15 November 2024
All the latest big news from the US marketUS stock markets were a little quieter this week following the election excitement of the prior week with ‘Trump trade’ stocks and sectors giving back some of their gains.
Cautious comments from Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell (15 November) on the cadence of further interest rate cuts sent markets lower with the benchmark S&P 500 index off 0.7%...
14 November 2024
FTSE 100 ticks higher, Siemens impresses, Burberry unveils makeover, Aviva upbeat, WH Smith full-year results disappoint and B&M continues ambitious store roll-out“The FTSE 100 ticked higher in early trading on Thursday despite weakness in the US and Asia overnight as American inflation edged higher,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“While the consumer prices reading wasn’t alarmingly high, it helped to stoke strong performance for the dollar again.
“Though amid some of the gloom around...
14 November 2024
Russ Mould: What to expect when Imperial Brands updates on trading next weekShare buybacks and dividends are a major focus for investors.
13 November 2024
US inflation data strengthens argument for more Fed rate cuts, Bitcoin smashes through $90,000 and car finance providers shudder on FCA update“US inflation is proving to be stickier than a toffee apple,” says Dan Coatsworth, Investment Analyst at AJ Bell.
“Inflation rose to 2.6% in October, exactly as predicted which means the argument for the Federal Reserve to make another cut to interest rates isn’t going to go away. The market has an 84.8% probability of a quarter-point rate cut at...
13 November 2024
The Trump Trade: presidential election drives surge in US share dealingThe American presidential election triggered a boom in US share dealing on the AJ Bell platform, with approximately triple the average value of sells and buys, and over twice the average daily trade volume, year-to-date.
Top 10 most traded US shares on election result day Tesla Nvidia MicroStrategy Palantir Coinbase Amazon Trump Media Super Micro...
13 November 2024
A new era for the FTSE indicesRecent changes to the UK’s stock market listing rules should lead to a host of new names joining the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 indices in the new year. This should generate more interest in the UK stock market and put more companies on the radar of investors.
This matters to investors whether they own UK stocks directly, have exposure via actively...
13 November 2024
Everything you need to know about investing in fundsLots of first-time investors may find investing through funds is a good place to start. In this article, we’ll explain the benefits of investing in funds, investment trusts and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
There are thousands of funds on offer that invest in different countries, business sectors or types of investment - you just need to find the...
13 November 2024
Second day for large FTSE stock movements, Elon Musk’s status elevated, Just Eat Takeaway offloads Grubhub, Smiths Group lifts guidance, Rivian shares soar and bidding war for 7-Eleven“There have been some unusually large movements in FTSE 100 stocks for the second day in a row,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“Yesterday saw DCC and Convatec churn out double-digit share price movements while Vodafone racked up one of its worst days on the market in the past two decades. Now we’ve got Smiths Group joining the...
12 November 2024
Investing in the US: use a fund manager or pick your own stocks?The US stock market is the biggest in the world and has grown in popularity among investors in recent years. It’s home to giants of industry spanning a range of sectors, from technology, energy and food to industrials, travel and healthcare.
For those seeking exposure to this part of the world, a key decision is whether to invest directly via...
12 November 2024
Is the US stock market too hot to handle?Markets seem to approve of the election of Donald Trump as the 47th US President. The S&P 500 has hit a record high in the wake of the election result, crossing over the 6,000 mark for the first time. This latest bump comes on the back of an exceptional run for US stocks, which has put other regional markets firmly in the shade, including the UK’s...
12 November 2024
FTSE retreats, AstraZeneca upgrades guidance, Shell wins climate appeal, Vodafone weighed down by Germany, BAE sticks with guidance, DCC break-up and Bitcoin nears $90,000“The FTSE 100 had a weak start as most sectors were in the red apart from energy and healthcare,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“ HSBC was the biggest anchor on the index, joined by Unilever, GSK and RELX. Sentiment seemed patchy across the board as investors continued to spend time digesting the implications of a Trump...
11 November 2024
The low-cost way to invest in the USInvesting in the US needn’t be complicated nor expensive. There are certain types of funds that follow specific parts of the US stock market and their charges are typically low compared to actively managed funds.
Pop one of these in your ISA or pension and the investment will do the same as whatever’s happening in the US market you’re tracking.
P...
11 November 2024
FTSE 100 breaks losing streak, Bitcoin hits new record high, Croda top FTSE riser, Aquis takeover, government sells more NatWest shares and Direct Line still in the repair shop“Bitcoin always seemed a likely beneficiary of a Trump victory and so it is proving as the cryptocurrency hits a new record high,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“It’s not just the incoming occupant of the White House which has helped Bitcoin, there have also been down-ticket victories for candidates who have a positive stance on the...
