31 October 2024
Four key changes from the BudgetThis week saw the first Budget from Labour since they came into power in July. There was lots of speculation ahead of the announcements about what would happen, and it ended up being one of the biggest tax-raising Budgets in recent history. But a lot of those additional taxes will come from businesses rather than directly from individuals.
Here we...
31 October 2024
Russ Mould: What to expect from Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury's and Primark's parent in the coming weekThese three names will tell us a lot about the state of the UK retail sector.
31 October 2024
Budget rally goes into reverse, Microsoft hit by AI spending concerns, Shell beats forecasts and unveils buyback, quartet of Halloween profit warnings includes Smith & Nephew“Yesterday’s relief rally after the Budget didn’t last long,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“Gilt yields jumped after the market cottoned on to a big increase in government borrowing over the next five fiscal years and that extra tax income from changes announced in the Budget won’t appear overnight. That means interest rates...
30 October 2024
Markets respond to Budget as gambling stocks surge and AIM lives to fight another day“There was a considerable amount of relief on the markets after Rachel Reeves’ Budget wasn’t as punishing as expected,” says Dan Coatsworth, Investment Analyst at AJ Bell.
“However, there is a real risk the party candles quickly fizzle out as businesses add up the extra costs from changes to employer National Insurance, employment rights and a...
30 October 2024
Everything you need to know about the BudgetLabour delivered their first Budget in 14 years today, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivering her spending and tax plans to parliament. While much of the news had been leaked in advance some rumours failed to materialise entirely, others were simply scaled back. Here we’ll look at all the changes that might impact your finances – for good or for...
30 October 2024
Markets await ‘burden on business’ Budget, BHP ‘moves on’ from Anglo American, GSK gets the shivers, Next beats expectations, Alphabet gets cloud boost and Volkswagen sales plunge“Get ready for a Budget that’s a burden on business,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“The prospect of a higher rate of employer National Insurance, a rise in the minimum wage and changes to employment rights will all drive up costs. That’s likely to be seen as negative for job creation, wages and consumer prices, and businesses...
29 October 2024
Alphabet to kick off bumper week for tech updates, McDonald’s sales down in wake of E.coli outbreak and Royal Caribbean’s positive update lifts peers“Investors will feel like they’ve been waiting and waiting for the next bus to arrive and suddenly several will come at once and they’re likely to be full to bursting, whether it’s here in the UK where we finally get Labour’s long-awaited Budget tomorrow, or in the US where we’re going to be hit with not one, but five Magnificent Seven updates in...
29 October 2024
What are stocks and shares, and should you invest in them?For first-time investors, continued references to ‘stocks’, ‘shares’ and ‘equities’ might lead you to think that they are all different things. However, they are all just different names for the same thing.
It’s easiest to think of a ‘share’ as just that. If you buy shares in a company - such as Lloyds, for example - you are literally buying a...
29 October 2024
FTSE 100 ticks higher ahead of UK Budget and Magnificent Seven results, BP falls despite beat and buyback as debt creeps up and HSBC shines after announcing big restructuring plan“The FTSE 100 ticked higher on Tuesday, helped by some positive corporate results as investors await earnings updates from the US tech sector and tomorrow’s Budget,” says AJ Bell Head of Financial Analysis Danni Hewson.
“A huge chunk of the S&P 500 are reporting this week including five of the Magnificent Seven, so investors will get an excellent...
28 October 2024
FTSE 100 higher despite weaker oil prices, markets await Magnificent Seven earnings, Lloyds responds to adverse motor finance ruling and Trainline lifts guidance“The FTSE 100 ticked up on Monday morning ahead of a busy week which includes the Budget and results from some of the big US tech companies,” says Danni Hewson, Head of Financial Analysis at AJ Bell.
“The gains for the index were impressive given heavyweight constituents BP and Shell were dragged lower by weak oil prices. Traders don’t appear to be...
25 October 2024
FTSE 100 dips amid weak UK consumer confidence, NatWest beats expectations on higher income and lower costs and Boohoo gives robust response to Mike Ashley’s bid to become CEO“The FTSE 100 dipped lower on Friday morning, undone by some weakness in the energy and housebuilding sectors,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“This followed some pretty dire figures on consumer confidence with households in a downbeat mood ahead of next week’s Budget and the long-heralded ‘difficult decisions’ it might contain.
“Asi...
24 October 2024
Russ Mould: What to expect from BP and Shell’s results next weekThe two companies could potentially return a combined $33 billion to investors this year.
24 October 2024
FTSE 100 lifted by higher oil prices and strong results, Tesla impresses, Ashley makes bid to lead Boohoo, Unilever sales shine and Barclays profit beats expectations“Higher oil prices and some good corporate results helped UK stocks to strong gains on Thursday morning,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Oil was higher amid continuing tensions in the Middle East with observers wary of an impact on supply. This lifted heavyweight energy stocks BP and Shell and their significant weighting in the FTSE...
