25 July 2022
Vodafone UK price hike helps as German revenue slips and Ryanair boss blames airports for travel chaos“There was a definite summer holiday lull feel to Monday morning trading as the FTSE 100 slipped back a little following overnight losses in Asia,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“In macro-economic terms, all the big action comes mid-week as the Federal Reserve serves up its latest decision on interest rates and, a day later, we get...
22 July 2022
FTSE 100 firms on track to pay £85bn in dividends & could surpass record set in 2018The FTSE 100 is now expected to yield 4.2% in 2022, thanks to the combination of share price falls and increases in dividend forecasts. The index’s total dividend pay-out is expected to reach £85 billion in 2022 excluding special dividends, up from £78.5 billion in 2021.
It means total payments could surpass 2018’s record, although the current...
22 July 2022
JD Sports resilient despite shock retail sales numbers, Snapchat owner faces TikTok challenge amid tough advertising market and BP tops the FTSE 100 leaderboard“The FTSE 100 eked out some gains on Friday to provide hope it may finish in positive territory for the week,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“A drop in the pound as retail sales disappointed probably helped since it boosted the relative value of the overseas earnings that dominate the stock index. Stronger oil prices also helped BP...
21 July 2022
Frasers shares jump, Dunelm sales slip, Moneysupermarket beats expectations, Howdens upbeat and M&S loses CFO“A barrage of mid-cap news has whetted the appetite of investors hungry for updates on UK companies.” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“Overall, the FTSE 100 tried its best to push ahead at the market open, but momentum was quickly lost. Miners, consumer goods, utilities and tobacco stocks dragged the market down, which is a shame...
20 July 2022
Netflix beats expectations but subscriber numbers still fall, Royal Mail paints a bleak picture, and an encouraging update from Premier Foods“Expectations were so low in the run-up to Netflix’s results that it’s no surprise to see its share price jump in after-hours trading. Yes, it is still losing subscribers. But nowhere near as many as forecast, so there has been huge relief in the market,” says Danni Hewson, Financial Analyst at AJ Bell.
“Investors like it when companies under...
19 July 2022
All eyes on Netflix amid key US earnings season, made.com shares sink as it slashes forecasts & miners struggle on China woes“Speculation that Apple may slow hiring and spending took a bite out of any market momentum overnight and set the tone for a weak start in London on a scorching Tuesday,” says AJ Bell Financial Analyst Danni Hewson.
“The current second quarter earnings season in the US was always likely to be crunch time for markets as investors looked for signs...
18 July 2022
Haleon splits from GSK, Deliveroo cuts revenue forecast & FTSE 100 climbs“There was a decent start to markets on Monday, with the FTSE 100 jumping 1.1% higher to 7,238. Leading the UK market higher were oil stocks Shell and BP, banking group HSBC and the big miners,” says Danni Hewson, Financial Analyst at AJ Bell.
“Even cryptocurrencies managed to find some new friends after letting investors down in recent months...
15 July 2022
Netflix second-quarter results“ Netflix’s shares are down 70% in 2022 and are down by more than three-quarters from their autumn 2021 highs after a stunning fall from grace for a perceived winner during the pandemic and lockdowns,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“The combination of increased competition and consumers’ cutting back on discretionary spending as...
15 July 2022
China’s GDP & mortgage protests hurt Asian stocks, plus Fevertree warns on profits as costs bite“A barrage of news concerning China has given parts of the market something new to worry about,” says Danni Hewson, Financial Analyst at AJ Bell.
“The Shanghai SSE index fell 1.6% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dived 2.4% after China’s second quarter GDP figure came in significantly below expectations (0.4% growth versus 1.2% forecast).
“Although...
14 July 2022
Build costs rise for Barratt Developments, Dr Martens on track, Ericsson shares dive and Playtech jilted again“As Morrissey woefully sang, ‘Stop me if you think you’ve heard this one before’. Investors are getting sick of hearing about inflation, interest rates and falling stock markets. While that tune is still playing loudly, some of the pains we’ve seen over the past year are starting to fade,” says Danni Hewson, Financial Analyst at AJ Bell.
“Commodit...
12 July 2022
Euro tumbles on Russian gas threat, FTSE dips, Anglo Pacific strikes deal with South32, Restaurant Group gets Barburrito, and Petropavlovsk files for administration“The FTSE 100 dipped at the open after weak trading in the US and Asia as investors continue to weigh the risks associated with war in Ukraine, stubborn inflationary pressures and Chinese lockdowns,” says AJ Bell Financial Analyst Danni Hewson.
“This cocktail of worries is preventing the markets from making any tangible progress. Dire retail sales...
11 July 2022
FTSE lower, markets await US inflation & China growth numbers, Wall Street earnings season in focus, and Wizz Air loses money again“After a tumultuous start to 2022 the past month or so has seen global markets largely in limbo as investors seek to make judgements about whether any sort of soft landing for the economy can be engineered while still bringing prices under control,” says AJ Bell Investment Analyst Danni Hewson.
