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After discovery bright spot for BP what next for UK energy giants?
Thursday 17 Apr 2025Together, BP (BP.) and Shell (SHEL) accounted for more than 10% of the FTSE 100 index at the end of the first quarter, meaning their fortunes matter to anyone with exposure to the UK market through a tracker fund. Both firms are finding life difficult thanks to slumping commodity prices, although...
Markets recover some poise after tariff U-turn
Thursday 17 Apr 2025Markets around the world have reacted with palpable relief to two major decisions by the Trump administration. First, on 9 April, reciprocal tariffs (except on China) were delayed for 90 days – which proved the catalyst for the third-largest daily gain for US stocks since the Second World War. Many...
Markets price in increased odds of recession as tariff uncertainty bites
Thursday 10 Apr 2025A weaker dollar, cheaper oil and lower 10-year treasuries were high up on US treasury secretary Scott Bessent’s agenda when he came into office. Crashing stock markets was not on the list, but this is exactly what has happened since Trump unveiled his barrage of global tariffs on 2 April, causing...
‘Liberation Day’ sell-off ranks up there with the worst of them
Thursday 10 Apr 2025When Donald Trump became president for the second time, many observers assumed he would use the stock market as a barometer of how well or how badly his policies were affecting US confidence as he did during his first term. However, this notion of markets forming a ‘guard rail’ has been well and...
Travis Perkins shares hit 15-year low after profit warning
Thursday 10 Apr 2025The outlook is far from rosy for Travis Perkins (TPK) with shares hitting a 15-year low (1 April) as the builders’ merchant warned profit this year would miss forecasts due to ‘challenging conditions’. The Northampton-based firm blamed deflation as it slipped to a pre-tax loss of £38.4 million for...
Currys’ shares gain 60% over the past year
Thursday 10 Apr 2025Shares in Currys (CURY) have gained 60% over the past year as the electrical retailer experiences meaningful recovery in its Nordic business and solid sales from its UK operation. On 3 April the company raised its profit guidance for the second time in 2025 due to ‘robust’ trading in the period...
Shares in Naked Wines pop to year-high on plan to unlock value
Thursday 03 Apr 2025Shares in online drinks retailer Naked Wines (WINE:AIM) jumped 10p or 16% to a new 12-month high after the company unveiled a new strategic plan to generate sustainable earnings growth and deliver ‘significant’ cash distributions. There are three legs to the plan, the first being to achieve £75...
Aston Martin Lagonda shares skid to new low on US tariffs
Thursday 03 Apr 2025Shares in luxury carmaker Aston Martin Lagonda (AML) dropped 5p or 7% to an all-time low of 69p on news the US would introduce a 25% ‘customs surcharge’ on all imported cars starting this month. Other European and Asian carmakers also saw their shares slide, as imports make up around 50% of...
Interest in European infrastructure and renewables continues to build
Thursday 03 Apr 2025In all the excitement over European countries ramping up spending on defence in order to compensate for the US’s isolationism and Russian aggression, most investors and commentators overlooked one small but critical detail. These spending plans aren’t just about defence, they include a commitment...
S&P 500 endures worst quarter since 2022 on stagflation fears
Thursday 03 Apr 2025US stock markets were already on the ropes before the release of PCE (personal consumption expenditures) inflation data and the University of Michigan consumer confidence report on 28 March, but it was the latter which stoked further losses, taking the S&P 500 down almost 2% on the day. Most...