24 October 2024
Revealed: the investment trusts yielding 4.5% or moreA central bank interest rate cutting cycle is well underway, the Federal Reserve having slashed US rates by 50 basis points and further cuts expected from the Bank of England following August’s 25 basis point reduction. Falling rates mean lower rates on cash and bonds, so investors searching for long-term income and capital growth may feel...
23 October 2024
Frasers turns its back on Mulberry pursuit, Watches of Switzerland faces US listing pressure from activist, Coca-Cola sales volumes drop and Boeing awaits crucial vote on pay“With so little between the two US presidential hopefuls it’s no surprise that this earnings season isn’t being met with the same sense of joie de vivre as the one in the summer,” says Danni Hewson, AJ Bell Head of Financial Analysis.
“Markets don’t like unpredictability and the US election will have huge global ramifications, so a little caution...
23 October 2024
Bitcoin price eases back, Lloyds’ profit beats expectations, Reckitt shaken by tornado disruption, WPP holding steady in difficult market and Barratt Redrow targets cost savings after merger“Storm clouds appeared to have passed as Europe’s main equity indices pushed ahead on Wednesday,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“It’s helped that Wall Street’s latest earnings season has got off to a good start, with many big names this week beating forecasts including Philip Morris and Texas Instruments.
“The FTSE 100 rose 0.2%...
22 October 2024
General Motors moves up a gear, Verizon disappoints amid weak consumer backdrop and housebuilders hit as government accepts CMA recommendations“It’s been one of those days when good news had to be really good to make investors sit up and take notice and there was plenty of not so good news to keep markets feeling downbeat, especially over on Wall Street where recent record runs seem to have hit pause, at least for now,” says AJ Bell Head of Financial Analysis Danni Hewson.
“ General...
22 October 2024
HSBC new boss goes on a tidying up spree, Mulberry rejects Frasers’ latest bid, Halfords pedalling fast to stand still, InterContinental Hotels hit by weak trading and Shoe Zone slips up“The FTSE 100 started Tuesday on the back foot, dragged lower by weakness in the energy and telecoms sectors,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Precious metal miner Fresnillo was in demand once again as gold prices remained at record highs but otherwise the unhappy story of broad-based losses from Monday afternoon continued for the UK...
21 October 2024
Lacklustre day for markets, Future rallies after last week’s fall and Disney appoints new chair“It’s been a fairly lacklustre day for markets as investors, especially those on the other side of the Atlantic, wait for the big beasts to update us on the health of their respective businesses,” says Danni Hewson, Head of Financial Analysis at AJ Bell.
“With concerns about the state of the US consumer and all the uncertainty the US election is...
21 October 2024
Is it time for emerging stock markets to return to favour?This could be the latest test of Sir John Templeton’s so-called principle of maximum pessimism. The fund management legend once stated, ‘People are always asking me where the outlook is good, but that is the wrong question. The right question is: where is the outlook most miserable?’
India’s headline Sensex stock market index trades at all-time...
21 October 2024
Trump’s improved odds power up gold and bitcoin, China trades lift commodity producers, Intertek hit by broker downgrade and Hollywood Bowl scores winning session“Donald Trump has edged forward in the betting markets in the race to the White House, explaining why gold and bitcoin have been attracting attention in recent days,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“Betting markets are offering odds of 33/50* on Trump, which equates to a 60% probability of him winning the election. That compares...
18 October 2024
US stocks make new all-time highs as chip warning brushed offThis week ushered in fresh highs for US markets lead by the small cap Russell 2000 index which gained over 3%, buoyed by stronger than expected retail sales and lower weekly jobless claims.
The Atlanta Federal Reserve raised its estimate for third quarter GDP to an annualised 3.4% from 3.2%, an acceleration from the prior quarter’s 3% growth clip.
...
18 October 2024
China stocks rally again, Netflix shares soar on strong results, Boohoo signals break-up and Future CEO doesn’t last long in the job“It’s been a rocky ride for investors exposed to China but patience is being rewarded,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“Having this year gone from being widely unloved to delivering big gains over a short period thanks to the promise of major economic stimulus measures, China’s stock market has moved up and down faster than a...
17 October 2024
Russ Mould: Five things to watch when Barclays, Lloyds and NatWest report next weekThe UK banking sector has been a good performer this year.
17 October 2024
Investors braced for higher CGT on shares, TSMC beats expectations, Nestlé cuts growth outlook, Entain lifts full-year forecast, Rentokil rebounds and N Brown receives takeover bid“There was enough enthusiasm towards shares in industrials, energy producers and financials to stop the FTSE 100 from going into reverse amid the latest disappointment from China and a slump in profit from packaging group Mondi,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“Investors weren’t impressed by China’s plans to improve its housing...