27 September 2017
The lessons everyone can learn from JapanWith the Nikkei 225 and Topix stock benchmarks touching two-year peaks, the yen at a 12-month high against the dollar and the economy putting together its best streak of quarterly GDP increases for a decade, investors could be forgiven for thinking that everything in the Japanese garden is rosy.
Yet the Nikkei 225 has underperformed for the second...
27 September 2017
Hotel Chocolat, Grainger and FairFX“Blue-chips opened on the front foot despite mixed signals from overseas markets although sentiment remains subdued following the German election result and the ongoing verbal conflict between the US and North Korea,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“ Hotel Chocolat’s shares were up in early trading after the group declared a maiden...
26 September 2017
Card Factory, Thomas Cook and AG Barr“Blue-chips opened in negative territory following falls in the US and Asia amid concerns for global growth and ongoing geopolitical tension,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Greeting cards retailer Card Factory was the biggest FTSE250 faller in early trading despite an increase in first half sales and declaring a special dividend...
25 September 2017
Uber breaks two key rules as investors must now join regulators in asking serious questionsWhatever the rights and wrongs of the decision by Transport for London not to renew Uber’s licence, the failure by the world’s largest start-up to abide by two simple rules means it still has a long way to go to permanently win over customers, regulators and investors, whether you believe its $68 billion valuation or not.
“Some will argue that TfL...
25 September 2017
Gleeson, Imagination Technologies and Elecosoft“The FTSE100 opened in the red with politics to the fore amid elections in Germany and New Zealand and a potential snap election in Japan. Investors are also keeping a close eye on rising geopolitical tensions after President Trump extended the US travel ban and stepped up his rhetorical campaign against North Korea,” says AJ Bell Investment...
21 September 2017
Mitchells & Butlers, Anglo Asian and Safestyle“The FTSE 100 edged up after the US Federal Reserve said that while interest rates would remain unchanged, the central bank intended to start the process of tightening while at home investors continue to mull the Government's handling of Brexit negotiations,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
Mitchells & Butlers’ shares edged lower in...
20 September 2017
Character Group, Kingfisher and Babcock“The FTSE100 opened slightly higher following stronger advances in the US and Asian markets with recent Brexit and political developments adding an element of caution in the City,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“ Character Group was a double-digit faller after Toys ‘R’ Us filed for bankruptcy protection in the US and Canada...
19 September 2017
French Connection, Gulf Marine Services and Flowgroup“Blue-chips edged lower in early trading following yesterday’s strong start to the week and despite further gains in the US overnight,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“ French Connection saw an improved performance across all its divisions in the first half of the year but there is still much to do achieve its goal of returning to...
18 September 2017
Lack of forecast upgrades explains why FTSE 100 is becalmedThe FTSE 100 is making heavy weather of making fresh gains and reaching new all-time highs and one possible explanation for its pedestrian progress is that earnings forecasts have stopped going up.
“The spring’s March to a fresh record peak above 7,500 coincided with strong increases to analysts’ consensus earnings expectations, themselves the...
18 September 2017
Dairy Crest, Finsbury Food and Hiscox“Blue-chips opened on the front foot after US markets reached record levels on Friday. Stocks in Asia also advanced this morning, as the appetite for equities started to return,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“ Dairy Crest edged up in early trading as the popularity of its key brands, Cathedral City, Clover, Country Life and...
15 September 2017
JD Wetherspoon, The Gym Group and Purplebricks“The FTSE100 opened in negative territory as investors attempted to weigh up the potential impact of a further missile launch over Japan by North Korea,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Pub group JD Wetherspoon topped the FTSE250 board in early trading after an increase in full-year profits. The group has also seen an encouraging...
14 September 2017
How to assess whether UK stocks can raise a gallop to the end of the yearAny investors who followed the old market maxim “Sell In May” will hopefully not feel too sore, as the FTSE 100 made awfully hard work of scratching out a 2% capital gain during the summer months.
But a gain is a gain and the index’s ability to make any progress at all in the face of the ongoing Brexit negotiations, heated rhetoric between North...
14 September 2017
Next, Interserve and GVC Holdings“The FTSE100 was lower in early trading ahead of today's monetary policy statement from the Bank of England, with interest rates widely expected to be kept on hold following the latest inflation figures. Asian markets were trading lower this morning, while US stocks made further progress overnight,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
...
