Shares in builders’ merchant Travis Perkins (TPK) climbed 3.3% to a new 12-month high of £16.97 after the firm posted a first quarter trading update showing strong growth in sales not just on the same period last year but also on the previous year, which provides a clearer comparison. ROBUST DEMAND Like-for-like revenues for the group, excluding the Wickes retail arm, increased by ...

UK stocks got off to a steady start on Thursday, boosted by gains in heavyweight mining stocks, while Deliveroo (ROO) posted a jump in first quarter orders. The benchmark FTSE 100 rose 0.3% in early deals, hitting 6,960.85, with miners providing the biggest boost to the index as they tracked higher metal prices. Investors will be closely watching the FTSE 100 to see if it has the momentum to ...

A rebound in oil prices after a container ship blocked the Suez Canal helped the FTSE 100 finish in positive territory on Wednesday following a jittery start. By the close, the blue chip benchmark was 0.2% higher at 6,712.89 with oil majors Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) and BP (BP.) both catching a bid, gaining 1.4% to £13.87 and 2% to 301.6p respectively. BALLY’S BETS ON GAMESYS In ...

A rebound in oil prices after a container ship blocked the Suez Canal helped lift the blue chip benchmark off its lows on Wednesday. By lunchtime, the FTSE 100 was down 0.3% at 6,681.10 having earlier traded as low as 6,681 points after inflation surprisingly fell in February, defying expectations of a rise, with the weak data stoking concerns that persistent lockdowns are weighing on global ...

Shares in Travis Perkins (TPK) perked up 0.6% to £15.95, a fresh one-year high, after the builders’ merchant resumed the demerger process of its DIY chain Wickes, which it plans to spin out and list on London’s main market. Retailer Wickes appears well-placed to succeed as a standalone business, with like-for-like sales growing 5% in 2020 as it rode the pandemic-induced DIY boom, though ...

UK stocks eked out small gains despite a pause in the commodity rally, with financial and house building stocks making headway while energy and mining stocks took a back seat after recent gains. At 9.15am the FTSE 100 index was up just 6 points or 0.1% to 6,595 points while the FTSE 250 mid-cap index gained 58 points or 0.3% to 21,280. Sterling recovered from overnight selling to trade at ...

Investors seem to be warming to the idea of an eleventh-hour Brexit deal if the performance of domestically focused stocks and a strong pound prove to be a good guide to future events. Shares in Housebuilders Vistry (VTY) and Redrow (RDW) and Crest Nicholson (CRST) gained 4.5%, 3.5% and 5% respectively while home improvements company Travis Perkins (TPK) was also perky on Wednesday, gaining ...

UK stocks were trading higher early on in Wednesday’s session as US lawmakers moved closer to agreeing on a new stimulus package for the world’s biggest economy. Investors also were holding out hope that Britain and the EU could agree on a post-Brexit trade deal before the transition period ends on 1 January. Meaningful progress on either the stimulus or Brexit fronts could help put the ...

Student accommodation provider Unite Group (UTG) ticked up 0.1% to £10.73 on news it has acquired an 800-bed development in Paddington in central London. The rehabilitation of the share price has accelerated on news of vaccine progress and the hopes this might lead to a more normal in-person university experience in the next academic year. £150 MILLION REFIT This latest deal saw Unite ...

UK stocks moved into positive territory by lunchtime on Thursday, having recouped earlier losses as Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled increased support for firms hit by Tier 2 coronavirus restrictions. Sunak announced significant changes to the Job Support Scheme (JSS), set to replace furlough from next month. Under the updated scheme employers will pay less and staff can work fewer hours ...

Shares in builders’ merchant Travis Perkins (TPK) climbed 2% to £12.44 on Thursday, out-performing a FTSE 100 index which was 0.2% lower, as its third quarter trading update showed a continued recovery in demand. Group like-for-like revenues rose 3.9% in the quarter led by strong sales to the repair, maintenance and improvement (RMI) sector which drove impressive gains at the Wickes retail ...

UK stocks retreated on Thursday after British Airways-owner International Consolidated Airlines (IAG) posted a quarterly loss and investors looked to a parliament address later in the day by Chancellor Rishi Sunak on the economic outlook. The benchmark FTSE 100 fell 0.3% to a five-month low of 5,760.57, dragged lower by weak real estate and energy stocks, while defence firm BAE Systems ...

UK stocks traded lower on Tuesday as renewed weakness in US technology shares and a sharp sell-off in crude oil outweighed a slew of positive corporate earnings updates. At 4.30pm the benchmark FTSE 100 index was down 6 points or 0.1% at 5,931, as the S&P500 and Nasdaq 100 indices lost ground for a third day after Monday's market holiday. Also, crude oil prices fell heavily with Brent ...

UK stocks reversed their opening gains on Tuesday as renewed weakness in US technology shares outweighed a slew of positive corporate earnings updates. At midday the benchmark FTSE 100 index was down 6 points or 0.1% to 5,931, after shares in US tech giants Apple and Tesla were indicated sharply lower for a third day after Monday’s market holiday. Nasdaq 100 futures were indicated ...

UK markets reversed early falls to rally into lunch time, shrugging off the brutal sell-off in US technology stocks overnight. This was despite sentiment towards the housebuilding sector souring on news of a competition regulator probe into the selling of leasehold homes. At midday, the benchmark FTSE 100 is up 0.5% at 5,882.02, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 rallied even harder, adding 1% at ...

UK stocks ended modestly higher on Tuesday, despite worries over further lockdowns should a second wave of global Covid-19 cases continue to gain momentum. Riding to the rescue was the housing sector, which rallied on the back of news the government may extend the Help to Buy scheme beyond December. The benchmark FTSE 100 closed up 24.38 points, or 0.4%, at 6,129.26, while the FTSE 250 ended ...

UK stocks were slightly lower on Tuesday, despite companies releasing a mixed bag of earnings updates that at least showed their performance improving as lockdowns were eased. Investors, however, remained wary of the possibility of further lockdowns, should a second wave of global Covid-19 cases continue to gain momentum. At 11.40, the benchmark FTSE 100 was off 5.9 points, or 0.1% lower, at ...

The FTSE 100 got off to a strong start on Tuesday thanks to progress with new US government stimulus increasing investor appetite for equities. The UK’s leading basket of stocks moved 0.59% higher to 6,149.26 shortly after trading began, mirroring the momentum seen overnight in US stock markets. Gold briefly hit a new record of $1,980 per ounce before easing back to $1,935 per ...

TRAVIS PERKINS (TPK) £11.30 Gain to date: 11.3% Original entry point: Buy at £10.15, 30 April 2020 The latest trading update from building supplies firm Travis Perkins (TPK) was upbeat on current trends in its industry, but less positive than hoped on the outlook for the UK economy in general and its end markets for the rest of this year and 2021. While average weekly ...

While no firm wants to be seen publicly to be ‘having a good crisis’, given the gravity of the threat to the economy and public health from coronavirus, the fact is some firms are doing rather well despite, or in some cases as a result of, the pandemic. Some have been in the right place at the right time – think of healthcare, sanitation and hygiene firms – while others have been less ...