“This week sees three catalysts which could shake...
8 July 2022
A change of Chancellor and what history tells us about their influence on marketsThe outgoing Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, may wish he’d been dealt a better hand. Brexit, covid-19 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine all meant that global events had a huge influence on the UK economy and the nation’s finances.
Given the events of recent days, it is hard to know precisely how long the latest appointment to 11 Downing Street, Nadhim...
8 July 2022
FTSE fights to sustain momentum, markets eye US banking season, JD's new chair and Vistry upbeat despite rising costs“It’s been a chaotic week for politics and a rollercoaster ride for investors as markets experienced yet more wild swings,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“The FTSE 100 is trying its very best to hold on to this week’s winning streak, but it looks touch and go as to whether the index will have the stamina to stay higher for the...
8 July 2022
Best and worst performing funds, shares and sectors for H1 2022The most notable thing about DIY investors’ behaviour in the last six months is their readiness to buy the market dip using tracker funds. Investors piled into passive funds focusing on the US and Global stockmarkets, areas which have seen some of the sharpest falls in 2022. Eight of the ten most popular funds bought on the AJ Bell Youinvest...
7 July 2022
How the stock market responds to a change of Prime Minister mid-termIn the end Boris Johnson should - just - outlast Theresa May’s stint as Prime Minister, but financial markets are now wondering who will come next and what policies they will bring with them.
The FTSE All-Share is up, and the pound is making minor gains against the dollar and euro as investors consider who the next PM will be and hope for greater...
7 July 2022
FTSE 100 makes gains despite political turmoil, Persimmon under pressure, Currys' sales stalling and Jet2 faces headwinds“The political situation in the UK remains highly febrile, with reports now indicating the Prime Minister is set to resign later today. Although investors will be watching closely to see who emerges as a potential successor and will be longing for some stability, the FTSE 100 is nonetheless putting on a decent show and delivered some strong gains...
6 July 2022
Pound slides after Sunak and Javid quit, oil rebounds, AO seeks more cash and Trainline soars“In theory a weaker pound is good for the large number of companies on the UK stock market that do business in foreign currencies, as their earnings benefit when translated back into sterling. Yet the recent slump in the oil price is bad news for some of the biggest names on the UK market, principally BP and Shell,” says AJ Bell Investment Director...
5 July 2022
Aussie rate hike, Saga looks to steady the ship and Sainsbury’s gets a new chief bean counter“Unable to take a lead from Wall Street, which was closed yesterday for the Independence Day holiday, London is off to a quiet start after Asian markets took a one-half percentage point from the Reserve Bank of Australia in their stride,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“The Aussie rate hike followed a similar increase by the Bank of...
4 July 2022
Oil bounce lifts FTSE, Hipgnosis enjoys royalty success and Pets at Home hit by broker downgrade“A small bounce back in the oil price was enough to give BP and Shell a lift and provide welcome support to the FTSE 100 index, up 1.1% to 7,245,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“Oil supplies have been watched closely in recent weeks amid concerns about a slowdown in the global economy.
“Fundamentally supplies continue to be...
1 July 2022
Millions hit by stock market weakness and ITV in the picture as TV advertising rules under review“We already knew this year’s stock market performance had been miserable but when we see headlines flashing about the worst first-half for US equities since 1970 and the worst month for the FTSE 100 since the pandemic-induced market crash in 2020, the brutal severity of the losses really hits home,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell....
30 June 2022
What will the bouncy buck break next?“Whether it is because the US Federal Reserve is raising interest rates faster than other Western monetary authorities, or because investors are seeking a haven in the form of the globe’s reserve currency, the dollar is trading at its highest levels since late 2002,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Oddly, the US stock market rarely...
30 June 2022
European stocks dive, Aston Martin’s funding fears, Uniper’s big warning and Royal Mail faces strike disruption“Stock markets were in a terrible mood across Europe, with the FTSE 100 down 1.7%, the CAC 40 dropping by 2.3% and the Dax falling 2.5%. There really is a lack of good news for investors to cling onto, and the near-term outlook looks bleak which is shattering confidence,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“The list of risers on the...
29 June 2022
Utilities digest price control proposals, falling sales for B&M and Nio under fire“Utility companies are not exactly jumping with joy at Ofgem’s new electricity distribution price control proposals, with SSE calling them ‘tough and stretching’,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“Energy providers would argue they are under pressure to invest heavily to improve infrastructure, make sure the supply network is...
28 June 2022
Miners storm ahead and give a lift to the FTSE 100“Boom! Periods when the FTSE 100 rises in the region of 1% in a day should be celebrated given how this year has been so gloomy for investors. Today, the fireworks are most definitely lighting up the sky and the UK market is regaining its mojo,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“Miners revved their engines yesterday following the...