18 December 2017
Babcock, Hunting and Earthport“The FTSE 100 opened on the front foot, tracking early gains in Asia, although volumes were subdued in the run-up to the Christmas break,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“ Babcock was an early blue-chip riser after its Cavendish Nuclear subsidiary clinched a 10-year contract with Sellafield. Cavendish Nuclear will supply specialist...
15 December 2017
BT/Sky, WH Ireland and Ceres Power“The FTSE 100 started the last session of the week in negative territory, as Brexit negotiations continued to dominate sentiment in the City. Asian markets were trading lower this morning, following on from an overnight decline on Wall Street,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“ BT and Sky’s shares edged up in early trading after they...
14 December 2017
Five themes from 2017 that could influence 2018There can be no denying 2017 was an eventful year and making money was not entirely straightforward, even allowing for Bitcoin’s surge into the stratosphere. Bonds generally struggled, commodities were mixed and equities provided the best returns, albeit with very wide performance gaps between the best and the worst geographies, sectors and stocks...
14 December 2017
Ocado, Lonmin and Sports Direct“The FTSE100 opened in negative territory following UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s parliamentary defeat over proposed changes to Brexit and a hike in US interest rates,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Online supermarket Ocado’s shares edged lower in early trading despite double digit growth in revenues and the average number of...
13 December 2017
Serco, Dixons Carphone and TUI“The FTSE 100 slipped back in early trading with UK Prime Minister Theresa May heading to the House of Commons today to address divided MPs over the latest amendments to the European Union withdrawal bill,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“ Serco led the FTSE 250 on its expectation that full year profits would be at the top end of...
12 December 2017
Ashtead, Carpetright and Balfour Beatty“The FTSE100 opened in defiant mood, given an overnight decline on Asian markets, with inflation data due mid-morning,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“International equipment rental group Ashtead topped the blue-chip board in early trading after it raised its full year guidance. The group had a strong first half and its good...
11 December 2017
Hollywood Bowl, Hurricane Energy and Hardide“Blue-chips opened the week on the front foot, taking their cue from Asian markets and despite concerns about a widening political split over the progress and direction of Brexit talks,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Tenpin bowling group Hollywood Bowl topped the FTSE All-Share Index in early trading following strong full-year...
8 December 2017
Berkeley, Porvair and IAG“Blue-chips were virtually flat in early trading after UK Prime Minister Theresa May struck a deal with the EU to move Brexit talks on to the next phase,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Housebuilder Berkeley topped the blue-chip board in early trading after strong first half results and an increase in its pre-tax profit guidance for...
8 December 2017
Why commodities’ stale performance looks odd in 2017One intriguing trend of note this year is the turgid performance of the Bloomberg Commodities index, a basket of 22 raw materials, encompassing energy, industrial metals, precious metals, and agricultural commodities, ranging from grains to crops to livestock.
The Bloomberg Commodities index has meandered even as the Baltic Dry index has steamed...
7 December 2017
World Investment Outlook - Chapter one: UKMarch 2019 is drawing ever nearer but the Brexit picture is still unclear, even after Prime Minister Theresa May’s intervention in the Brussels-based negotiations with her September speech in Florence.
November’s talks between David Davis, British Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, and Michel Barnier, European Chief Negotiator for...
7 December 2017
World Investment Outlook - Chapter two: USAIt is hard to believe but President Donald J. Trump will be almost half way through his first term in office by November 2018, when he will face a test that may give a clue as to whether this will be his only four-year stint in the White House.
Americans in 36 states and three territories will be voting for their State Governors. More pertinently...
7 December 2017
World Investment Outlook - Chapter three: JapanWith the Nikkei 225 and Topix stock benchmarks touching twenty-year peaks, the yen rising against the dollar and the economy putting together its best streak of quarterly GDP increases for a decade investors could be forgiven that everything in the Japanese garden is rosy.
The Nikkei 225 ended 2017 with a powerful run, aided and abetted by Prime...
7 December 2017
World Investment Outlook - Chapter four: AsiaIt is hard to believe that the 19th Communist Party Congress in China, the fall and arrest of a President in Seoul and a hung Parliament in New Zealand could be so comprehensively overshadowed, but North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests managed precisely that in 2017.
