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...
17 October 2018
Pearson, ASOS and Housebuilders: Barratt Developments / Crest Nicholson“Following a very strong show on Wall Street last night, markets across Europe and Asia did their best to push forward on Wednesday. The FTSE 100 nudged up 0.1% in early trading to 7,065 with pharmaceuticals, tech and financials in fashion,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
Pearson“Is the market now warming to education publishing...
17 October 2018
9 ways savers can prepare for the BudgetChancellor Phillip Hammond set the usual pre-Budget rumour mill into overdrive last week when he told journalists the current pension tax relief system is eye-wateringly expensive .
Most have taken these comments as a hint retirement savings incentives will be cut once again on 29 October – although the Government’s response to the Treasury...
16 October 2018
Supermarkets: Co-op, Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsbury’s and Merlin Entertainments“Gains in European and Asian markets failed to extend to London on Tuesday morning, leaving the FTSE 100 flat at 7,026. Strength among utilities and insurers was offset by weakness in miners and tobacco stocks. Notable macro news included a cooling in China’s producer price inflation for the third month in a row,” says Russ Mould, Investment...
15 October 2018
Greencore and Superdry“There is a noticeable lack of bargain hunters on Monday morning as last Friday’s rebound in select parts of the market fails to extend into the new working week. The FTSE 100 was down 0.1% in early trading at 6,988 with investors clearly lacking confidence to snap up stocks whose share prices were badly damaged in last week’s market sell-off. “On...
12 October 2018
Markets: did any big shares rise during the past week's turmoil?“Stock markets are fighting back after a horrific week. On Friday, both London and the main European markets were in positive territory, so too Asia. Commodity prices also picked up with notable gains in gold and oil. “While it is too early to tell the precise mood of investors, it initially looks as if there are some individuals regaining an...
11 October 2018
Hays and Keller“In the context of the sell-offs seen overnight in Asia and across the Atlantic the FTSE 100 made a relatively solid start, though it is still down more than 1% in early trading.
“Whether the US Federal Reserve is, as President Trump argues, ‘crazy’ to be lifting interest rates the prospect of further hikes certainly seems to be a catalyst for a...
10 October 2018
Quantity and quality of FTSE 100 earnings both improve even as the index struggles“As the FTSE 100 remains in the grip of a global bout of ‘risk-off’ sentiment, investors can draw some reassurance from how the quantity and quality of UK plc’s earnings seem to be improving,” says Russ Mould, AJ Bell Investment Director.
Quantity of earnings
“Aggregate pre-tax profit forecasts for the FTSE 100 in 2018 continue to rise and now...
10 October 2018
Patisserie Holdings and Hollywood Bowl“The FTSE 100 is back in negative territory once again, with miners and engineers among those worst hit. Also struggling is the packaging sector which has experienced a big sell-off in recent weeks, despite it being an industry with structural growth thanks to the rise of e-commerce and the need for lots of packaging to send out goods. “Markets...
9 October 2018
Aviva and Greggs“The FTSE 100’s losing streak has come to an end on Tuesday morning, much to investors’ relief. Having fallen 3.7% in three trading days to Monday amid concerns over rising US Treasury yields, the market now finds its feet with a 2 point rise to 7,235. European markets are also acting in the same way with new-found stability. “Miners, in particular...
8 October 2018
French Connection and Lancashire“Against last Friday’s widespread sell-off in global markets, Monday’s 0.2% fall in the FTSE 100 could have been a lot worse. The minimal decline would suggest that investors aren’t in panic mode despite the negative headlines about new troubles in the bond market. “ Ocado, Tesco and Vodafone are among the worst FTSE 100 performers on Monday...
5 October 2018
Unilever and Intu“The FTSE 100 took another tumble this morning as reports of an imminent breakthrough on Brexit helped lift sterling ahead of the key US non-farm payrolls release out this afternoon,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
Unilever“Today’s climbdown from Unilever over a plan which would have necessitated its exit from the FTSE 100 is an...
