16 November 2018
AstraZeneca, Hutchinson China MediTech and Kier“Brexit-induced panic seems to have faded with the markets in more upbeat mood on Friday. While both the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 move up, investors will be watching like a hawk for any new indicators of whether parliament is likely to approve or reject Theresa May’s Brexit plan. “Among the large cap movers on the London market, miners and tobacco...
15 November 2018
Aston Martin Lagonda, Royal Mail and Card Factory“Dominic Raab’s resignation as Brexit Secretary didn’t go down well with currency markets, sending the pound down more than 1% against the euro and the US dollar. In contrast, the FTSE 100 was given a lift by global firms including miners which benefited from renewed strength in copper, aluminium and other metal prices. “Notable gains on the blue...
14 November 2018
British Land follows Land Securities in emphasising residential potential of its property assets“Whether it is down to hopes for a Brexit deal, a further decline in net debt or the increased dividend, shares in British Land are confounding bears of commercial real estate (and the UK economy more generally) by holding firm in early trading,” says Russ Mould, AJ Bell Investment Director.
“Value-seekers, who believe the shares are oversold on a...
13 November 2018
Vodafone and Taylor Wimpey“The FTSE 100 enjoyed a 0.5% rise to 7.086 in early trading on Tuesday, helped by gains in Vodafone and the banking sector,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
Vodafone“A large number of investors own Vodafone for one reason: the dividend. While it has been seen for years as an attractive income stock, it has actually been an abysmal...
12 November 2018
Babcock and Restaurant Group“The FTSE 100 was the best performing major stock market index across Europe and Asia on Monday, rising 0.4% to 7,135. Commodity producers and banks were the key drivers for the blue-chip index, helped by a rising oil price and chatter about HSBC accelerating its growth plans with a new push in Brazil,” says Russ Mould, investment director at AJ...
9 November 2018
AO World and Informa“The FTSE 100 slipped 0.6% in early trading on Friday to 7,096, rounding off a frustrating week for investors.
“Just as it looked like the US midterm election results would give a boost to markets around the world, momentum has been quickly lost.
“A falling oil price has troubled investors and shifted their focus back to concerns about a slowdown...
8 November 2018
Sainsbury's and Auto Trader“A wealth of corporate news has stirred new life into the market with the FTSE 100 rising 0.4% to 7,145. Pharma, banking and miners help to lead the blue-chip index higher,” says Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell.
Sainsbury’s“Half year like-for-like sales growth of 0.6% for Sainsbury’s may show an acceleration from the 0.2% growth...
7 November 2018
Marks and Spencer, Persimmon and Redrow“A decline in the dollar following the US midterm elections has given a welcome boost to the mining sector as it will be cheaper for many foreign companies to buy dollar-denominated commodities. Interestingly there is also an unusual movement of both cyclical and defensive stocks rising in harmony.
“On the London market, stocks like United...
6 November 2018
Greene King, William Hill and Morrisons“European markets were looking a bit wobbly on Tuesday with the FTSE 100 and Germany’s Dax indices both down 0.1%. On the London market, strength among miners and financials was more than offset by weakness among construction firms and telecoms,” says Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell.
Greene King“One of the London market’s longest...
5 November 2018
ITV and HiscoxA 0.2% decline in the FTSE 100 on Monday morning was driven by weakness in insurers and banks. The negative trend was also seen across Asia including a pullback in Hong Kong following last week’s rally. Markets are likely to remain choppy ahead of the US midterm elections on Tuesday,” says Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell.
ITV“Broadcaste...
2 November 2018
Barclays and Paddy Power“A 0.6% rise in the FTSE 100 on Friday to 7,158 puts the index at its highest level since early October. However, investors are unlikely to be celebrating too hard given the index still remains 6.9% down year-to-date.
“The FTSE 100’s star performers at the end of the week included construction rental group Ashtead, banking firm Standard Chartered...
1 November 2018
BT, Just Eat and Royal Dutch Shell“This week’s recovery rally has taken a small step back with the FTSE 100 dipping 0.2% on Thursday. In comparison, markets in mainland Europe continued to enjoy steady gains as did parts of Asia such as Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index which jumped 1.75%.
“Oil stocks were out of favour, which has a negative impact on the FTSE 100 as its biggest...
31 October 2018
Next and William Hill“The markets are racing ahead following a very good session last night in the US where the S&P, Nasdaq and Dow Jones all posted gains in excess of 1.5%.
