Prosperity or pound shop? Our free trade future awaits August 9, 2019 Like most of us, I’ve been watching the new government in the UK with interest – and no small measure of anxiety. As it became clear that Boris Johnson would emerge as the new PM, it also became clear that there would be a sharp change in government policy across the board. Theresa May, for [...]
A food chain to get your teeth into August 8, 2019 | City Talk By Rodney Hobson from interactive investor. McDonald’s is spending money on developing personalised apps after upgrading its burger beef. It made its name by being cheap and cheerful but food chain McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) has long had a keen eye for innovation and for enhancing the quality of its ingredients, both of which generate welcome publicity. The successful formula is still [...]
No respite for BT investors as shares sink again August 6, 2019 | City Talk By Graeme Evans from interactive investor. BT shares continue to fall after first quarter results do little to dispel fears over its dividend. After a torrid year for followers of Britain’s best-known stocks, first quarter results from BT Group (LSE:BT.A) have done little to ease their fears that the telecom group’s dividend is next for the chop. While last week’s figures [...]
High-yielding BP shares chased higher after results July 30, 2019 | City Talk It’s a great income stock, and these numbers justify investor interest, writes our head of markets. BP’s (LSE:BP.) strategy is a marathon, not a sprint, and this latest update for the second quarter and half-year shows that the company remains reassuringly on track. Underlying replacement cost profit was strongly ahead compared to the previous quarter and [...]
Vodafone rockets 8% amid IPO excitement July 29, 2019 | City Talk It’s been a long time coming, but Vodafone has a market-friendly strategy to underpin a recovery. The spin-off of the “TowerCo” business is by far the most scintillating development within Vodafone (LSE:VOD) first-quarter trading update. Vodafone had previously mentioned that it was planning to monetise this part of the business, and has now added some flesh to [...]
Fevertree Drinks shares worth £36 despite sell-off July 24, 2019 | City Talk By Graeme Evans from interactive investor. Slower growth is never good news for highly-rated stocks, but Fevertree still has plenty of fans. Runaway success stories like Fevertree Drinks (LSE:FEVR) don’t come around often, which is why yesterday’s latest slide for the AIM stock should alert investors to a potentially enticing entry point. The sky-high valuation has weakened considerably since early [...]
Has ASOS just issued its third and final profits warning? July 23, 2019 | City Talk By Graeme Evans from interactive investor. With ongoing operational issues aplenty, investor confidence hinges on a belief in stock market adages. Warehouse troubles drove ASOS (LSE:ASC) to a third profits warning in less than a year as the fast-fashion giant slipped even further behind the market value of upstart rival Boohoo Group (LSE:BOO). Shares dived as much as 22 per cent [...]
Who joins Lloyds Bank on this list of cheap UK shares to buy? July 22, 2019 | City Talk By Graeme Evans from interactive investor. Performance of UK-exposed stocks is at an eight-year low and this is the cheapest region around. Cheap-looking UK-focused stocks were in the spotlight as asset managers increasingly turn their attention to Europe in the face of darkening skies for global equities. The attraction of European equities was highlighted by UBS in an [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]