William Hill (WMH)

The FTSE 100 is down 35 points to 7,422 not aided by a poor showing from the mining sector. There is also continued trepidation over the US' trade talks with Canada which are not buoying the markets. Mining giant BHP Billiton (BLT) is down 1.3% to £16.13 after buying a 6.1% stake in Solgold (SOLG). This move is the latest tit-for-tat exchange BHP is having with Newcrest Mining for control over ...

Although the momentum of the blue-chip benchmark has stalled since it hit new record highs in late May, London’s FTSE 100 recovers some of yesterday’s losses early on, ticking 39 points higher to 7,615. In corporate news, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) rises 3.1% to 257.8p as half year results not only reveal adjusted profitability comfortably ahead of consensus forecasts, but the bank also ...

A swathe of UK businesses have been winning at the World Cup, just like England, so far. Analysts at Canaccord Genuity have flagged up several UK companies that are believed to have been enjoying bumper trading ahead of England's surprise quarter final showdown with Sweden. Today broadcaster ITV (ITV) demonstrated the potential impact on share prices for firms positively exposed to world ...

Bookmakers will be rubbing their hands in glee during the World Cup with thousands of punters likely to have a flutter on football’s blue  ribbon tournament. Analysts at investment bank Berenberg calculate William Hill (WMH) earned a staggering 9.8% of its entire digital net sports betting revenue in 2014 during the last World Cup in Brazil. It is likely to be much more this time round given ...

The gambling sector has this year experienced a mixture of very good and very bad news, prompting wild share price movements. Now is an opportune time to take stock of the sector, particularly as share prices have had time to price in forthcoming changes to the UK fixed-odds betting terminals market and the hype has died down about the opening up of the US sports betting industry. The latter ...

On 14 June at 4pm UK time at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow the 21st football World Cup kicks off as the host nation Russia takes on Saudi Arabia. As well as football fans, several stock market names will be watching the tournament closely to see if they will enjoy a World Cup-related boost to their trading. If history is any guide then pubs will be busier, some retailers should benefit from ...

The excitement earlier this week around a breakthrough on sports betting in the US has quickly disappeared for UK gambling stocks as a cut in the maximum stake on fixed odds betting terminals (FOBT) to £2 is confirmed. There could be further bad news if the Government makes another change to gambling tax, potentially at the Budget in November. AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould says the ...

After a weak start, the FTSE 100 is up 3.9 points to 7,738.78 following strong trading on Wall Street overnight. The government’s confirmation of a reduction in the fixed odds betting terminals stake limit has impacted the listed bookies. William Hill (WMH) is down 3.7% to 306p, 888 Holdings (888) is off 2.8% to 307.6p and GVC (GVC) down 3.2% to 886p. Letter and parcels delivery company ...

Shares in several UK betting stocks are enjoying a rare moment in the sun as a court ruling opens the door for sports betting to be legalised in multiple US states. However, some observers are warning the market not to get carried away with the news. Broker Davy cautions against ‘assuming too big a prize too soon’. ‘The shape of a regulated landscape is yet to be determined, with many ...

Shares in a number of UK-quoted gambling firms have shot up in value following news that sports betting could be legalised on a multi-state basis in the US. William Hill (WMH) jumps by 8.3% to 306.2p, 888 (888) advances by 13% to 305.6p, Sportech (SPO) jumps by 11% to 69.5p, GVC (GVC) moves 5.1% higher to 920p and Webis (WEB:AIM) rises by 65% to 1.65p. Paddy Power Betfair (PPB), the UK's ...

Investors are scrambling to exit UK gambling firms such as William Hill (WMH) and GVC (GVC) amid media reports the max stake on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) will be cut to £2 a spin. Shares in William Hill tumbled 11.5% to 296.2p and GVC, which recently acquired Ladbrokes Coral, shed 5.8% to 915p. Paddy Power Betfair (PPB) was also down 3.5% at £70.65. Last month, gambling ...

The gambling industry once again hits the headlines following new reports that the government might slash the maximum stake on fixed odds betting terminals (FOBT) to just £2. This story has run and run but it is having a massive impact on bookmaker stocks in early trade on Tuesday, with shares in William Hill (WMH) plunging 11% on the news to 300.5p, valuing the bookie at £2.56bn. William ...

Shares in gambling companies are rising after the outcome from the Gambling Commission’s review into fixed-odd betting terminals (FOBTs) was not as bad as expected. William Hill (WMH) rose 4.2% to 334p and Ladbrokes Coral (LCL) gained 3.2% to 176p. FOBTs are a key source of income for bookmakers. They allow people to play computer simulated races and casino games, but have recently ...

The UK stock market opens firmly higher in early trade on Tuesday buoyed by a swelter of decent trading results and a brighter view on near-term prospects. Investor spirits are also lifted by rising US markets overnight where the Dow Jones and S&P 500 rallied by around 1.5%. The UK’s blue-chip FTSE 100 puts on nearly 70 points in early trade, or about 1%, to trade at 7,185.08. But ...

The UK’s leading index continues its losing trend on Friday, despite a better performance on Wall Street overnight as interest rate hike fears subside. A positive overnight session in Asia also fails to lift the FTSE 100 out of its slump, weakness compounded by some heavyweight constituents struggling today. Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) loses 4.4% to 269.6p despite posting its first ‘bottom ...

Improving profitability of FTSE 100 giants is a theme running through the UK stock market in early trade on Tuesday. Blue-chip heavyweights HSBC (HSBA) and BHP Billiton (BLT), the huge mining company, both post substantially improved profits. Full year results from banking group HSBC (read parts one and two) demonstrate further progress in its recovery drive, the group today reporting that it ...

Renewed suggestions the maximum stake on a fixed-odds betting terminal (FOBT) will be cut from £100 to £2 have rocked the gambling industry. The stock market value of the sector tumbled on 22 January following reports that new culture secretary Matt Hancock favours tough curbs on the controversial machines. Consultation on the FOBT review closed on 23 January but a final decision ...

London’s blue chip benchmark edges 18.5 points higher to 7,367 as confusion over the future direction of Brexit negotiations continues to weigh on sentiment, leaving it to the gaming sector to provide the real excitement on Thursday. Bookie Ladbrokes Coral (LCL) leaps 25% higher to 169.7p as rival gaming firm GVC (GVC) confirms speculation that it wants to buy its gaming rival. In one of the ...

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s (DCMS) long-awaited document (31 Oct) on gaming machines in betting shops triggered share price gains for Ladbrokes Coral (LCL) and William Hill (WMH) as proposals weren’t as bad as feared. The maximum stake for fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) will be cut either to £50, £30, £20 or £2 per spin from the present maximum of ...

Shares in major quoted gambling groups are holding up well considering the UK government has announced its intention to crack down on betting machines dubbed by critics as the ‘crack cocaine’ of the industry. On Tuesday, ministers released a long-delayed review into the gambling industry which recommends new limits on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) - betting shop machines offering ...