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 [...]
Micro Focus chairman dumps £11.6m in shares July 15, 2019 The chairman of Micro Focus has cashed in around £11.6m worth of shares in the British IT firm, saying he wants to “diversify” his portfolio. Read more: Micro Focus boosts profit margin but revenue stalls Kevin Loosemore has sold 650,000 shares – approximately half his stake – to invest the cash elsewhere. “Until now, all [...]
FTSE 100’s best and worst performers in 2019 so far July 10, 2019 | City Talk By Graeme Evans from interactive investor. The blue-chip index jumped over 10 per cent in the first half of this year, but which one surged 68 per cent? It’s been a year of widespread and significant gains in the FTSE 100 index, with blue-chip stocks surging by as much as 68 per cent during the first half of 2019. [...]
Why Ocado shares have been chased sharply higher July 9, 2019 | City Talk A costly warehouse fire hasn’t dented enthusiasm for the shares. Our head of markets explains. Ocado (LSE:OCDO) transformation from online retailer to cutting-edge technology provider remains clear for all to see. The Andover fire in February was an unwelcome distraction and has come at a cost both in actual terms as well as in lost [...]
Corporate reputation is too valuable to leave to chance July 4, 2019 Corporate reputation is a ubiquitous phrase today. Companies spend enormous sums trying to burnish their reputations. An army of corporate governance experts, politicians, regulators and, dare I say, journalists queue up to judge those efforts – and often find them wanting. Shakespeare, as you might expect, has the best lines on the subject. “I have [...]
Bonmarche surrenders, while Creightons makes dramatic charge July 2, 2019 | City Talk By Graeme Evans from interactive investor. The UK consumer is the driving force behind very different outcomes for this pair of tiddlers. Over 50s fashion chain Bonmarche (LSE:BON) raised the white flag last week after seeing the British weather scupper its defence against a £5.7 million takeover by billionaire Philip Day. The retailer, which was valued at £100 million when [...]
Carpetright shares: Undervalued or overexcited? July 1, 2019 | City Talk By Graeme Evans from interactive investor. Carpetright’s peak trading period straddles the next Brexit deadline, but speculators are not put off. Carpetright (LSE:CPR) and its threadbare share price drew interest from speculative investors last week amid signs that the drastic measures needed for its survival are starting to pay off. While early days in the turnaround, the floor covering [...]
Whitbread shares: Waiting for strategy to bear fruit June 24, 2019 | City Talk It’s not easy being a hotelier in this market, but Whitbread shares are holding their own for now. Despite having previously laid the groundwork in guiding expectations lower, Whitbread (LSE:WTB) has delivered a first-quarter update which is light on cheer. Without the diversification and success that Costa brought, the company is now mostly hostage to the cyclical [...]
Podcast: Funds, dividends and investing basics June 21, 2019 | City Talk interactive investor experts Moira O’Neill, Lee Wild and Richard Hunter kick off ii’s inaugural podcast by focusing on funds and dividends. To listen to the podcast, please click below: Moira O’Neill explains what a fund is, how to start building an investment portfolio, and how ii’s Super 60 funds list could help you get started, as well as [...]
Tesco shares: Reasons to be cheerful June 18, 2019 | City Talk Early selling following this Q1 update attracted bargain hunters. Our head of markets explains why. Tesco (LSE:TSCO) recovery from the dark days of having taken its eye off the ball in the UK continues apace. The radical overhaul which the business has undergone has seen Tesco’s shares rise by 50% over the last three years. More [...]