The FTSE 100 closed lower on Friday, with earlier growth stalling after news of lower US consumer sentiment and a tepid UK GDP reading. The FTSE 100 index closed down 14.29 points, 0.2%, at 9,283.29. It had earlier traded as high as 9,340.70. The FTSE 250 ended 68.35 points lower, 0.3%, at 21,625.40 while the AIM All-Share finished up 1.34 points, 0.2%, at 768.44. For the week, the FTSE 100...

London's blue chip index beat its European peers at Friday midday ahead of the US Michigan consumer sentiment index, while sterling, the euro and the yen all traded lower against the dollar. The FTSE 100 index was up 29.29 points, 0.3%, at 9,326.87. The FTSE 250 was up 13.00 points, 0.1%, at 21,706.75, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.27 points, 0.3%, at 769.37. The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.4% at...

Kroger taking 'hard look' at automated facilities Negative development for Ocado Biggest FTSE 250 faller Shares in online grocer-to-technology solutions firm Ocado (OCDO) plunged 10% to 270p early doors on 12 September as investors digested worrying remarks from Kroger (KR:NYSE) on the US retailer's earnings call. Ocado's biggest US partner for its warehouse automation technology, Kroger...

Stock prices in Europe opened largely higher on Friday, while sterling faded after numbers showed the UK economy registered no growth in July. Stocks have been supported by the conviction that the Federal Reserve will cut rates this month, a notion strengthened by more tepid labour market data on Thursday. The FTSE 100 index rose 22.58 points, 0.2%, at 9,320.16. It is up 1.2% so far this week....

Another week and another all-time high for US stocks, thanks in large part to Oracle's (ORCL:NYSE) new forecast for cloud demand which stunned Wall Street analysts (for more, see below). Such is the optimism that, despite US shares as a whole trading at their highest ever multiple of earnings and the market representing the largest ever share of the economy, investment banks have spent the...

Stocks closed higher on Thursday, with the dollar showing some weakness, after soft US jobs data increased the likelihood of the Federal Reserve cutting rates. 'Inflation was a touch higher than expected and tariffs are likely to keep it elevated over coming months, but the weakening of the jobs market is now the Fed's priority, with rising jobless claims hinting at a pick-up in lay-offs at a...

Shares were trading higher on Thursday, ahead of a European Central Bank decision, while a US inflation reading will also be in focus, less than a week before an expected Federal Reserve rate cut. The FTSE 100 index rose 45.39 points, 0.5%, at 9,270.78. The FTSE 250 was up 99.22 points, 0.5%, at 21,633.32, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.62 points, 0.3%, at 764.63. The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.5%...

Equities in London were on the up early Thursday before a eurozone rate decision and US inflation data, with Trainline among the standout performers in morning dealings. The ECB is expected to leave rates unmoved on Thursday, though next week, the Federal Reserve is expected to cut. The size of the cut could hinge on Thursday's consumer price index data. The FTSE 100 index rose 40.78 points,...

The UK and China were the best performing markets globally in July 2025, yet fund flow data shows no interest from UK retail investors. What is going on? The FTSE 100 returned 4.2% in July including dividends, driven by double-digit gains from the likes of vapes-to-cigarette maker British American Tobacco (BATS), consumer goods group Reckitt (RKT), and gambling specialist Entain (ENT). Market...

Since they facilitate the flow of capital and debt, financial companies play a crucial role in oiling the wheels of the global economy and due to the fact it permeates almost every aspect of corporate and personal life, the vast financial services sector has been dubbed the 'nervous system of capitalism'. Candidly, this sector has a reputation for being, well, a bit dull, yet financials have a...

FORESIGHT GROUP (FSG) Price: 458p Market Cap: £518 million Founded in 1984, Foresight Group (FSG) is a leading investment manager in real assets and growth capital for small- and mid-sized private companies. Foresight seeks to provide attractive returns to its diverse institutional and retail client base across a broad range of fund strategies and investment vehicles. Since floating on the...

Gear4music (G4M:AIM) Price: 292p Gain to date: 109% Shares urged investors to tune into the exciting recovery story at Gear4music (G4M:AIM) on 15 May, with the shares swapping hands at 140p-a-pop. We highlighted that the online musical instrument and equipment retailer was trading at a discount to its recent history and had returned to growth, while financial risk was also reducing with net...

Last month we revealed which stocks hedge funds had been shorting in the second quarter after the remarkable post-Liberation Day rally which has seen UK and UK markets hit record highs. This month, with the help of Joachim Klement and Susana Cruz of Panmure Liberum's strategy, economics and ESG team, we take a look at which UK and European stocks are most popular with hedge funds and which...

Identifying companies which have an edge over their competitors which they are able to maintain is an important component of investing. After all, it is the companies which possess these qualities which can deliver above average returns for longer than might otherwise be expected. In this context, legendary investor Warren Buffett popularised the idea of an 'economic moat' which is the...

The FTSE 100 closed lower on Wednesday, hampered by weakness in airline stocks due to geopolitical shocks, and in retailers following a poorly-received trading update from Associated British Foods. The FTSE 100 index closed down 17.14 points, 0.2%, at 9,225.39. The FTSE 250 ended 62.61 points lower, 0.3%, at 21,534.10 and the AIM All-Share finished down 6.29 points, 0.8%, at 762.01. The Cboe...

Primark like-for-likes still negative Grocery profit below expectations Sugar earnings recovery delayed Associated British Foods (ABF) was the biggest FTSE 100 faller on 10 September, shares in the food-to-fashion combine plunging as much as 300p or 13% to £19.42 on news of another period of negative like-for-like sales at discount fashion chain Primark and the absence of guidance on the...

Shares in London were largely higher on Wednesday, with expectations of Federal Reserve cuts continuing to support equities. Well-received earnings from Oracle overnight also offered some impetus. Airline shares struggled on geopolitical worries, though that failed to dampen the wider equity market. A US inflation data double-header will be in focus. Producer price data is released on...

Stock prices in Europe and Asia were supported by the tantalising prospect of Federal Reserve interest rate cuts, shaking off geopolitical worries. Jobs data revisions in the US added to the conviction that the Fed will cut this month. Elsewhere, earnings from Oracle impressed overnight. The FTSE 100 index rose 23.65 points, 0.3%, at 9,266.18. The FTSE 100 has risen every day this week. The...

The FTSE 100 closed higher on Tuesday after Anglo American announced a deal to combine with Canada's Teck Resources, while the price of oil has risen following Israeli strikes on Hamas leaders in Qatar. The FTSE 100 index closed up 21.09 points, 0.2%, at 9,242.53. The FTSE 250 ended 87.74 points lower, 0.4%, at 21,596.71 and the AIM All-Share finished down 1.43 points, 0.2%, at 768.30. The...

European stocks were largely higher midday Tuesday, and counterparts in the US are called to open in the green, despite downbeat expectations ahead of US payroll revision numbers later in the afternoon. Before US producer and consumer price index readings on Wednesday and Thursday, Tuesday afternoon has the benchmark revision announcement for US jobs data for the year to March. The FTSE 100...