumer healthcare division in 2022.GSK reportedly rebuffed a £50 billion offer from personal goods giant Unilever (ULVR) to buy the division, named H

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

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

Quarterly sales growth sluggishResults weighted to second halfShares erase recent rallyPest control and hygiene firm Rentokil (RTO) underwhelmed investors with its first-quarter trading update despite a more stable performance in its key North American market.The shares eased 13p or 3% to 433p, taking them to the bottom of the FTSE 100 leader board and eradicating almost all the gains since it pub

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

In a surprising development for a company which is usually considered fairly staid, Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) circulated an internal memo last month letting staff know it was ?saying goodbye? to a number people in its risk management team after an internal review found the function was hampering its transformation plans.The memo from the bank?s chief risk officer, seen by the Financial Times, cl

A classic example of a superb business with staying power, The Coca-Cola Company (KO:NYSE) is blessed with iconic brands spearheaded by Coca-Cola or ?Coke?, the world?s most recognised soft drink synonymous with its red cans.Coca-Cola?s brands resonate with consumers around the world, making the New York-listed group?s products the beverage of choice for billions when at home or on the move.Powerf

Q1 revenue misses by ?100 millionChip kit firm?s stock falls more than 4%Underlying market remains supportiveChip stocks have been gunning it this year thanks to booming demand for the most advanced AI (artificial intelligence) technology. The US SOX semiconductor index, which measures the world?s meaningful chips stocks, has rallied 15% since the start of January, so ASML?s (ASML:AMS) revenue mis

London?s FTSE 100 opened sharply lower on Tuesday, as US interest rate worries and geopolitical tensions continued to cast a dark cloud over equity markets.Only Mondi traded higher, with even packaging peer DS Smith falling despite agreeing to a takeover from International Paper, the latest twist in a takeover saga that also involved Mondi. Mondi is yet to respond to the development.The FTSE 100 i

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATURE Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics could revolutionize the industrial sector, leading to a significant increase in the use of automation. Automation is expected to transform production lines, likely elevating human workers to manage robots, boosting overall productivity and output. Capital investments spurred by government policies and corpor

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATURE The mining sector is not homogenous. On the BlackRock World Mining Trust, we believe this year its fortunes may be particularly disparate, as a range of factors weigh on individual commodities and regions. As we see it, there are three key factors that will determine the performance of mining companies for the remainder of 2024: geopolitics, global growth and infras

I have been taking a fixed income of £500 a month from my pension drawdown pot. I have not changed this amount, yet this month?s income is a lot lower. Why is that?FlorenceRachel Vahey, AJ Bell Head of Public Policy, says:Let?s start by looking at how pension income is taxed.When first taking pension benefits, usually you are able to take up to 25% of your pension pot as a tax-free cash lump sum

The cruise industry is enjoying an unprecedented boom with around 35.7 million passengers expected to book a trip this year, up from 31.5 million in 2023 and 6% more than the number of passengers who set sail in 2019 according to the CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association).Going on a cruise holiday is slowly become a more popular alternative then jumping on a plane or a high-speed train to E

Canadian General Investments (CGI) £21.70Market cap: £450 millionAn unusually wide 41% discount to NAV (net asset value) presents a compelling entry point into Toronto- and London-listed Canadian General Investments (CGI), a trust with a formidable long-run track record. The cavernous discount provides investors with broad exposure to the Canadian equity market and a winning total return strateg

European stocks reversed course after Wednesday afternoon?s US inflation, but largely clung on to earlier gains, though it was a bearish start in New York as investors re-assessed the interest rate outlook on the back of the red-hot data.The Federal Reserve?s latest dot-plot suggested three rate cuts could materialise this year. Since the March meeting, however, data has been robust and the odds o

Cancer drug gets positive readoutPotential for personalised medicinesModerna has over 45 drugs in developmentUS biotechnology firm Moderna (MRNA:NASDAQ) was the top performer in the S&P 500 on Tuesday (9 April) jumping as much as 10% after its personalised cancer vaccine showed positive results in an early stage trial.The shares closed 6% higher at $11.60, a new three month high, but are down 30%