4 October 2018
Ted Baker and DFS"Markets across Europe and Asia tripped up on Thursday after a rise in US Treasury yields to levels not seen since 2011. The Treasury yield is commonly seen as the risk-free rate for investing, so an increase tends to be negative for other asset classes including shares. "A higher oil price lifted Royal Dutch Shell and BP, which are among the top...
3 October 2018
Thai troubles take some of the gloss away from Tesco’s UK turnaround“An eleventh consecutive increase in like-for-like sales in the UK, a strong performance from £4 billion acquisition Booker and a 67% increase in the interim dividend are not proving enough for Tesco shareholders, as the (adjusted) operating profit figure has undershot analysts’ forecasts by some 5%,” says Russ Mould, AJ Bell Investment Director.
“...
3 October 2018
Crunch time approaches for Unilever’s Netherlands moveOn 26 October UK shareholders in consumer goods giant Unilever will vote on a plan which would see the business exit the FTSE 100 index as it abandons a dual UK-Dutch stock market listing and moves its headquarters to Rotterdam.
This meeting will follow one 24 hours earlier in the Netherlands where Unilever needs 50% approval from its Dutch...
2 October 2018
Ferguson and St Ives / Kin and Carta“Just as one market issue gets solved, with progress towards a new trade deal between the US, Mexico and Canada, so President Trump reopens old wounds with China and the EU. This led to weakness in Asian markets overnight and, combined with ongoing ructions over Italy, means the FTSE 100 is falling despite a weaker pound. “The negative correlation...
1 October 2018
Ryanair“The FTSE is sitting still at 7,511 as we start the final quarter of the year. Stronger action on the markets can be seen overseas where Japan’s Nikkei 225 has hit a 27-year high,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
Ryanair“A cocktail of problems has left Ryanair looking very weak and its shares trading at a two-year low. A 12%...
28 September 2018
Serco and Funding Circle“Although the stock market is a bit juddery at the moment, the underlying trend is still pointing upwards despite some moments of weakness. While the FTSE 100 was flat on Friday morning at 7,539, it is on track to finish the week 0.6% ahead.
“A continuation of this trend would imply the FTSE 100 has a good chance of moving back into positive...
27 September 2018
Sunshine helps Next but retailer’s online expertise is the real ray of light“As many suspected after the May and August trading updates, Next had been doing its best to keep a lid on sales and profit forecasts but boss Lord Wolfson has now officially raised the company’s guidance for the year to January,” says Russ Mould, AJ Bell Investment Director. “As a result, Next now expects to hold pre-tax profits broadly flat in...
27 September 2018
TUI and Mitchells & Butlers“There is a sea of red on the markets today, with Continental Europe and Asia faring the worst. Europe was hit by concerns over Italy’s budget meeting, the latest US interest rate hike served to trouble investors, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index saw particular weakness in technology stocks. “On the London market, the FTSE 100 dipped 0.1% to 7,502...
26 September 2018
BooHoo and AA“It is a mixed day on the markets with a flat performance in the UK and Europe and a weak day in India, although Hong Kong bucks the trend with a strong day on the Hang Seng index (up 1.3%). The London market doesn’t have any clear patterns with none of the big sector constituents moving in unison. “In early trading, the best performer on the FTSE...
25 September 2018
Next and Card Factory“A stronger oil price gave a welcome lift to the FTSE 100 on Tuesday, pushing up shares in Royal Dutch Shell and BP whose movements have a large influence on the overall stock market index. A stronger showing from tobacco and pharma stocks also gave support to the FTSE,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
Next“A big component of...
24 September 2018
Randgold Resources and Thomas Cook“The FTSE 100 has failed to sustain positive momentum seen last week, with the index falling 0.3% to 7,468 on Monday. Tech, banking and natural resources are among the sectors struggling to win over investors, despite the presence of two M&A deals in the FTSE 100 – being the market reacting to Sky’s auction at the weekend and news of Randgold...
