Rough week for small-cap UK stocks Small and mid-sized London-listed stocks faced a far tougher week than their large cap counterparts last week, with the FTSE 250 index sinking 4.5% to the FTSE 100’s 1.2% drop. After UK banks were forced to scrap billions in dividend payments, we’ve seen a corresponding impact on company plans…
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The current situation of elevated volatility is reflected very prominently on the chart here. Buying volume increased sharply in the second half of last week and price has now moved into overbought based on both the slow stochastic and Bollinger Bands. There are likely to be short-term opportunities in both directions this week, but buyers…
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OIL Even the best Hollywood movie director would have struggled to imagine the last few days for oil. The dramatic scenario seen last week, with WTI falling below $20 has been followed by a spectacular rebound of 50% in just two trading sessions. This happened when markets realized that the lower price, in conjunction with coronavirus, was…
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UK Banks in the spotlight for dragging heels on small business help It was a mixed but relatively flat day for London-listed stocks, with banks again back in the spotlight over concerns that they have been sluggish in issuing emergency business loans to customers under a government scheme launched last week. Late on Thursday, post-market…
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BAT spikes as it joins race to develop a Covid-19 vaccine London-listed stocks sank on Wednesday after the UK reported its largest daily death toll from the coronavirus, at 563, taking the total past 2,000. The FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 both sank by just under 4%, with the former now down 27.7% year-to-date. It…
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EUROPEAN SHARES Early declines on European stocks erased the advance registered during pre-market trading with uncertainty reigning everywhere this morning. Despite a new stimulus plan announced by Beijing overnight, investor sentiment continues to be dominated by the recent disappointing developments in the struggle to stem the spread of the coronavirus. The death toll continues to…
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Banks do away with dividends, buybacks under regulator pressure London-listed stocks rallied yesterday, following the release of data showing manufacturing in China had rebounded in March as the country emerged from its coronavirus-induced shutdown, although concerns over the accuracy of the figures persist. Despite closing the day higher, it was still a rollercoaster day for…
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GOLD The gold price fell yesterday as low as $1,570, breaking down the first support level of $1,590 in the process, on growing fears that central banks will buy much less gold and other precious metals in the next few years. Despite this quick descent and despite the strength of greenback seen in the last…
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Health names soar in Monday rally All three of the major US stock indices finished more than 3% up on Monday, with healthcare the best performing of the 11 sectors in the S&P 500. The sector gained 4.7%, driven by the healthcare technology and pharmaceutical sub-sectors, which gained 7.1% and 5.8% respectively. Hospital firm Universal…
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OIL Oil price is attempting a difficult rebound with WTI climbing back above $21 after sinking to a 17-year-low of $19.40 yesterday evening. Rumours about talks between Putin and Trump, will include discussions on the oil price, are giving some hope to the barrel amid a backdrop of its dramatic performance YTD that shows a…
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