Shares & the stock market

28 October 2025

Signs of easing inflation in British shops helped further improve the mood of investors and saw the FTSE 100 post a new record level in early trading on Tuesday.

The rapid turnaround in sentiment can be seen most clearly in the performance of gold which having moved to nearly $4,400 is now back below $4,000.

Results from some of the big names which...

27 October 2025

Optimism about the potential for a US-China trade agreement was helping to create a cautiously positive mood in markets at the start of the week.

In the UK market, the mining sector moved higher, bar the precious metal contingent who were hit by lower gold prices, although negative news for index heavyweight HSBC acted as a drag on the FTSE 100.

A...

24 October 2025

US markets recovered from a rocky middle of the month on concerns about private credit to make solid progress over the past week.

This progress was somewhat interrupted by concern about renewed tensions between the US and China over trade ahead of a deadline which could see additional tariffs introduced at the beginning of next month.

The tone is...

24 October 2025

The FTSE 100 held firm after last night’s record close, with strength in banks and tech stocks offsetting weakness in the natural resources space.

Trade relations were front of mind for investors ahead of Donald Trump’s visit to Asia and a new fight between the US and Canada.

A lot is riding on Trump’s negotiations with China’s Xi Jinping as...

23 October 2025

Fears over an AI bubble bursting, a potential banking crisis brewing, and renewed trade jitters between the US and China have served to put investors on the edge of their seat in recent weeks.

We’ve seen several sessions where financial markets have experienced a sharp jolt, but they’ve subsequently resumed an upwards trajectory.

While no-one knows...

23 October 2025

US-China relations don’t look to be in the best place ahead of Trump’s visit to Asia.

Talk of new restrictions on goods that either contain or are made with US software being sold to China would suggest the Trump administration is playing hard ball, sending a message to Xi Jinping that the US will not be pushed around.

Trump has form in threatening...

22 October 2025

A complicated tax issue has put a dampener on Netflix’s latest results, causing the share price to fall and ending the company’s strong run of beating forecasts.

The streaming platform had previously beaten earnings expectations for six quarters in a row. A tax matter in Brazil has put a spanner in the works and taken investors by surprise, even...

22 October 2025

Markets were patchy in early trading as investors spent time to digest a plethora of corporate announcements.

The FTSE 100 was the strongest market among major European indices. A lower-than-expected reading of UK inflation makes a near-term cut to interest rates more likely and this boosted housebuilders. It also led to weakness in the pound which...

21 October 2025

It’s hard to imagine that markets were in panic mode only four days ago. It’s like all the troubles faded away over the weekend, and investors are back in risk-on mode.

Wall Street enjoyed a particularly strong session on Monday, and that optimism has extended to Asia and Europe on Tuesday. The focus is now on US interest rate cuts, the new...

20 October 2025

A big recovery in Asian markets helped give the FTSE 100 a lift as investors look to put a difficult week behind them.

Helping the market’s mood were signs that a trade agreement might still be possible between the US and China before the 1 November deadline, and slightly better-than-expected Chinese economic growth.

News the ruling party in Japan...

17 October 2025

While everyone has been watching the tech sector for signs of a bubble, it’s the banking sector that’s the root cause of a minor market sell-off today..

US banking stocks were notably weak yesterday as investors worried about exposure to bad loans. That spread to Europe on Friday, with Barclays, Standard Chartered, NatWest and HSBC all dragging the...

17 October 2025

As the US government shutdown entered its second week, there was little in the way of macro-economic news apart from the release of the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book.

The Beige Book is a qualitative assessment of economic conditions, published eight times a year and the latest report showed US economic activity was flat in recent weeks with overall...

16 October 2025

Rachel Reeves might be reaching for a buck’s fizz after the UK economy showed growth in August after contracting in July. However, the celebration may be short lived as a 0.1% expansion is minuscule and lower than the 0.2% growth expected by some economists.

We’re just six weeks away from the Chancellor’s Budget and the nation is eager to know how...

15 October 2025

Markets have been lifted by the rekindling of rate cut expectations in the US after comments from Fed chair Jerome Powell which highlighted sluggish hiring were taken as an indication that not one, but two further cuts were very much on the table for 2025.

Buoyed by continued deal making in the frothy AI sector, investors seem prepared to overlook...

13 October 2025

Just as it looked as if the US and China were making baby steps to repair their relationship, Donald Trump throws a spanner in the works.

A new threat of high tariffs on Chinese goods coming into the US spooked investors in the East, with Asian markets showing a sea of red, following a similarly bad session for Wall Street last Friday.

This new...

10 October 2025

US stocks marched to new record highs this week despite the government shutdown, spurred on by further AI excitement as chip maker Advanced Micro Devices inked a chip supply deal with ChatGPT owner OpenAI.

The multi-year deal is expected to bring in billions of dollars in annual revenue and gives OpenAI an option to buy up to 10% of the chipmaker.

10 October 2025

The FTSE 100 was stuck in the mud as the rest of Europe ploughed ahead at the end of the trading week.

Strength in consumer stocks and utilities was offset by weakness in miners and healthcare.

Gold miners sold off as investors took some profits following the storming run for the metal price. There was bound to be a pullback at some point given...

9 October 2025

Two of the biggest flotations on the London market this year will allow retail investors to participate in their IPO (initial public offering). Financial services group Shawbrook and tinned food specialist Princes Group are keen to get the public involved, rather than the old model of restricting IPOs to institutional investors.

This is significant...

9 October 2025

Another day, another record closing level for both AI chip giant Nvidia and the tech-heavy Nasdaq index in the US, says Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell.

Investors who have held their nerve are cleaning up, yet the drums of worry are banging louder each day.

Concerns around excessive valuations, elevated levels of government borrowing...

8 October 2025

After a miserable day on Wall Street yesterday, European markets opened with a spring in their step,” says Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell.

The FTSE 100 was propelled by Lloyds enjoying a relief rally amid relatively positive news on the motor finance scandal, while Endeavour Mining continued to shine off the back of gold surpassing $4...

7 October 2025

The FTSE 100 held firm at the market open on Tuesday as strength in energy stocks was offset by weakness in miners and banks, says Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell.

The broader Stoxx Europe 600 index was also flat despite the best efforts of construction group Skanska which stood tall after a bullish broker note.

Futures prices imply a...

6 October 2025

The FTSE 100 briefly touched new highs on Monday but soon became sluggish as investors continue to weigh the risks posed by shutdown in Washington.

Japanese stocks were much livelier as it emerged the ruling Liberal Democratic Party had selected Sanae Takaichi to be its new leader, meaning she looks set to become the country’s first female prime...