Leaving EU behind: The potential winners and losers from a soft Brexit deal April 25, 2019 After three failed votes, Prime Minister Theresa May has another six months to get her Brexit deal through the House of Commons. Despite her securing an extension from the EU, the Brexit deadlock seems as intractable as ever. Still, some form of soft Brexit remains a likely option, so it’s worth exploring the potential impact [...]
North Sea explorers get boost as US clamps down on Iran oil exports April 23, 2019 Toughened sanctions against Iran helped push up oil prices over the weekend, lighting a fire under London-listed exploration companies today. The cost of international standard Brent crude has risen 2.9 per cent over since Friday, hitting $74.68 per barrel – its highest point since October. Read more: FTSE 100 climbs to fresh six-month high as [...]
Why Vodafone is still backed to hit 250p April 23, 2019 | City Talk By Graeme Evans from interactive investor. Some sense a shift in the balance towards more favourable news at the start of the new financial year. Despite a fruitful start to 2019 for most FTSE 100 index stocks, the mood of many investors will have been tempered by further uncertainty over the prized dividend at Vodafone [...]
FTSE 100 climbs to fresh six-month high as oil giants surge on tighter US sanctions on Iran April 23, 2019 The FTSE 100 climbed to a new six-month high for the year this morning as oil giants saw shares rise as oil prices rocketed. The blue chip index rose 0.4 per cent in early trading to 7,490 points – its highest since 3 October. Read more: Oil prices reach fresh 2019 high as US tightens sanctions [...]
ii winter portfolios extend outperformance in March April 17, 2019 | City Talk There are fewer star performers in this year's Aggressive Winter Portfolio – that was until March when no less than three of the five constituents each gained around 8%. Ignore Mark Twain and Benjamin Disraeli, statistics demonstrate that some stocks do far better during the winter months than others. And the stats are backed up [...]
The fault in default funds: Why you might not be getting the most out of your workplace pension scheme April 17, 2019 There is no denying that auto-enrolment is paving the way for the British population to have a half-decent savings pot in retirement. According to recent figures from the Office for National Statistics, 76 per cent of UK employees were members of a workplace pension scheme in 2018, up slightly from the 73 per cent enrolled [...]
Sterling falls as doubts emerge over cross-party Brexit talks April 16, 2019 Sterling fell after reports emerged that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had said talks with the government were stalling, although the party has slapped down the claim. Read more: Tusk says he still dreams of UK U-turn on Brexit A falling pound sent the FTSE 100 to a six-month high, as investors responded to the news [...]
Countdown to Brexit: three market indicators to watch April 15, 2019 | City Talk With politicians still struggling to agree the terms of withdrawal, investors in assets linked to the UK economy could be in for an uncertain time. UK investments have already underperformed their global peers since Britain voted to leave the EU, in June 2016. For instance, sterling is down 8.4 per cent since the vote and despite [...]
Best 25 stocks in the last tax year April 15, 2019 | City Talk By Graeme Evans from interactive investor. The FTSE 100 outperformed mid-caps last tax year, but the top FTSE 350 performers might surprise you. Take a look at the financial year ended on the 5th April, with the 25 top performing stocks in the FTSE 350 all producing gains of 40 per cent or more over the [...]
Brexit impasse sends UK business confidence plummeting, new surveys show April 15, 2019 The political crisis surrounding Brexit has sapped confidence from some of the UK's biggest and smallest companies alike, as crunch talks between Labour and the Conservatives reach a “delicate stage” this week. Read more: MPs could be forced to choose a Brexit option if talks with Labour fail More than eight in 10 finance chiefs [...]