21 September 2018
Just Eat, Uber, Deliveroo and Moss Bros“Every small step forward counts in the world of investing and so it is pleasing to see the FTSE 100 head into the weekend on a positive note. The blue chip index is on track to end the week up 1.7%, a decent result given that we’ve spent the previous few months with a miserable performance on the markets. The biggest movers on the week have been...
20 September 2018
British American Tobacco and Diageo“The FTSE 100 has been going through a fairly stable period this month, if you ignore the first week’s trading. Stability is good for rebuilding investor confidence as we approach the final quarter of the year and bright spots on the London market on Thursday include mining, banks and travel stocks,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell...
19 September 2018
Supermarkets: Sainsbury’s and Tesco and Kingfisher“A sense of calm can be felt on the markets today with the FTSE 100 nudging up 0.3% to 7,324. Screens are also flashing green across Continental Europe and Asia. Miners, banks, housebuilders and construction companies all enjoy share price gains on the London market, with the only real area of weakness being utilities,” says Russ Mould, Investment...
18 September 2018
Markets and Ocado Markets“An escalating trade war between the US and China may have provided an unhelpful backdrop to global markets yet parts of Asia have shrugged off the latest events with leading indices in China, Hong Kong and Japan rebounding on Tuesday.
“On the UK market, the FTSE dipped 0.2% in early trading to 7,286, dragged down by renewed weakness in...
17 September 2018
Dairy Crest and Petra Diamonds“There is a patchy start to the week for investors with London shares slipping and most of Continental Europe and Asia also in the red. The mining sector’s rally last week has proved to be short lived with Glencore, Antofagasta and Anglo American among the weakest FTSE 100 stocks on Monday. The only real bright spots on the UK market were utilities...
14 September 2018
Investec and JD Wetherspoon“The FTSE 100 has been a source of frustration for investors for several months and hopes that it would spring back to life after the summer ended haven’t been fulfilled. While the index of London’s largest listed companies was in positive territory on Friday, trading 0.4% higher just after the market opened, the performance is nowhere strong...
13 September 2018
Morrison stays on track as McColl’s link-up adds to recovery’s momentum“In some ways it is a shame that Morrison’s interim results are marred by two exceptional items that knock £61 million off stated profits, as the underlying financial and strategic progress is good,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“An eleventh straight quarter of like-for-like sales growth, strong momentum in wholesale thanks to...
13 September 2018
Morrisons and John Lewis Partnership“The FTSE 100 is pausing for breath after fighting back earlier this week. On Thursday morning it was flat at 7,306 with gains in the banking and mining sectors offset by weakness among utilities and consumer goods companies,” says Russ Mould, InvestmentDirector at AJ Bell.
Morrisons“For all the talk about heightened competitive pressures...
12 September 2018
SSE and Sports Direct“Investors will be happy to see the colour green on their screens today with the FTSE 100 finally returning to an upward trajectory. The blue chip index was up 0.1% to 7,280 in early trading on Wednesday, helped by strength in the mining, housebuilding, chemicals and oil sectors,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
SSE“It is very...
11 September 2018
We've refreshed our Favourite funds listAt AJ Bell Youinvest, we're proud to offer a huge range of possible investments – including over 2,000 funds and shares from 24 markets. But we’re also acutely aware how time-consuming, not to say bewildering, it can be to sift through these choices to find the right one for you.
Many of our customers have told us they'd like some help narrowing...
11 September 2018
Ashtead“The FTSE 100 is not having a good time of late and trading on Tuesday takes the blue chip index down a further 0.2% to 7,266. Investors saving for their pension, new house, children’s school fees, loft conversion or any other major expenditure will be frustrated at how the UK market has performed this year as there is a high chance their...
10 September 2018
Associated British Foods and Debenhams“The FTSE 100 showed little sign of recovering the ground it lost last week in early trading as investors digested the latest political instability in Europe and as trade tensions continue to simmer away in the background,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
Associated British Foods“Investors may be getting worried about the ongoing...
7 September 2018
Sky shareholders face deal deadlinesNearly two years after an initial £10.75 per share takeover bid from Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox, shareholders in pay-TV giant Sky have some very important dates coming up which should finally settle the destiny of the company.