“It’s now the turn of European and Asian stocks to join the rally with the FTSE 100 shooting up 1.5% in early trading on Wednesday and Japan’s Nikkei 225 index jumping 2.2%.
“The latest rally means...
30 October 2018
Cash flow supports BP dividend and share price as oil major looks to start growing its output once more“For the second straight quarter in a row, BP has paid a quarterly dividend of 10.25 cents, up from 10 cents a year ago. That year-on-year increase, coupled with autumn’s slide in the share price, means the shares are offering a dividend yield of almost 6% for 2018 and 2019,” says Russ Mould, AJ Bell investment director.
“The company still has to...
30 October 2018
Post-budget stock market reaction and Restaurant Group Post-budget stock market reaction“There are numerous potential winners and losers on the stock market from yesterday’s Budget and the market is now getting its first proper chance to price in this news.
“Some of the announcements would have been made while the market was still open yesterday, although many investors won’t have had time to digest...
29 October 2018
Budget 2018: our first thoughtsThe Budget failed to make a significant impact on the London stock market with the UK-focused FTSE 250 index moving up slightly during the start of Chancellor Philip Hammond’s speech, before giving up all of these gains and more.
While the index closed the day 1.17% higher at 18,566, all of the gains were ultimately attributable to this morning’s...
29 October 2018
Chinese market crash and HSBC“European markets enjoyed a stronger start to the week, despite a sell-off in China as investors digested the impact of a trade war with the US on industrial earnings.
“China’s CSI 300 index fell 3% on Monday following National Bureau of Statistics data over the weekend which showed industrial profit growth in September had slowed to 4.1% year-on...
26 October 2018
Royal Bank of Scotland and International Consolidated Airlines“Any suggestion UK stocks might end the week on a more positive note has been swatted aside after the third quarter sales performance of Amazon and Google’s parent company Alphabet disappointed after the market close in the US. “Given the technology sector helped lead US indices to fresh highs in 2018 and is so dominant, its performance in the...
25 October 2018
WPP and Debenhams“Investors remain nervous about the state of the world, as reflected by yet another red day for markets across most of Europe and Asia. The chief concerns are the potential negative impacts of higher interest rates, weaker global growth and the knock-on effects of trade tariffs. “The FTSE 100 fell 0.7% in early trading on Thursday to 6,912 with...
24 October 2018
Barclays, Metro Bank and Yu Group“Defensive stocks came to the market’s rescue on Wednesday morning with consumer goods and utilities helping to lift the FTSE 100 by 0.5% to 6,988. Markets in mainland Europe also enjoyed a rebound, although investors will be watching that part of the world closely after new figures showed Germany’s business activity had grown by its slowest rate...
23 October 2018
Whitbread and Intu Properties“A tough day on the markets put the FTSE 100 at a seven-month low of 6,991 in early trading on Tuesday. Markets flashed red across Europe and Asia amid geopolitical tensions focused on Saudi Arabia, plus a falling oil price, Italy’s budget issues and ongoing Brexit concerns among many other issues. “Only 16 stocks in the FTSE 100 were in positive...
22 October 2018
Ryanair and NMC Health“Markets across Europe and Asia soldiered ahead at the start of the new trading week. China’s Shanghai composite index and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index were particularly strong. In the UK, the FTSE 100 nudged 0.2% higher to 7,066 with miners, healthcare services and banking stocks among the strongest performers, compared with weakness in gambling...
19 October 2018
London Stock Exchange, Intu Properties and Pendragon“There is a chirpier end to the week for the FTSE 100 with a 0.3% rise to 7,045 in early trading. Most of the major markets in Continental Europe markets moved higher while there were mixed fortunes across Asia.
“Next week’s corporate reporting season is very important for UK investors as there are updates from a lot of big companies including...
17 October 2018
Subscriber growth boosts Netflix but cash flow and valuation questions remain“Investors in Netflix will be breathing a sigh of relief after the media services provider handily beat subscriber growth forecasts for the third quarter and raised expectations for the final three months of the year,” says Russ Mould, AJ Bell Investment Director. “Bulls of the stock market more generally will also be delighted, especially if...
17 October 2018
Autumn stumble brings defensive (and value) sectors back into focus“The FTSE All-Share is down by 10% from the closing all-time high of 4,324 reached in May and the autumn shake-down also means that the index is down by 8% for the year,” says Russ Mould, AJ Bell Investment Director.
“The shift in the market’s mood music can also be seen in which sectors are doing well and which are doing badly. Just 10 of the 39...