24 June 2025
Daily market update: oil, Mobico, Saga, Bunzl, Google“Investors are reacting with relief to apparent news of a US-brokered ceasefire between Iran and Israel,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Oil prices slumped on the news as fears the strategically important shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz might be obstructed, affecting global supplies of crude, failed to materialise.
“Tehra...
23 June 2025
What’s shaped markets in the first half of 2025?Tariffs, downgrades to earnings and economic forecasts and geopolitical conflict were the defining factors for markets in the first half of 2025. They’ve caused considerable uncertainty which has affected asset prices, as well as business and consumer confidence.
It’s led to one of the biggest shifts in investor preferences for years, with certain...
23 June 2025
Daily market update: stock market losses contained, Tesla, Assura, Spectris“The markets are not yet reacting with any degree of panic to the US airstrike on Iran’s nuclear facilities as they await to see how Tehran responds,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“The promised two-week hiatus as the US weighed its decision didn’t materialise as the Trump administration acted on Saturday. After briefly spiking above...
20 June 2025
Rising geopolitical tensions leave markets searching for directionUS markets struggled to make progress in a shortened trading week as concerns over the Israel-Iran conflict clouded the outlook.
Energy prices rose, with WTI crude futures pushing though $75 per barrel to a three-month high, while the dollar continued its descent against other major currencies.
The Federal Reserve meeting, normally the highlight of...
20 June 2025
Daily market update: markets recover, Berkeley, retail stocks“Markets recovered some ground as the US appeared to temporarily pull back from the prospect of intervening directly in the Israel-Iran conflict,” says AJ Bell Investment Analyst Dan Coatsworth.
“Trading in Asia was mixed as China kept interest rates unchanged, while the US market was closed yesterday for the Juneteenth federal holiday. Early on...
20 June 2025
Russ Mould: What to expect from Currys, Babcock and Telecom PlusAJ Bell Investment Director, Russ Mould highlights the companies scheduled to report in the coming week and specifically discusses what to expect from Currys (CURY), Babcock International (BAB) and Telecom Plus (TEP).
19 June 2025
Daily market update: Middle East, Whitbread, Hays, Revolution Beauty, Frasers“Central banks are in a ‘wait and see’ mood with regards to interest rates, despite broad concerns about a weaker economic outlook,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“The Fed kept US rates unchanged at its meeting yesterday and the Bank of England is expected to do the same with UK rates later today.
“This won’t be a shock to...
19 June 2025
Revealed: the original AIM stocks that are still on the market 30 years laterWhile AIM’s 30th anniversary has been clouded by talk of how the market is shrinking fast, there are still reasons to celebrate its achievements. A good chunk of AIM’s original members have gone on to score a winning goal for investors’ portfolios.
Eleven companies that joined AIM in its first six months of existence are still on the UK stock...
18 June 2025
Daily market update: oil price, Ocado, AO, Speedy Hire“As tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate, oil prices remain in the ascendancy and stocks are enduring volatility,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Concern the US might join Israel’s military effort against Iran, after comments from President Donald Trump on his Truth Social platform, saw US shares fall overnight and...
17 June 2025
Daily market update: Ashtead, B&M, RC Fornax, Warpaint London“The UK stock market saw broad-based losses, with only six FTSE 100 stocks in positive territory. BP and Shell were among the rare risers as oil prices held firm after a recent rally,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“Middle East tensions are showing no signs of easing back, putting investors on high alert.
“Germany’s Rheinmetall...
16 June 2025
Daily market update: oil prices, gold, Metro Bank, Entain“European shares were surprisingly resilient against a backdrop of uncertainty,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“Helping to prop up FTSE 100 was continued strength in oil prices as tensions remained high in the Middle East. Crude oil rose 1.1% to $72 per barrel, driving shares in FTSE heavyweights BP and Shell and taking the...
13 June 2025
Trump-Musk spat, crash questions for BoeingDonald Trump’s spat with Elon Musk had started to look like another volatility event in the making but the pair both appear to have cooled their heels over the past week with a more conciliatory tone struck.
Trump wished the Tesla boss ‘well, very well’, after heaping praise on Musk’s Starlink satellites service (owned by Musk company SpaceX)...
13 June 2025
Daily market update: FTSE 100, oil, gold, Boeing, Adobe“The FTSE 100 did not have long to bask in the glory of reaching a new record close last night with Israel’s military strikes on Iran putting stocks on the back foot globally,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Concern about an escalating conflict in the Middle East saw oil hit its highest level since January and gold was also in demand...
