18 October 2017
Reckitt’s reorganisation wipes away sales growth disappointment (for now)“Health-to-hygiene group Reckitt Benckiser is bowing to the inevitable by downgrading its organic sales growth target for the year, although shareholders appear (surprisingly) unperturbed, as they focus instead on a corporate reorganisation designed to fully integrate the summer’s Mead Johnson acquisition and strip more costs out of the business,”...
18 October 2017
How to guard against a market crashMonday 19 October 1987 will live in the memory of investors as the day of Black Monday stock market crash. But this is not the only anniversary of note that has already been marked in 2017.
The Asian currency devaluations and debt crisis happened 20 years ago and we have just passed the tenth anniversary of the failure of Northern Rock.
Each date...
18 October 2017
Reckitt Benckiser, Foxtons and Flybe“Blue-chips opened higher ahead of unemployment and earnings data, while overseas markets were mixed overnight,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“ Reckitt Benckiser was one of the biggest FTSE100 fallers in early trading after like-for-like net revenues fell in the third quarter. The group continues to count the cost of a cyber attack...
17 October 2017
Investors welcome pragmatic response from Pearson but long-term problems remain“A third straight trading update without a profit warning, work to adapt the business model to boost both digital and print rental sales and the commencement of a £300 million share buyback programme on Wednesday are all giving shares in Pearson a boost today, even if long-term structural challenges still face the business,” says AJ Bell Investment...
17 October 2017
Merlin Entertainments, Hornby and Bellway“The FTSE100 edged lower ahead of today's inflation figures which could potentially trigger the widely expected underlying base rate rise from the Bank of England in November,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Entertainment group Merlin propped up the FTSE100 board in early trading after revenue growth slowed in the wake of terror...
16 October 2017
ConvaTec, Acal and Low & Bonar“The FTSE100 opened on front foot as UK Prime Minister Theresa May headed to Brussels for emergency talks in an attempt to end the current deadlock on Brexit,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Medical products group ConvaTec was the biggest blue-chip faller after it lowered its full-year revenue growth forecasts. The group continues...
13 October 2017
GKN falls into the FTSE 100 profit gap (and it may not be the last firm to do so either)“A profit warning means that GKN is the worst performer in the FTSE 100 today and although the impact of a pair of legal claims upon profits were hard to spot, the company’s accounts had given a few clues that it had very little margin for error if underlying trading took any sort of turn for the worse,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould...
13 October 2017
GKN, Provident Financial and Angus Energy“The FTSE100 opened in negative territory as Brexit negotiations remained in deadlock, with mixed messages coming out of Europe and the UK on the pace of progress and current status of trade talks,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Engineering group GKN was the biggest blue-chip faller after warning that full-year profit growth will...
12 October 2017
Recruitment firms’ figures suggest Europe is thriving as Brexit talks drag on“A first quarter-trading statement from Hays highlights the much stronger fee growth in evidence in Europe compared to the UK, completing the picture painted by trading updates from FTSE 250 recruitment agency peers Robert Walters and PageGroup,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Although the companies have slightly different business...
12 October 2017
Enter the DragonAt the start of 2017, India was the hottest topic in town when it came to Asian financial markets. Prime Minister Modi’s reform programme and falling interest rates were supposed to supplement helpful long-term demographics to provide strong corporate earnings and a soaring stock market.
For once, the consensus view was remarkably prescient. Mumbai...
12 October 2017
Just Eat, Hays and Sky“The FTSE100 opened lower ahead of the latest house price data and credit conditions survey results. The fall was in sharp contrast to Wall Street, which marked a new high overnight, and progression on Asian markets. Disagreement among rival factions within the Government over Brexit negotiations continues to weigh on sentiment,” says AJ Bell...
11 October 2017
Smith & Nephew soars as investors await activist masterplan“Shares in orthopaedic implant and wound care specialist Smith & Nephew are surging amid (as yet unconfirmed) reports that American activist investor Elliott Management has taken a stake in the FTSE 100 firm,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Elliott’s formidable reputation clearly precedes it, following high-profile campaigns where...
