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magazine archive
Big News
Can airlines avoid a repeat of the recent ticket price war?
Thursday 22 Feb 2018Don’t get over-excited by Jet2-owner Dart ( DTG:AIM ) saying it will ‘materially’ beat earnings expectations for the year to 31 March 2018 after an end to selling tickets with heavy discounts. More important is the fact that Dart remains cautious on airline ticket prices. This echoes recent...
Sterling slides as Brexit fears resurface
Thursday 15 Feb 2018It has been a turbulent start to February for the pound. The currency briefly spiked above $1.40 against the dollar as the Bank of England hinted at faster increases in interest rates (8 Feb). The pound then tumbled the following day to $1.377 as concerns over the UK’s Brexit strategy escalated...
Which are the best and worst performing stocks following the market sell-off?
Thursday 15 Feb 2018We have run the numbers to identify the best and worst FTSE 350 performers since the market sell-off started at the beginning of February. Financial technology business NEX ( NEX ) noted it would benefit from increased volatility (and US tax cuts) in a 1 February trading update. The company could...
Analysts get behind cyber security firm Sophos
Thursday 15 Feb 2018Analysts have rallied to the cause of cyber security software supplier Sophos ( SOPH ) in the wake of a big sell-off in its share price. One analyst insists that the market reaction has been ‘over-done’ since the company’s third quarter update on 8 February and that there is a solid buying...
Tesco could go head-to-head with Aldi and Lidl on price, claims media report
Thursday 15 Feb 2018Britain’s biggest retailer Tesco ( TSCO ) is considering a separate discount brand that would match rivals Aldi and Lidl on price and sport a more limited range than its main stores at a time when UK shoppers are finding life tough. That’s according to an article in The Sunday Times . The BRC-KPMG...
Shock as highly respected small cap fund manager is pushed out
Thursday 15 Feb 2018Shares in investment trust River & Mercantile UK Micro Cap ( RMMC ) have started to recover after falling nearly 20% in the days after fund manager Philip Rodrigs was pushed out (7 Feb). Reports suggest conduct issues relating to Rodrigs were unearthed after more stringent systems and controls...
Why Royal Mail’s pension breakthrough is such a big share price catalyst
Thursday 08 Feb 2018Shares in parcels-to-letters delivery service Royal Mail ( RMG ) are enjoying their best run in two years, currently trading at 505.8p versus a 12-month low of 370.9p in November 2017. The market has given a positive reaction to a breakthrough deal on pay and pensions. Alex Paterson, an analyst at...
BP wins the battle of the oil majors
Thursday 08 Feb 2018Of the UK’s two large integrated oil companies, BP ( BP. ) looks to be the winner over Royal Dutch Shell ( RDSB ) in terms of fourth quarter and full year results. Shares in both companies fell on the day of their results earlier this month but BP’s performance both in share price terms and...
Shoppers keep calm and carry on
Thursday 08 Feb 2018Despite a testing backdrop for UK shoppers, total retail sales rose 1.4% in January 2018, versus 0.1% growth in January 2017, according to the latest (6 Feb) BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor. On a like-for-like basis, UK retail sales crept 0.6% higher, a pretty solid performance, albeit one delivered...
Four important stories from the past week: Capita, Purplebricks, BT and Vodafone
Thursday 08 Feb 2018Outsourcer Capita ( CPI ) is seeking to avoid the fate of its doomed peer Carillion by taking steps to fix its balance sheet under new chief executive Jonathan Lewis. In a kitchen sinking exercise, Lewis has cancelled the dividend, announced plans for a £700m rights issue, targeted disposals of...