At 1pm on 12 September the deadline for acceptances on US media conglomerate Comcast’s £14.75 offer, backed by Sky...
7 September 2018
International Consolidated Airlines (British Airways) and Greene King“The FTSE 100 is on track for one of its worst weeks this year. Assuming no change from the 7,316 trading level seen early on Friday, the blue chip index will have fallen nearly 1.6% across the week, taking it to a five-month low.
“The banking sector remains one of the worst offenders with investors clearly worried about the state of the UK...
6 September 2018
Utilities rally as Ofgem review proves no worse than feared“ Centrica, SSE and United Utilities are all rallying this morning, even as the FTSE 100 languishes back at four-month lows, because the findings of the Ofgem report are no worse than expected and their shares’ dismal performance over the last 12 months reflected the chance of a harsher outcome,” says Russ Mould, AJ Bell Investment Director.
“The...
6 September 2018
Melrose Industries, Centrica and Sirius Minerals“The FTSE 100 is now trading at a five-month low as trade war concerns escalate. Software, mining, tobacco and banks are among the worst performing sectors so far this year with stocks like Vodafone, Imperial Brands and HSBC being particularly disappointing. “A continuation of the current downward trend could cause investors to lose confidence...
5 September 2018
Housebuilders: Berkeley / Barratt Developments and William Hill“It’s another red day for the markets with FTSE 100 falling 0.5% to 7,421 and losses seen across Asia and Europe. Emerging markets have been particularly weak and a lack of progress regarding international trade talks continues to unsettle investors,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
Housebuilders: Berkeley / Barratt Developments“T...
4 September 2018
WPP and Halfords“The FTSE 100 was just about consolidating yesterday’s gains in early trading as speculation continues over whether Bank of England Governor Mark Carney is likely to stay in post beyond 2019,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
WPP“Advertising giant WPP answered one key question this week as it promoted internal candidate Mark Read to...
3 September 2018
Dechra Pharmaceuticals and Footasylum“The FTSE 100 gets off to a strong start on its first trading day of the autumn, gaining 0.6% to 7,478.98. The index endured a difficult August, falling by more than 4%,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
Dechra Pharmaceuticals“Today’s mixed update from veterinary products specialist Dechra Pharmaceuticals shows the dangers of a high...
31 August 2018
Whitbread sale of Costa begs the question of who will be next on the activists’ hit-list?“Today’s huge leap in Whitbread’s shares following the sale of Costa Coffee, breaking up the group far more quickly than expected and for a higher price than analysts had expected, must be seen as a vindication of activist investors that the FTSE 100 firm’s unwieldy structure meant that there was hidden value waiting to be unlocked,” says Russ...
31 August 2018
Whitbread and Sage“The FTSE 100 looks set to end the week on a downbeat note with a threat from Donald Trump to pull the US out of the World Trade Organisation helping to revive fears over global trade,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
Whitbread“After being told they would have to wait two years for a spin-off of Costa Coffee to complete when it was...
30 August 2018
Why next week’s US wage growth numbers may be even more important than usual“As America’s S&P 500 index continues to rack up new highs, investors are sensibly asking themselves what could go wrong and puncture the bull run in US stocks. History suggests that a combination of rising interest rates, lofty valuations and earnings disappointments usually proves deadly,” says Russ Mould, AJ Bell Investment Director.
“Interest...
30 August 2018
Property stocks, Hunting and Hays“Markets on Thursday were flashing red with losses seen across the UK, Europe and parts of Asia amid renewed concerns about the relationship between the US and China. The FTSE 100 traded 0.6% lower at 7,515 with miners, telecoms and media stocks among the worst performing blue chips,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
Property stocks...29 August 2018
Aston Martin and Countrywide“The FTSE continues to stage a comeback after the summer lull with another 0.1% advance to 7,625 on Wednesday. Utilities lead the charge with United Utilities, Severn Trent and National Grid all in positive territory,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
Aston Martin“Aston Martin is set to be London’s highest profile stock market...