12 June 2025
Russ Mould: What to expect from Ashtead, Speedy Hire and Berkeley when they report next weekAJ Bell Investment Director, Russ Mould tells us about some macroeconomic news to keep an eye out for in the coming week, as well as taking a look at what analysts are likely to expect from Ashtead (AHT), Speedy Hire (SDY) and Berkeley (BKG) when they report next week.
12 June 2025
Daily market update: BP, Shell, tariffs, Halma, Tesco, Poundland“Having narrowly missed closing at a new record high last night, the FTSE 100 held firm at the market open as strength in energy and tech was offset by weakness in banking shares,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Escalating tensions between the US and Iran helped oil prices to a two-month high and gave heavyweight stocks BP and Shell...
11 June 2025
More companies queue up to transfer from AIM to London’s Main Market as junior market approaches 30th birthdayAIM turns 30 on 19 June and its celebrations have been overshadowed by the shrinking number of companies on the market. While it is natural to see the tail end disappear as tiny companies cannot justify the cost of being listed, and takeovers across the market continue with pace, there is an underappreciated trend elsewhere.
The number of AIM...
11 June 2025
Daily market update: GameStop, Inditex, UK takeovers, Ricardo, TSMC“The FTSE 100 looks like it might attain the closing high it missed by a whisker yesterday as positive news on trade talks between the US and China boosted sentiment,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Banks, housebuilders and miners did the heavy lifting for the index with the retail sector proving a drag on Wednesday morning after...
10 June 2025
Daily market update: Rolls-Royce, Bellway, Marks & Spencer, Diageo, Filtronic“Most European markets edged high as investors patiently waited for news on US/China trade talks,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“Where there is still a sense of cautiousness around how to position portfolios for the longer term, there were enough corporate news flow to spur trading in a range of stocks.
“UK housebuilders were at...
9 June 2025
Is the main US stock market index too reliant on just a handful of companies?Even though US stock indices hold hundreds of names, your diversification may be less than you think because of how companies are weighted in the index.
They are weighted by the value of each stock – so various companies worth trillions of dollars will account for a much bigger chunk of the index than those worth low billions of dollars.
This year...
9 June 2025
Daily market update: Revolution Beauty, Frasers, Boohoo, WPP“The FTSE 100 held firm at the start of the new trading week as investors continued to wait for trade talk updates,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Miners were higher despite weak data from China as the impact of the trade tensions between the world’s second largest economy and the US was laid bare. Exports to America plunged and...
6 June 2025
Trump-Musk spat could get ugly for Tesla, Intuit’s record high plus Broadcom, Dollar GeneralUS markets moved tentatively higher this week amid weakening economic data as investors nervously await key monthly non-farm payrolls jobs data on Friday (6 June). There was also the spat between Donald Trump and his one-time cheerleader-in-chief Elon Musk over the former's so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ to throw investors into a mild panic...
6 June 2025
Daily market update: FTSE 100, Tesla, HSBC, Rosebank“The UK stock market was a rare bright spot among a lacklustre session for European equities on Friday,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“The FTSE 100 advanced 0.2% to 8,829, with two thirds of the index’s members in positive territory. Utilities and healthcare led the charge as investors focused on dividend-paying defensive-style...
5 June 2025
Daily market update: ECB rate decision, Wise, Wizz Air, Mitie, Marlowe, Dr Martens“European shares tread water ahead of the European Central Bank's (ECB) interest rate decision,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“The ECB is widely expected to cut the cost of borrowing. Investors will be more focused on any signals regarding the pace of any further potential cuts.
“Inflation isn’t a problem, but sluggish economic...
4 June 2025
Daily market update: Trump's trade policy, FTSE 100, Airbus, WH Smith, B&M“Markets remain in a holding pattern pending an update on trade negotiations between the Trump administration and various foreign governments,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“All eyes are on China given it is currently the biggest loser from Trump’s new trade policy, and it looks like we’re still some way off from a deal between...
3 June 2025
Daily market update: Thames Water, British American Tobacco, MJ Gleeson, Dalata Hotel“European equity markets struggled to find direction early on Tuesday, with investors still showing signs of nervousness around tariffs and the economic outlook,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has downgraded its forecast for global economic growth as the effects...