8 November 2024
FTSE 100 down with China stimulus in view, Vistry warns on profit as further cost issues revealed, International Consolidated Airlines flies high and Rightmove soldiers on following bid drama“The FTSE 100 was dragged lower by resources stocks on Friday morning,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“After a hectic week investors had more to digest in the form of further Chinese stimulus but what has been announced so far doesn’t seem to be moving the needle and the risks to China from a second Trump presidency are now...
7 November 2024
Interest rates back in the spotlight, Kellogg’s strikes balance for shoppers, Warner Bros. Discovery misses estimates and Under Armour impresses“After the huge events of the past week it felt almost pedestrian to get back to the cut and thrust of rate cut expectations,” says AJ Bell Head of Financial Analysis Danni Hewson.
“The Bank of England proved reliable with its quarter of a percentage point cut though the single voice that called for a hold is likely to find more company in the...
7 November 2024
What’s happening with the UK Government bond marketThe first Budget from a Labour government in 14 years continues to stir heated debate and sceptics point to the increase in the yield in the UK’s 10-year gilt to a one-year high to support their case that Chancellor Rachel Reeves is on the wrong track.
It doesn’t look great that yields are rising in the wake of August’s interest rate cut from the...
7 November 2024
Investors stay positive despite whirlwind fortnight for major events, ITV knocked for six, Sainsbury’s still searching for perfect recipe, BT struggles and Rolls-Royce faces supply chain issues“Investors have endured a whirlwind couple of weeks and there is still much to digest before portfolios can be reconfigured with confidence,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“From Rachel Reeves’ first Budget, drama involving the US election and now interest rate decisions from both the Bank of England and Federal Reserve – it’s a...
7 November 2024
What investors need to consider from Donald Trump’s election victory over the longer termDonald Trump’s election victory provided an immediate boost to a broad range of investments.
The major US and European stock markets all traded higher on the election result, bitcoin hit a new record high and the dollar strengthened. The losers included gold, renewable energy companies and Chinese shares.
The election was too close to call in the...
7 November 2024
Russ Mould: what to expect when two big utility companies report next weekSSE and United Utilities are scheduled to issue half-year results.
6 November 2024
Why oil stocks could yet surprise despite bleak outlookEquity markets are buoyant, fixed income markets seem more nervous judging by yields on government bonds rising in the UK and USA and commodity prices continue to march to their own beat, as gold and silver surge, industrial metals largely flat line and oil and gas are well down over the past year.
Weak hydrocarbon prices are helping to cool...
6 November 2024
Stocks, currencies and bitcoin fired up as Trump declares victory, Marks & Spencer’s turnaround gathers pace, Wetherspoons toasts strong sales, Persimmon warns of cost pressures“US and European markets raced ahead on projections for Donald Trump to win the US Presidential election,” says Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell.
“The dollar strengthened and 10-year Treasury yields jumped to 4.406% on the assumption that Trump’s policies will stoke inflation and require interest rates to stay higher for longer. That...
5 November 2024
European markets up on US election day, end to Boeing strikes, breakthrough for Vodafone merger, Primark owner shakes off wet weather, ASOS losses continue and Schroders hit by outflows “European indices including the FTSE 100 pressed ahead on US election day,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.“The fact both defensive sectors including utilities and tobacco and cyclical sectors such as miners were in demand would suggest that investors might be hedging their bets ahead of the US election result. A series of broker...
4 November 2024
Oil prices lifted by OPEC comment, Anglo American sells assets, Ryanair hit by lower fares, Sainsbury’s goes head-to-head with Aldi in convenience stores and Berkshire Hathaway plays waiting game“After a difficult few days, the FTSE 100 got off to a steady start on Monday as resources and China-linked stocks made progress,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Lawmakers in Beijing are sitting down this week to thrash out a big stimulus package to accelerate an economy which has been spluttering since the pandemic. Top of the...
1 November 2024
US weekly roundup: Magnificent Seven report a mixed bag of resultsIt was a tough week for US stocks as uneven results from the dominant tech sector put indices on the back foot.
There was also nervousness ahead of the upcoming US election which remains on a knife edge. In terms of individual stocks, wearable tech brand Garmin got hearts racing with third-quarter earnings which beat expectations and also unveiled...
1 November 2024
Markets calmer after a testing week, Reckitt rallies on favourable baby formula ruling, Amazon’s cloud credentials reinforced and new boss at Boohoo“There was a sense of calm to the UK stock market after a testing week for investors,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“The run-up to the Budget kept everyone on their toes and the subsequent spike in gilt yields caused some big movements on the market. Fortunately, there was less drama on Friday, with the FTSE 250 holding firm...