21 May 2025
Marks & Spencer outlines £300 million hit to profit and reveals plan to bring forward infrastructure upgradeThe £300 million expected impact of Marks & Spencer’s cyber-attack on profits shows the severity of the situation. It suggests hackers have caused considerable damage to the company from a financial and reputational perspective.
Marks & Spencer has lost a significant number of sales after temporarily halting online orders. Disruption to supplies...
21 May 2025
Daily market update: utilities, JD Sports, Shoe Zone, Currys“Utilities did their best to prop up the UK stock market and they were helped by defence contractors once again being in vogue,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“Updates from Severn Trent and SSE were well received by the market. The utilities sector has found itself the centre of attention in recent months as investors look to...
20 May 2025
Daily market update: Diploma, Cranswick, Greggs, CATL, Vodafone“European markets took their cue from a recovery in US stocks overnight as market concerns eased and US government bond yields pulled back a touch,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“The downgrade to the US credit rating from agency Moody’s and fears about the impact on an already-large deficit of a package of tax cuts making its way...
19 May 2025
Daily market update: Diageo, Nvidia, Ryanair, Assura“While largely a symbolic move, the US credit downgrade from Moody’s, as well as the progress of a bill in Washington promising major tax cuts, cast a pall over the markets at the start of the week,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Having been floored by the announcement of Liberation Day tariffs last month, stocks got back on their...
16 May 2025
Surprise 90-day trade truce sparks tech rallyA surprise 90-day trade war truce between the US and China and walkdown on tariffs (12 May) put a rocket under stocks this week, sending the benchmark S&P 500 index up 4.5%.
Technology stocks led the gains with the Nasdaq Composite index gaining more than 6% on the week despite bonds selling off with the 10-year treasury yield briefly climbing...
16 May 2025
Russ Mould: look out for results from BT and Vodafone next weekRuss Mould, AJ Bell Investment Director, runs through the key figures to keep an eye on when BT and Vodafone publish full-year results next week.
16 May 2025
Daily market update: Future, Richemont, Workspace, Character“The FTSE 100 continued its ascent as investors loaded up on pharma and energy stocks,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“ AstraZeneca, Shell and GSK were the biggest contributors to the FTSE 100 in terms of index points, suggesting that investors were fishing for opportunities among areas that have recently been weak.
“Pharma...
15 May 2025
Only six North American funds have made investors money this yearJust six funds focusing on North America have made money in sterling terms for UK retail investors this year.
Including the open-ended fund universe and investment trusts, this means just 6% of funds investing in the sector have been able to see any gains amid the tariff turmoil. So how have the lucky few been able to succeed?
Well, one of them...
15 May 2025
Daily market update: Bakkavor, ITV, Premier Foods, B&M, Watches of Switzerland“A big pullback in oil prices weighed on markets across Europe,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“Traders focused on the prospect of a US/Iran nuclear deal which could see economic sanctions lifted on the latter and potentially lead to greater supplies of oil. That weighed on shares in BP and Shell which pulled down the FTSE 100...
14 May 2025
Why is the FTSE 100 beating the FTSE 250 so far this year (and over the past five years)?Most regions have fully recovered all the losses since the Liberation Day announcement on 2 April triggered a global market sell-off. However, if you look at performance since the start of the year it is clear markets aren’t moving in unison, with the US is a notable laggard.
Countries like Germany are racing ahead, with the Dax index up 19% year...
14 May 2025
Daily market update: Burberry, Compass, Imperial Brands“The FTSE 100 ticked higher on Wednesday after mixed trading overnight in the US and Asia,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Significantly, the S&P 500 crept into positive territory for the year – no mean feat given the uncertainties and pressures facing financial markets. Investors are likely to be looking for further news on US trade...
13 May 2025
Daily market update: Marks & Spencer, DCC, On The Beach, Revolution Beauty“The party didn’t last long,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“Having seen a strong start to the week on global markets following trade talks between the US and China, the rally has petered out. European markets were generally flat on Tuesday, big chunks of Asia pulled back, while futures prices imply a soggy start to trading on...
12 May 2025
The parts of the UK stock market left behind from market reboundOil producers, pharmaceutical companies and Vietnam-focused investment trusts have been left behind on the UK stock market as shares rebound across the world following the Liberation Day-triggered sell-off.