11 October 2017
Mondi, Dunelm and PageGroup“The FTSE100 opened higher despite ongoing turmoil in Catalan, further questions over the UK Government's ability to deliver a satisfactory Brexit deal and mixed messages regarding the state of the UK economy from Bank of England governor, Mark Carney,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Packaging and paper group Mondi was the biggest...
10 October 2017
Domino’s Pizza, Robert Walters and Ted Baker“The FTSE100 confounded forecasts and opened slightly higher although investors were generally keeping their powder dry while awaiting key trade data and keeping a close eye on developing geopolitical issues,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“ Domino’s Pizza was the biggest FTSE250 riser in early trading after a double-digit jump in...
9 October 2017
Trinity Mirror, DX and Centamin“Blue-chips nudged lower at the start of the week with ongoing discontent among major business leaders over the pace of Brexit negotiations weighing on sentiment,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“ Trinity Mirror’s shares edged higher despite a steep drop in third-quarter revenues. The group remains bullish about its full-year...
6 October 2017
easyJet, Hollywood Bowl and Lonmin“The FTSE100 opened on the front foot following another record breaking session on Wall Street overnight and a strong performance in Asia this morning, as sentiment remains upbeat despite ongoing political and economic concerns,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Low-cost airline easyJet was the biggest blue-chip faller in early...
5 October 2017
DFS, De La Rue and Caledonia Mining“Blue-chips opened a shade higher with investors continuing to assess the likely economic impact of Prime Minister Theresa May's policy setting speech at the Conservative Party conference. The modest rise for the FTSE100 comes after US markets reached new record levels overnight as the Wall Street bubble continued and with Asian markets generally...
5 October 2017
What oil stocks could be telling investorsFor all of the confusion over Brexit, the Bank of England’s plans for interest rates and the trajectory of the UK economy (which for choice looks to be losing momentum again), one thing does seem clear: the FTSE 100 is doing a very good job of going nowhere fast.
FTSE 100 has gone sideways for 18 monthsSource: Thomson Reuters Datastream
Perhaps...
4 October 2017
Tesco still has work to do even as margins and dividend show benefits of turnaround plan“ Tesco’s shares are below where they were a year ago (despite a 6% advance in the FTSE 100 over the same period) and today’s results show why, even if investors will be delighted to see the company reinitiate dividend payments with an interim cash distribution of 1p per share,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Trading slowed a little...4 October 2017
Tesco, Topps Tiles and International Personal Finance“The FTSE100 edged lower in early trading despite US and Asian markets registering solid gains. Investors will be looking at UK services data later this morning and US job figures this afternoon,” says AJ Bell Investment Director, Russ Mould.
“Supermarket giant Tesco topped the blue-chip board in early trading after it resumed dividend payments...
3 October 2017
Ferguson, Greggs and Revolution Bars“The FTSE100 was virtually flat in early trading and it failed to match the strong gains on Wall Street overnight and in Asia this morning,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Heating and plumbing group Ferguson led the blue-chip board in early trading following strong full-year results and the launch of a £500m share buyback. The UK...
2 October 2017
Monarch’s demise shows how only the financially strong can rule the airline marketAfter three bail-outs in the last three years, budget airline Monarch has finally been grounded, weighed down by operational losses and leasing payments on its aircraft fleet at a time when competition between carriers remains as fierce as ever.
The decline of the pound (increasing fuel costs and potentially crimping consumer spending via inflation...
2 October 2017
Stanley Gibbons, James Halstead and Daily Mail and General Trust“The FTSE100 started the week on the front foot, with the global equities rally continuing as US markets posted handy gains on Friday and with Asian markets making positive progress this morning,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Stamp and coin auctioneer Stanley Gibbons was a double-digit faller in early trading after full year...
29 September 2017
Purplebricks, CVS Group and Beazley“The FTSE100 opened the final session of the trading week in positive territory following on from a strong showing on Wall Street and in Asia. A key focus for investors will be a raft of economic news due later this morning, including quarterly GDP figures, details of the current account deficit and house price data,” says AJ Bell Investment...
28 September 2017
DX, Inland Homes and Moss Bros“Blue-chips were down in early trading despite decent gains on Wall Street overnight after President Trump unveiled his much-anticipated tax plan. Investors will be keeping a close eye on the Bank of England conference, starting in London today, with policy makers from some of the world's largest economies due to speak,” says AJ Bell Investment...