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

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

While the relentless advances in Nvidia (NVDA:NASDAQ), Bitcoin and US equities continue to grab most of the headlines (and that is not forgetting new all-time highs for headline stock indices in France, Germany, Taiwan, Australia and Japan), one asset is outstripping them all so far in 2024 ? and that is cocoa. Futures prices for the commodity have melted up by almost 150% this year alone, to a ne

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATURE Stephen AnnessHead of Global Equities, Invesco The Magnificent Seven ? the group of supercharged stocks named after the classic Western movie ? that delivered such outstanding returns in 2023 generated so much attention you would think it impossible to have beaten the index without owning them all. The fact that some of us did should be hugely reassuring to investor

Fundsmith founder Terry Smith and head of investment research Julian Robins were in good spirits while chatting with AJ Bell?s editor in chief Dan Coatsworth in a video interview.As usual, Smith was candid and open to discussing various topics from investment strategy to individual stocks and succession planning.VIDEO ? Terry Smith: my future as manager of Fundsmith Equity Fund and thoughts on per

This article discusses the increasing importance of intangible assets over tangible or physical assets and explains how investors can exploit them to uncover great businesses.One of the iron-clad laws of economics is that high returns on capital are eroded over time by the effects of competition. Reversion to the mean or average is almost as inevitable as death and taxes for most companies.Famed i

Many people dream of retiring early to pursue their real passions before they get too old to enjoy them. Is it just a pipedream or could it be a reality for some people?This feature explores the pros, pitfalls and practicalities of the so-called FIRE movement which is gaining increasing traction. A recent AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast discussion on the subject provoked a strong response from lis

Money transfer business raises growth guidance againShares fail to respond, drifting lowerProfits may be unsustainable as interest rates fallOn the face of it, today?s update from Wise (WISE) was all good news. The £9 billion business reported a strong third quarter that produced £276.6 billion of revenue, 30% active customer growth (to 7.5 million) and 18% growth in transaction volumes.With the

European equities moved lower on Monday, missing a spark from New York, and as investors eagerly anticipate a week of UK data that could be key for the Bank of England interest rate outlook.The FTSE 100 index closed down 30.02 points, 0.4%, at 7,594.91. The FTSE 250 ended up just 3.22 points at 19,200.84, and the AIM All-Share closed down 1.69 points, or 0.2%, at 747.37.The Cboe UK 100 ended down

It's been another poor year for active managers across the seven key equity sectors monitored by AJ Bell's Manager versus Machine report. Overall, just 36% of active managers outperformed the average passive alternative in 2023.One year is too short a time frame over which to judge the success of active management, but things don't look better if you zoom out a bit either. Over 10 years, just 32%

Net asset value (NAV) underperformed in first half£300 million spent on share buybacksLong term approach to identify secular growthGrowth investing may be creeping back into favour as investors bet on an end to interest rate hikes, but that hasn?t yet fed through to the Baillie Gifford-managed Monks Investment Trust (MNKS) judging by first half results.Net asset value total return slipped 3.3% fo

European stocks kicked off the week strongly, with hope that US rates have hit a peak creating a supportive backdrop for equities for now, but investors may need to rethink that notion if an inflation reading comes in hot on Tuesday.The FTSE 100 index added 65.28 points, 0.9%, at 7,425.83. The FTSE 250 rose 60.56 points, 0.3%, at 17,913.65, and the AIM All-Share ended down just 0.27 of a point at

Midwich director Fenby adds to his portfolioBodycote non-executive director snaps up 10,000 sharesWise CFO sells over £211,000 sharesStephen Fenby group managing director at Midwich (MIDW:AIM), the global specialist audio visual distributor to the trade market, has bought 50,000 shares at 376p for a total value of £187,885 on 30 October 2023.Following this transaction, Fenby and 'persons closely

A tough day for luxury retail stocks, and some pre-US inflation data caution, kept a lid on enthusiasm on Wednesday in Europe, with the CAC 40 in Paris the worst-hit.The pound and euro continued to rise against the dollar, despite a hotter-than-expected US producer price reading. However, consumer price data on Thursday that is similarly robust, could prove too hot for markets to handle, sending e

Having analysed Microsoft (MSFT:NASDAQ) and Unilever (ULVR) in parts one and two, part three of Shares new mini-series is an examination of the key metrics and investment merits of Greggs (GRG). A more down-to-earth choice but unquestionably one of the UK's favourite options for food on the go, now guided by CEO Roisin Currie.ANALYSING GREGGSWe will dig into the numbers at the value-for-money saus

I am thinking about how I can make bequests from my estate to my favourite charities and wondered if I can gift some of my pension in this way and whether or not this makes sense, given my estate might have to pay inheritance tax. I'm interested in the pluses and minuses around giving money to charity on death from my pension.MT, via email.Laura Suter, AJ Bell Head of Personal Finance, says:Firstl

The events of the past three years have completely altered the investment backcloth against which fund managers are trying to earn above-average returns.Fund managers can have an investment framework to operate within, but what do they do when a 'black swan' lands? How do they adapt their strategies and reshuffle portfolios when a once-in-a-century event happens - like a global pandemic or an outb

London's FTSE 100 was fractionally higher early on Tuesday afternoon, with Ocado its best-performer, while Bank of America climbed in the wake of so far well-received quarterly results in New York.Gains for the FTSE 250 were more convincing than its blue-chip counterpart in London. Darktrace was by far the best of the bunch there.The FTSE 100 index inched up 6.98 points, 0.1%, at 7,413.40. The FTS

The FTSE 100 in London closed lower on Monday, with miners at the bottom of the index, following news of China's slower-than-expected growth.Nerves were also beginning to build ahead of key UK inflation data due out on Wednesday, with James Smith at ING suggesting the data would be 'make-or-break' for the Bank of England's next interest rate decision.The FTSE 100 index closed down 28.15 points, or

Study shows 85% of wealthy clients are interested in cryptocurrenciesBitcoin has surged more than 80% in 2023Investors warned to tread carefully with volatile asset classesHigh-net-worth investors continue to throw money at cryptocurrencies, a new study has found. According to a survey by financial advisor the DeVere Group, 85% of wealthy clients have considered or currently already are investing