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Pharma stocks face volatility on US plan to reduce drug prices
Thursday 15 May 2025As tariff fears ease elsewhere, the pharmaceutical sector now finds itself in the crosshairs thanks to an executive order trailed by president Donald Trump on 11 May. The administration apparently mandated a reduction in prescription drug prices of between a third and 80% to give the US ‘most...
The first-quarter earnings season was a mixed one for the UK’s big banks
Thursday 08 May 2025After a strong performance across the board in 2024, this year has been slightly less uniform for the UK’s Big Four high-street banks. First to report was global bank HSBC (HSBA) , which put in a good showing with underlying revenue and earnings increasing thanks mainly to its Asia-based wealth...
Latest payroll figures suggest US economy is on a firm footing despite tariffs
Thursday 08 May 2025For fans of the US stock market, the non-farm payroll report for April (2 May) was the proof they needed ‘exceptionalism’ is alive and well in terms of the economy. According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, there were 177,000 new jobs created last month, compared with economists’ forecasts of...
Can Walmart mitigate tariff-related price shocks?
Thursday 08 May 2025Trade war uncertainties are weighing on sentiment towards consumer-facing stocks, and investors will be able to take the temperature of the all-important US consumer when Walmart (WMT:NYSE) reports first-quarter earnings on 15 May. Given the world’s biggest retailer’s sheer scale it should be able...
CVS shares boosted by benign working paper from the competition watchdog
Thursday 08 May 2025Veterinary services company CVS (CVSG:AIM) saw its shares jump 13% on 1 May in response to the release of the CMA’s (Competition and Markets Authority) working paper on potential remedies for the £6.3 billion vet market which it has been investigating over the last year. The latest price move takes...
Buffett surprises markets after stepping down as CEO after 60 years at the helm
Thursday 08 May 2025Shares in Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-B:NYSE) fell 5% on 5 May, after chair and CEO Warren Buffett announced plans to step down after 60 years at the helm. The 94-year-old saved the surprising news until the dying minutes of Berkshire’s shareholder meeting on 3 May, when he declared it was time for his...
Clarkson shares down 20% as uncertainty impacts maritime demand
Thursday 08 May 2025Clarkson’s (CKN) shares are down more than 20% over one year following what have effectively been two profit warnings within two months from the shipbroking leader. On 10 March, Clarkson flagged a slow start to 2025 and warned results would be second half weighted amid concerns over the global...
ITV receives takeover interest from French media giant Banjay
Thursday 01 May 2025Shares ITV (ITV) failed to fire despite recent reports that French media giant Banjay was in early talks with the free-to-air broadcaster to buy the whole group or just its studio production arm. Banjay’s plans were first reported in the Financial Times and follow speculation about an approach from...
Associated British Foods’ first-half results send shares skidding
Thursday 01 May 2025Shares in Associated British Foods (ABF) plunged 9% earlier this week after the global consumer conglomerate posted a slide in first-half profit and downgraded full-year guidance for its Sugar business. Results for the six months to March 2025 showed a 21% drop in pre-tax profit to £692 million as...
Winking Studios shares nearly halve year-to-date after IPO excitement
Thursday 01 May 2025Shares in Winking Studios (WKS:AIM) have fallen as much as 55% year-to-date after the Singapore-based video games services company reported a 70.5% fall in full year net profit for the year ending 31 December. The company, which enjoyed a very positive initial reaction to its November 2024 IPO,...