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Markets

FTSE 100 & FTSE 250 indices close lower

FTSE 100 & FTSE 250 indices close lower on Thursday 17th August 2017 The FSTE closed below 7400 at: 7396 The FTSE 250 also close lower at: 19791

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Markets

Inflation concerns drag on US stocks

Inflation concerns drag on US stocks. The DOW Jones Industrial Average is falling and is under pressure today. Investors are likely to be concerned about comments made by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) in its July meeting. Minutes released recently cast some concern over rising inflation. Also, the fallout …

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News

Electric car battery power

The electric car battery power range set to improve as car manufacturers start to embrace newer technologies.  The electric car is going mainstream. Other than the Tesla model 3 my favourite electric car is the Ioniq from Hyundai. I just love the look of this car. The Ioniq currently has …

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News

Walmart sales growth continues

Walmart sales growth continues – sales were up 2.1% to 31st July 2017 to $123.40 billion on previous year.  Asda, a Walmart subsidiary also reported positive sales – the first in three years. Visit Wal-Mart Stores PLC (WMT) for  accounts report summary

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News

UK retail growth slows

UK Retail growth slows as shoppers cut back on some items but not on food. These latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) attracted comment from some analysts suggesting that the UK consumer is in a better place than expected and this could bode well for the future. …

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News

Has Trump damaged his reputation as a business leader and as President?

Has Trump damaged his reputation as a business leader and as President in-light of recent events? His response to nationalist rallies was questioned by business leaders over the weekend. Trump set-up business advisory groups when he became president. This was seen as a positive move by the business community even …

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News

Japan economy builds

The Japanese economy continues to build as exports continued to climb. The data for July also showed a rise in imports as demand for tech items such as cameras grew. Japan is the world’s third-largest economy and is gathering momentum. Figures out earlier this week showed Japan’s economy expanded at …

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News

Is Bitcoin the new digital age currency?

What exactly is Bitcoin? Is Bitcoin the new digital age currency? According to the official Bitcoin website it says that, Bitcoin’s inventor, Satoshi Nakamototo originally named it,  ‘A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System’.  It is a digital currency that is used like cash but with no banks involved. The technology is …

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News

Mixed picture for Wall Street

On Wall Street the DOW Jones Industrial Average closed at 22002 – up slightly – but the S&P 500 closed down at: 2464 and the NASDAQ also closed down at 6333 – All with small movement though.

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Markets

FTSE 100 index closed up

The FTSE 100 index closed up. The FTSE 100 index closed up 30 points at: 7383 – led by EasyJet (EZJ) up 5.2% to close at: £13.30 Since closing – the markets in general have stalled and most indices appear to be treading water. The worst FTSE 100 performer today …

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Markets
FTSE 100 companies going ex dividend this week

FTSE 100 companies going ex dividend this week on 28th September 2017… Worldpay Group PLC (WPG) Intertek Group PLC (ITRK) Smurfit Kappa Group PLC (SKG) Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets PLC Hargreaves Lansdown PLC  

Markets
Federal Reserve meeting update

Federal Reserve meeting update. The Federal Reserve on Wednesday (20/09/17) announced it will start reducing the size of its balance sheet. At something like $4.5 trillion it will now, after nine years finally start reducing the balance in October 2017 on a monthly basis. US interest rates were held at …

Markets
Dow Jones Industrial Average up again

Dow Jones Industrial Average up again I don’t know how many more times I will report on the rise of the Dow but it did it yet again yesterday (19/09/17). A new high was reached and at close the DJIA was: 22370 The outcome of the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting …

Markets
Record breakers

Record breakers. The record breaking highs just keep on coming as the Dow Jones Industrial Average yet again sets another record high on 18/09/17. The Dow Jones closed up at: 22331 The S&P 500 closed up at: 2503 The NASDAQ closed up at: 6454 For how much longer can these …

Markets
Dow Jones flying high again

Dow Jones flying high again New record high set by the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The DJIA closed up at: 22268 – yet another new record high!

Markets
FTSE 100 companies going ex dividend this week

FTSE 100 companies going ex dividend this week on Thursday 21st September 2017 Old Mutual PLC (OML) Taylor Wimpey PLC (TW.    

Markets
Sterling continues upward march

Sterling continues upward march. The pound bashed through $1.36 against the dollar on Friday (am 15/09/17) as the FTSE 100 falls back. Will it hold on to these gains?  

Investing
J D Wetherspoon reports

J D Wetherspoon reports. End of year accounts from J D Wetherspoon report sales and profits up! Profit before tax is reported at: £102.8 million (up from £80.60 million in 2016). Sales up by: 4% (like-for-like). Where else can you get such good value? J D Wetherspoon PLC (JDW) is …

Markets
Asian stock markets end the week subdued

Asian stock markets end the week subdued Investors appear to largely shrug off the latest provocation from North Korea as another missile is fired over Japan. Japan’s NIKKEI index closed up to end the week at: 19909 and South Korea’s KOSPI index closed up at: 2386. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng …