The FTSE 100 climbed in morning trading on Wednesday ahead of a vital Budget that investors hope will oil the wheels of Britain's economic recovery. There has been plenty of speculation floating about ahead of the Budget, with weekend reports of tax grabs, already experts predict Rishi Sunak to be largely fiscally supportive of the pandemic-ravaged UK economy. By 12pm, the FTSE 100 rallied ...

The FTSE 100 made a storming start to trading on Wednesday ahead of a vital Budget that investors hope will oil the wheels of Britain's economic recovery. There is plenty of speculation floating about, with weekend reports of tax grabs, already experts predict Rishi Sunak to be largely fiscally supportive of the pandemic-ravaged UK economy. Events on Wall Street, which endured another soft ...

UK stocks traded higher on Wednesday as mining stocks found favour thanks to a sharp rally in metals and commodity prices. In Asian trading the Shanghai Composite SE index surged 1.4% and Japan’s Nikkei 225 index gained 0.2%. Gold prices were 0.3% higher at $1,845 an ounce and Brent oil prices were slightly lower at $60.8 a barrel. At 12 pm the FTSE 100 was up 27 points or 0.4% t0 6,559 ...

UK stocks opened higher on Wednesday after a clutch of positive corporate results and dividend resumptions. In Asian trading the Shanghai Composite SE index surged 1.4% and Japan’s Nikkei 225 index gained 0.2%. Gold prices were 0.3% higher at $1,845 an ounce and Brent oil prices were slightly lower at $60.8 a barrel. At 08.45 am the FTSE 100 was 14 points higher at 6,546 ...

After an extraordinary year we look back at some of the top performers in different size categories from the heavyweights all the way down to sub £100 million market cap stocks at the bottom of the market and examine what has driven them higher in 2020. We have excluded investment trusts. £4 billion + market cap Share price movements in mining companies can be about exposure to the ...

The FTSE 100 gave up its early gains on Thursday, drifting off 2 points to 6,569 at midday despite US markets pushing to new highs on a stimulus package and a potential breakthrough regarding a Brexit trade deal. Prime Minister Boris Johnson boosted hopes last night after saying there is ‘every opportunity of a deal’ to be done, while European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said ...

Advertising agency WPP (WPP) gained 4% to 813.8p as it unveiled plans to increase its dividend annually and restart share buybacks. Starting from the current year, it said it will grow the dividend annually and to pay out approximately 40% of headline earnings per share. WPP said that it intends to restart share buybacks in 2021 funded by the proceeds from the divestment of market research ...

The FTSE 100 continued its gains on Thursday, rising 0.24% to 6,586.78 in early trade after potential breakthroughs regarding a Brexit trade deal and a US stimulus package. Prime Minister Boris Johnson boosted hopes last night after saying there is ‘every opportunity of a deal’ to be done, while European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said fishing access is the last barrier to an ...

The UK’s benchmark FTSE 100 index reversed earlier gains to drop sharply into negative territory shortly before midday, down 0.4% to 6,507.94 amid some strength in the pound on raised Brexit hopes and weakness in banking and pharmaceutical stocks. In doing so it underperformed more buoyant markets elsewhere in Europe, with Germany’s DAX up 0.68% and France’s CAC 40 rising 0.28%. It ...

UK stocks made modest gains in early trade on Tuesday as tougher restrictions were imposed across London and other parts of the south-east to curb a rise in Covid-19 infections. Investors continue to cling on to fading hopes of a Brexit trade deal with the European Union before a year-end deadline, while latest UK jobless data made for gloomy reading. Official data showed the unemployment ...

The news on 9 November of successful early trials of a coronavirus vaccine sent global markets soaring with the most beaten-down sectors like travel, leisure and hospitality, energy and banks enjoying their best daily or weekly performance in years. This has been followed by further positive news on other vaccines in development. It remains the case, however, that many of the top-performing ...

The FTSE 100 closed slightly lower on Thursday as an early rebound lost steam despite a number of positive earnings reports. Data from the US showed third-quarter GDP growing at an annualised rate of 33.1%, slightly ahead of estimates. European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde said the bank would increase its bond buying programme in December to counteract the impact of lockdowns in ...

The FTSE 100 gave back early gains on Thursday lunchtime despite a number of positive earnings updates, as investors digested weak US markets overnight. Markets are also braced for a slew of economic news scheduled for today including US third-quarter GDP numbers and a briefing from European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde. In addition investors are expecting earnings updates from ...

This year was supposed to be the year that advertising business WPP (WPP) moved from consolidating its position following the departure of founder Martin Sorrell to really getting back on a growth path. Unfortunately a global pandemic has put paid to CEO Mark Read’s best-laid plans. As such WPP recorded third-quarter revenue of just under £3 billion, down 9.8% compared to Q3 2019. The shares ...

UK stocks staged a tentative recovery after hitting six-month lows yesterday with the FTSE 100 index gaining 9 points or 0.2% to 5,592. Oil stocks and banks led the way after another round of company results. US futures pointed higher after markets tumbled overnight with the S&P500 index suffering its biggest one-day fall in four months, down 3.5%, as more than 90% of index stocks ...

Insiders buying up shares in their company always tends to be something that pleases investors, and WPP (WPP) shareholders may be interested to note two big purchases made by its bosses. WPP BOSSES BUY THE DIP Chief executive Mark Read and chief financial officer John Rogers recently bought a chunk of shares worth a combined £928,000, having taken advantage of a dip in the company’s share ...

UK stocks edged higher on Friday, shrugging off the brutal sell-off in US tech stocks on Thursday night, with the FTSE 100 up 0.2% to 5,861.13 early on. This was despite sentiment towards the housebuilding sector souring on news of a competition regulator probe into the selling of leasehold homes. Taylor Wimpey (TW.), Barratt Developments (BDEV), Persimmon (PSN) and Countryside Properties ...

UK stocks drifted on Thursday as all eyes turned towards the annual meeting of US Federal Reserve bankers and a speech by chairman Jerome Powell. Sterling held firm at $1.32, close to its recent highs after its best weekly performance since June. Brent crude oil prices hit five-month highs of $46 per barrel as hurricane Laura forced the closure of most production and refining facilities in the ...

In the circumstances today’s first quarter update from advertising giant WPP (WPP) looked pretty good. The shares were 3.7% higher to 612.4p as the company signalled it is still seeing strong demand in some areas and revealed the positive impact on its balance sheet of the sale of 60% of its Kantar market research business. Net debt has halved to £2.1bn. This now looks very well-timed ...

UK stocks pushed modestly higher in early trading on Wednesday, with the FTSE 100 up 15.3 points, or 0.26%, to 5,973.83 as coronavirus hit countries continued to take tentative steps to reopen their economies and Google-owner Alphabet posted better-than-expected sales. Banking behemoth Barclays (BARC) bounced 6% to 103.6p despite a sharp fall in first quarter profit as a $2.1bn credit ...