UK households’ financial optimism hits six-month high July 22, 2019 UK households have struck an optimistic note on their future finances for the second month in a row, to mark a six-month high in their outlook. Financial health expectations moved up a gear in July after households recorded their first positive outlook since the start of 2019 in June. Read more: UK households turn positive [...]
ii view: Microsoft results put shares in the clouds July 19, 2019 | City Talk By Keith Bowman from interactive investor. Technology behemoth Microsoft is now far more than Windows and Word, evidenced by latest results. Fourth-quarter results ending 30 June 2019 Revenue up 12 per cent to $33.7 billion Operating income up 20 per cent to $12.4 billion Returned $7.7 billion to shareholders Chief executive Satya Nadella said: “It was a record [...]
Hotel Chocolat shares worth even more than this July 18, 2019 | City Talk By Graeme Evans from interactive investor. They’re hardly cheap, but shares in this fast-growing chocolatier could go higher still. At a time when many retailers are finding trading tough, Hotel Chocolat Group (LSE:HOTC) continues to make light work of justifying its punchy stock market valuation. The chain, which listed on AIM in 2016, produced more strong figures today as an [...]
Stranger Things vs Mickey Mouse: How the media old guard is adapting to disruption July 17, 2019 | City Talk As I discussed earlier this month, disruption is everywhere (see Five things every investor needs to know about disruption). Incumbent companies have a choice: they can either deny the changes are happening, or they can adapt to the new regime. Faced with the seemingly inexorable rise of streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, [...]
Burberry shares at 10-month high and challenging records July 17, 2019 | City Talk After a stunning six-week rally, our head of markets explains why investors are still piling in today. If the market was waiting for signs of an immediate improvement in Burberry (LSE:BRBY) fortunes, it will not be disappointed as the fashion house has delivered an update which is much better than expected – and on a number of [...]
Facebook’s libra could solve the gig economy’s payment problem July 17, 2019 Ordering your evening meal or weekly groceries online has never been easier. In most cities, you can now book a car from your phone to get you from A to B in minutes. All of this is made possible by two things: the marketplace technology that facilitates instant transactions, and the gig economy that delivers [...]
ii view: Citigroup beats forecasts July 16, 2019 | City Talk By Keith Bowman from interactive investor. Investors have been cautious regarding US banks. Has anything changed with these results? Second-quarter results to the end of June 2019 Revenue up 2 per cent to $18.8 billion Net income of $4.8 Billion, up 7 per cent Earnings per share up 20 per cent to $1.95 Operating expenses down 2 per [...]
Code-breaker Alan Turing revealed as new face of £50 banknote July 15, 2019 Scientist Alan Turing will feature on the new £50 note design, Bank of England governor Mark Carney announced this morning. Turing, the “father of computer science and artificial intelligence, was chosen from 989 characters nominated by the public during a six-week period. Read more: Why a British scientist will appear on the next £50 note [...]
Barratt Developments: A cheap income play too good to miss? July 15, 2019 | City Talk There’s lots to like about housebuilders, but all may not be what it seems, writes our head of markets. Until recently, the housebuilders had been directly in the firing line given Brexit uncertainty. This position has changed of late as the sector generally continues to make hay while the sun shines. The backdrop has been [...]
Only a fifth of investors held their nerve during 2018 stock market tumble July 15, 2019 | City Talk 2018 was a tough year for investors with sharp falls in global stock markets testing the nerve of investors. New global research shows that only 18 per cent of investors said they stuck with their investment plans during the volatile three-month period at the end of 2018. The findings were part of Schroders Global Investor [...]