magazine archive
magazine archive
Week Ahead
Attention is likely to focus on what central bankers say not what they do
Thursday 21 Mar 2024It seems wherever you look at the moment, the economic data is coming in hotter than the market expects. Take US producer prices for February, which last week rose by 0.6% on the previous month, or double the consensus forecast, due to a surge in energy prices which in turn drove a larger-than-...
Can fallen mixers star Fevertree recapture its fizz?
Thursday 21 Mar 2024Against a backdrop of rising high-end mixer market competition, a cost-of-living crisis and inflationary pressures, Fevertree Drinks’ (FEVR:AIM) shares have fallen almost 50% over five years. So the premium carbonated mixers supplier needs to stir up renewed confidence in its global growth and...
Central banks expected to toe the line on interest rates this month
Thursday 14 Mar 2024Last week’s ECB (European Central Bank) meeting passed pretty much as predicted with no change in any of its three benchmark interest rates despite mounting evidence of an economic slowdown and falling inflation in continental Europe. The news was well received in the bond market, which doesn’t...
Could a special capital return be on Computacenter's agenda?
Thursday 14 Mar 2024The IT reseller industry has enjoyed a strong bounce back from the world’s Covid reopening as customers line up to put in place digital strategies and adopt the latest technologies, and AI (artificial intelligence) levers are being pulled left, right and centre. International player Computacenter (...
Persimmon expected to post a one-third drop in sales for 2023
Thursday 07 Mar 2024Leading housebuilder Persimmon (PSN) issued an upbeat full-year trading statement in January saying it had ‘performed well in challenging market conditions, delivering completions ahead of expectations alongside enhanced quality metrics of our already five-star homes’. It described sales as being ‘...
Focus on UK, US employment and European interest rates
Thursday 07 Mar 2024By the time Shares goes to press we will already have had the February UK retail sales surveyfrom the BRC (British Retail Consortium) and potentially the last spring Budget from chancellor Jeremy Hunt. January retail sales got off to a good start thanks to the usual New Year promotions, but that...
Hopes rise for a ‘soft landing’ for the UK as well as the US economy
Thursday 29 Feb 2024In last week’s diary we overlooked the latest UK PMI (purchasing managers’ index) readings, which were due on 22 February, on the basis they seldom elicit much of a market response. Given services make up the biggest component of the UK economy – as they do in other developed countries, especially...
Can Greggs serve up another tasty sales performance?
Thursday 29 Feb 2024Investors will ravenously digest comments on the current trading environment when UK food-to-go specialist Greggs (GRG) delivers its full-year results on 5 March. While the value-for-money sausage roll, coffee and Yum Yums retailer has enjoyed positive momentum supported by its value-for-money...
Will Target hit the mark with its latest update?
Thursday 29 Feb 2024US budget retail chain Target (TGT:NASDAQ) posts its fourth quarter earnings on Tues 5 March and investors will be hoping they help sustain the recent momentum in the share price. The company has recently created a new ‘value’ brand with prices for everyday basics that start at under $1 per item...
Higher-than-expected US inflation fails to dent investor sentiment
Thursday 22 Feb 2024It says a great deal about the market’s resilience that after stronger-than-expected US CPI (consumer price index) and weaker-than-expected UK GDP (gross domestic product) prints shares have continued their advance. Most of the unexpected increase in US inflation came from ‘shelter’ costs, which...