European stock markets opened lower on Friday as global markets braced for U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on automakers set to take effect on April 2.The pan-European Stoxx 600 was 0.13% lower shortly after the opening bell. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 was marginally higher, while France’s CAC 40 was down 0.4%. The German Dax was 0.5% lower.Shares of French video game publisher Ubisoft were 10.2% higher by 8:31 a.m. London time after Chinese tech giant Tencent announced it would take a $1.25 billion stake in a new subsidiary focusing on Ubisoft’s gaming brands Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry and Tom Clancy’s…
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Image source: Getty Images I love it when a FTSE 100 stock that’s been nesting quietly in my self-invested personal pension (SIPP) suddenly chirps into life. That’s just happened to insurer Phoenix Group Holdings (LSE: PHNX). I bought its shares twice in 2023, but they didn’t do much. Just sat there snoozing away in my SIPP. Occasionally, Phoenix would stir into life and squeeze out a dividend, which was greeted warmly chez moi. Phoenix yields a whopping 10% a year, the highest on the entire blue-chip index. I had two concerns, though. Was the dividend really sustainable? And would the…
Image source: Domino’s Pizza Group plc DP Poland (LSE: DPP) shares rose 9.9% Thursday (27 March), bringing their one-month gain to 13%. The five-year return is 82%, though it’s been a predictably bumpy ride for this penny stock. DP Poland is the operator of Domino’s Pizza stores and restaurants across Poland and Croatia. What just sent the share price up? And does the news make me want to invest more money? Strategic acquisition Yesterday, the firm announced that it had acquired Pizzeria 105, the fourth largest pizza restaurant brand in Poland, for around £8.5m. Pizzeria 105 is a franchised business…
By Dharamraj Dhutia MUMBAI (Reuters) – Foreign holdings of Indian government bonds that allow unfettered investment have risen to more than 3 trillion rupees ($35 billion) for the first time as investors stepped up purchases ahead of an anticipated interest rate cut in April. Foreign inflows might see a further rise amid “an aggressive rate cutting cycle on growth/trade headwinds and well-behaved inflation as well as a stable currency,” said Sabrina Jacobs, senior client portfolio manager, emerging market fixed income at Pictet Asset Management. On April 9, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is expected to cut its policy rate…
Image source: Getty Images Last Wednesday, I finally did something I’d been mulling for months, selling my shares in defensive UK stock Unilever (LSE: ULVR). The FTSE 100-listed consumer goods giant had been squatting in my Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) for several years without generating much excitement. Suddenly, I’d had enough. Unilever shares have actually done well over the last 12 months, rising 17%, but longer-term performance has been underwhelming. Over five years, they’re up just 10%. That’s hardly thrilling for a company of its size and reputation. The consumer goods giant’s sprawling operations had led to a lack of…
Image source: Getty Images A Stocks and Shares ISA has some big tax benefits for investors. But there’s only one week left to add money and any contribution room that hasn’t been used can’t be carried forward. That’s not a long time, but investors still need to be careful. There are still some important mistakes that it’s important to try and avoid even though time is running out. Please note that tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in future. The content in this article is provided for information purposes only.…
GALVESTON, Texas (KTRK) — Galveston council members are demanding change after a new audit found park board employees broke policies.Galveston’s Seawolf Park offers a place to fish, explore a naval ship and submarine, and enjoy water views. It is a popular spot not just to visit but also to book events and festivities that use private vendors. Usually, that’s not a problem for city leaders.It was, though, on Thursday. During a Galveston workshop meeting, the council learned the person in charge of selecting events was also using their private business at some of them.He told the auditor it was just…
In November 2023, Jack Ma posted an internal memo at Alibaba, urging the e-commerce giant he helped create to “correct its course.” The message was as a rallying cry by one of China’s most prominent tech leaders to a company going through one of the most tumultuous times in its history.Alibaba’s share price was near record lows, growth was stalling amid intensifying competition, management changes were coming thick and fast, and Beijing was still closely scrutinizing the company. Ma himself was barely in the public view.But his message may have instilled some new hope in Alibaba — the e-commerce giant…
Image source: Getty Images As we approach the new 2025-26 ISA year, it’s time for newcomers and savvy investors alike to prepare their strategies. Let’s explore how investors can get ahead. The basics First, investors should ensure they’ve used as much of their £20,000 ISA allowance for the 2024-25 tax year as possible. Remember, the Junior ISA, for those of us with kids, has a maximum annual contribution of £9,000. Moreover, this transition period presents an excellent opportunity to review existing investments. Investors should assess whether their current portfolio aligns with their goals and risk tolerance. Rebalancing might be necessary,…
(Bloomberg) — India announced a borrowing plan for the first half of the fiscal year that’s lower than market expectations. Most Read from Bloomberg The government plans to sell eight trillion rupees ($93.2 billion) of bonds in the six months to September, the Ministry of Finance said in a statement after trading ended on Thursday. That’s lower than the 8.4 trillion rupees estimated in a Bloomberg News survey. Indian bonds may react positively to lower borrowings and help extend this year’s gains, driven by growing bets of a cut in interest rates at the Reserve Bank of India’s policy review…