Most of the major indices globally have clawed back all the lost territory since Trump’s 2 April speech sent shockwaves across the investment...
12 May 2025
Daily market update: markets rally, US-China trade talk, India-Pakistan ceasefire“Markets have welcomed the tentative US-China trade agreement with open arms,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“While the trade spat has only been dialled back for 90 days, it’s a major breakthrough as far as investors are concerned. The fact the two countries were talking was already a major win given they’ve been at each other’s...
9 May 2025
Trade deal with UK as Fed hold rates, Disney steals the earnings showThe gains were modest but there were gains over the past week, something that has been in short supply for much of 2025. It was a narrow ‘general terms’ sort of a trade deal struck with the UK, described as the ‘first of many’, by president Trump, stoking hopes for a flurry of trade deals ahead.
Under the deal, the 10% tariff that was imposed on...
9 May 2025
Daily market update: UK market, US-China trade talks, IAG, Rightmove“With the UK having basked in trade deal glory yesterday, the spotlight has now turned to China,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“China is America’s biggest rival in the trade war and any sign of a compromise in their tit-for-tat tariff spat could be taken positively by markets. It would help to settle nerves and dial down...
8 May 2025
Russ Mould: A look at Imperial Brands, National Grid and United Utilities ahead of their upcoming resultsAJ Bell Investment Director, Russ Mould, runs us through which companies are scheduled to report in the coming week with a particular focus on what to expect from Imperial Brands, National Grid and United Utilities.
8 May 2025
Daily market update: interest rate decisions, US chip restriction changes, Next“Investors are watching history unfold before their eyes,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“The Trump administration has already caused turmoil in the business world with the Liberation Day tariff plan. We’re now entering the next phase as countries do deals with the US, and Trump once again changes the rules as he rips up Joe...
7 May 2025
Daily market update: BAE Systems, Wetherspoons, Novo Nordisk, Trainline“The FTSE 100 was lower in early trading after a ramp-up in geopolitical tensions,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Nuclear powers India and Pakistan in a stand-off over the Kashmir prompted a few jitters, with the Federal Reserve meeting later also inducing a few butterflies in investors’ stomachs. The Fed is widely expected to...
6 May 2025
Daily market update: BP, Deliveroo, Ford, Associated British Foods’“The FTSE 100 started the week with a bang, yet those early gains quickly faded away,” says Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell.
“A mixture of takeover talk and investors reaching for defensive stocks initially gave the UK blue-chip index a lift.
“ British American Tobacco was the biggest mover on the FTSE 100 in terms of index points, with...
2 May 2025
Big tech earnings help US markets recover Liberation Day lossesDespite clear signs of mounting pressure on the economy and companies, markets seem remarkably sanguine and have more or less completed their recovery from the dramatic tariff-driven sell-off at the start of last month, helped by largely impressive hotly watched big tech earnings.
Although ‘Liberation Day’ wasn't until the start of April, US first...
2 May 2025
Daily market update: Apple, Amazon, Shell, NatWest“The FTSE 100 was on course to extend its winning streak after signs of a potential de-escalation of the tariff stand-off between US and China gave investors real heart,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“There were strong gains in Asia and on Wall Street overnight. The latter helped by strong after-hours results from Microsoft and Meta...
1 May 2025
Trump’s first 100 days avoid worst post-war stock market start to presidencyAs President Trump hits 100 days in office, a near 12% rally in America’s S&P 500 index from its closing low on 8 April has stopped his second term in office from offering investors the worst start of any post-war American leader, in terms of stock market returns.
The S&P 500 is down by 7.1% since Trump’s inauguration on 20 January and only Richard...
1 May 2025
Russ Mould: What to expect from Next & International Consolidated Airlines first-quarter updatesIn this week's video, Russ runs through what to expect from Next & International Consolidated Airlines' first-quarter updates next week.
1 May 2025
Why transport stocks can help gauge the effect of tariffsA big rally from the 8 April lows means the NASDAQ Composite is now in the black for this month, while the S&P 500 is flat.
This may look to vindicate a ‘buy-on-the-dip’ strategy, and persuade the White House that all is still going to plan, but the Dow Jones Industrials is down and so is the Dow Jones Transports, so there remains the risk that...
