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 [...]
ii view: Sales retreat at Sainsbury’s July 8, 2019 | City Talk By Keith Bowman from interactive investor. Tough comparatives have impacted results for this supermarket, but that is no surprise. First quarter trading for 16 weeks to 29 June 2019 Total sales down 1.2 per cent (excluding fuel) Like-for-like sales declined 1.6 per cent (excluding fuel) Grocery sales fell 0.5 per cent General merchandise sales down 3.1 per cent [...]
The 12 best-ranked major European markets July 5, 2019 | City Talk By Graeme Evans from interactive investor. Find out which country ranks top for best earnings momentum, attractive valuations and profitability. A ranking of major European markets by analysts at UBS has placed the UK at the top of the pile for cheapness, but among the worst for profitability and earnings momentum. Sweden is the top ranked overall thanks [...]
Litecoin: latest predictions as LTC surges against dollar July 4, 2019 | City Talk Litecoin, probably the best-known cryptocurrency that isn’t Bitcoin, is on a roll. Along with its better-known rival, Litecoin is on the up and up, and Litecoin predictions have its value heading higher still. Some see the Litecoin future price in an almost vertical climb to reach and then exceed its December 2017 peak. Others are more [...]
The peer-to-peer industry isn’t doing enough to protect investors July 4, 2019 The abundance of peer-to-peer lenders offering high yielding loans has been getting the attention of regulators. Many peer-to-peer lenders target unsophisticated retail investors, who can invest as little as £100. And yet, there is a relatively high cost to on-board small investors, because platforms have to handle customer calls, and anti-money laundering requirements. There have [...]
Is this market losing its marbles? July 4, 2019 | City Talk The chart that caught the eye of the Schroders Multi-Asset Investment team this month shows that the relationship between the ISM Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) and the S&P 500 index has broken down. The PMI is based on a survey of purchasing managers from more than 300 manufacturing firms. It is a widely followed [...]
High-yielding Greene King shrugs off weather warning July 4, 2019 | City Talk Bad weather is bad news, but the dividend is attractive and Greene King typically excels in winter. On balance, Greene King (LSE:GNK) full-year numbers edge into the “glass half-full” category, as the pub owner and brewer continues to extract value from its brand and estate. Apart from a healthy return on capital of 8.5 per cent, Greene King [...]
RPS blames Aussies for share price collapse July 3, 2019 | City Talk By Graeme Evans from interactive investor. Profit forecasts slashed and rising debt threatening the dividend, will this crash attract bidders? A recovery for RPS Group (LSE:RPS) since an October profit warning has proved to be short-lived after Australia’s slowing economy derailed progress at the environmental consultancy. The latest warning sent shares in the Abingdon-based business crashing by as much as [...]
Funding Circle woes are a warning sign for the peer-to-peer lending sector July 3, 2019 Adair Turner once said that peer-to-peer lending "will make the worst bankers look like lending geniuses"
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 [...]