The foreign policy of Kim Jong-un will remain front of mind for anyone with...
7 December 2017
World Investment Outlook - Chapter five: Western EuropeWhile by no means conclusive in laying to rest the threat posed by anti-EU parties, the Dutch, French and German elections of 2017 are encouraging leaders in Paris, Brussels and Berlin to press ahead with greater political and economic integration, rather than loosen existing ties. Even as the Brexit negotiations grind slowly on, the next big test...
7 December 2017
World Investment Outlook - Chapter six: Emerging MarketsElections in Mexico and Brazil will help to set the tone in Latin America in 2018, especially if those countries follow Argentina’s political drift to the right and its embrace of the market-friendly policies of President Mauricio Macri.
Politics also remains centre-stage in Eastern Europe, even if the result of March’s Presidential Election in...
7 December 2017
Ladbrokes Coral/GVC, DS Smith and Legal & General“Blue-chips edged higher as confusion over the future direction of Brexit negotiations continues to weigh on sentiment,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Investors welcomed a possible takeover of Ladbrokes Coral by GVC. The two firms have held talks before but the latest move has been given added impetus by the Government review on...
6 December 2017
Shaftesbury and Hammerson swoops show faith in British commercial property sector“ Shaftesbury’s fund raising so it can acquire one building in Soho and finance the long-term leasehold of another, coupled with Hammerson’s all-share offer for shopping centre-owner Intu, shows that the real estate companies themselves believe there is value to be had in British commercial property, even if investors do not,” says Russ Mould, AJ...
6 December 2017
Saga, Johnston Press and Stagecoach“The FTSE100 opened in negative territory as the turmoil surrounding ongoing Brexit negotiations showed little sign of abating. Overseas markets were also weaker overnight as geopolitical and economic growth concerns continued to unsettle investors,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“ Saga’s shares plunged after it issued a profits...
5 December 2017
Character, IG Group and Victrex“The FTSE100 confounded forecasts and opened on the front foot after UK Prime Minister Theresa May returned from Brussels without clinching a deal with the European Union, as Irish border issues prevented a breakthrough towards trade talks. The failure prompted a fall in sterling but boosted blue-chip stocks as a drop in the currency increases the...
4 December 2017
National Express, Circassia and Galileo Resources“Blue-chips opened in positive territory ahead of UK Prime Minister Theresa May power lunch with European Commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, as Britain sets out its latest deal to enable trade talks to commence,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“ National Express was an early riser after it completed two small acquisitions in...
1 December 2017
Beowulf Mining, Indivior and RM2 International“Blue-chips confounded forecasts and edged into positive territory at the start of December following on from a positive overnight session on Wall Street,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“ Beowulf Mining’s shares plummeted after an administrative board in Sweden decided that it would not recommend the award of an exploitation...
30 November 2017
Three quick tests to make sure the US stock market isn’t a turkeyA relentless series of new all-time highs in benchmark stock indices such as the Dow Jones Industrials, S&P 500 and NASDAQ Composite mean that America’s financial markets continue to write nearly as many headlines as its President.
Buoyed by hopes for growth-stimulating tax reform and ongoing faith in the US Federal Reserve’s ability to provide...
30 November 2017
BAE Systems, Marston's and Aviva“The FTSE 100 extended yesterday's losses in early trading after the rally in global equities cooled somewhat following mixed performances on markets in the US and Asia overnight,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“ BAE Systems topped the blue-chip board in early trading after it reached agreement deficit recovery plans with the...
29 November 2017
No-one wins as both CEO and chairman elect to leave the London Stock Exchange Group“Whether Bank of England Governor Mark Carney’s comments on Tuesday about the London Stock Exchange Group’s (LSEG) succession plans had any impact or not, this messy situation has been resolved in one way by the decision of chief executive Xavier Rolet to step down immediately and chairman Donald Brydon’s choice not to seek re-election in 2019,”...
29 November 2017
Findel, Britvic and Imperial Brands“Blue-chips surrendered some of yesterday's gains as traders mulled news that an agreement may have been reached over the Brexit divorce bill, potentially leading the way to future trade talks with the EU,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Home shopping group Findel’s shares jumped following an increase in interim revenues and a good...