13 September 2017
Investors have bought on the Apple rumours – will they now sell on the facts?“Investors looking for a windfall from shares in Apple or the companies who supply it (such as Laird, IQE and Renishaw) may need to be patient, as the new iPhone X looks evolutionary rather revolutionary, the product is not available until November and in many cases the shares have already done very well," says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ...
13 September 2017
Galliford Try, Dunelm and Billing Services Group“Blue-chips opened in negative territory as global market sentiment remains mixed and with traders awaiting UK employment and wage data,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“ Galliford Try was an early riser on the back of a strong underlying performance in the year to the end of June. One-off costs relating to legacy contracts in its...
12 September 2017
Analysts think the banks are fine (but investors don’t believe them), ten years after the Rock rolled over"Ten years after Northern Rock customers queued outside the bank for their cash, analysts believe the five remaining FTSE 100 banks are in such good health that they are about to return to the profit levels of a decade ago – but it does not look as if investors believe them.
"Research from AJ Bell shows that aggregate pre-tax profit forecasts for...
12 September 2017
Ashtead powers higher but investors must be wary of the broken window fallacyShares in Ashtead are up sharply after the equipment rental expert issued an upbeat first-quarter trading update and floated the prospect of a boost to future business from America’s efforts to clean up after the devastation wrought by Hurricanes Irma and Harvey.
Temporary power equipment supplier Aggreko is also up a touch as shareholders ponder...
12 September 2017
Ashtead, JD Sports and Hilton Food“The FTSE100 built on yesterday's steady gains after MPs voted in favour of the EU Withdrawal Bill and ahead of a busy day for economic news, including the latest UK inflation figures. A ruling made by the United Nations to place further sanctions on North Korea appeared to settle a few nerves overseas with Asian markets pushing higher,” says AJ...
11 September 2017
Two more profit warnings add to concerns over health of UK consumerA third profit warning in four months is knocking a huge hole in the share price of Safestyle, as the PVC windows maker flags weaker-than-expected order intake. Pubs group Greene King will also have its shareholders looking for a stiff drink this evening as a statement ahead of its Annual General Meeting warns of cooling demand for food across its...
11 September 2017
Shoppers seem convinced that AB Foods offers them value even if investors seem less convinced"Shoppers like value, particularly when times are tough, and it is therefore no surprise to see Primark continue to do drive profit forecast upgrades at Associated British Foods, whose full-year trading statement cites lower markdowns (and therefore higher margins) at the fast-fashion chain as the key reason for better-than-expected trading," says...
11 September 2017
Associated British Foods, Petra Diamonds and CloudCall“The FTSE100 began the trading week in positive territory, taking its lead from an upbeat start in Asia and despite the widely reported destruction being caused by Hurricane Irma,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“ Associated British Foods expects full-year adjusted operating profit to be well ahead of last time. Markdowns at its...
8 September 2017
Greene King, Safestyle UK and eve Sleep“The FTSE 100 opened in positive territory despite a lacklustre performance in Asia while in the US the Dow closed 0.1% lower, the S&P 500 was little changed and the Nasdaq closed 0.07% higher,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“ Greene King’s shares slumped after pub company like-for-like sales fell by 1.2% in the first 18 weeks of...
7 September 2017
Bovis shows how everyone benefits when companies put customers first"A renewed focus on customer satisfaction and providing a quality product at a fair price is already reaping dividends at Bovis, as the FTSE 250 house builder targets higher-than-expected shareholder payouts for 2017 and 2018, as well as special dividends out to 2020," says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Today’s interim results still bear...
7 September 2017
How to get your kicks from the VIXNeither a natural disaster in Texas, nor elevated tensions between Washington and Pyongyang, the tardy pace of Brexit negotiations or soggy wage growth worldwide have stirred stock markets from their slumbers over the summer.
Across June, July and August, the FTSE 100 rose or fell by 1% or more in a single day’s trading just seven times – once...
7 September 2017
Imperial Brands, ZPG and Carclo“The FTSE100 started on the front foot, shrugging off recent jitters over ongoing tensions in the Pacific and the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma. Wall Street rose yesterday which had a positive knock-on effect in Asia this morning, as investors weighed the US deal to ensure the funding of its government through to mid-December,” says AJ Bell...