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March 29, 2025

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Stocks In Focus: Three Charts to Watch

This week, we get back to earnings and, sadly, the pickings are slim.

Given these turbulent times, we have two Consumer Staples stocks to examine — Lamb Weston (LW) and Conagra (CAG). They may not be the most exciting charts, but they show clear levels of interest that are worth noting.

There’s also the highly volatile stock Restoration Hardware (RH), which is trading close to a support level. This stock can be considered a high-risk, high-reward trade.

Let’s dive in…

Lamb Weston (LW)

Lamb Weston, best known for its iconic french fries, has gone on one of the wildest rides over the last four years. After a two-year uptrend, the stock has slowly and steadily gone on a two-year downtrend, giving back all its gains.

Earnings have been quite harsh over the last four quarters. There was one gain of 2.6%, with three losses that included a -19.4%, a -28.2%, and most recently a -20.1% decline. Shares now sit 54% off of all-time highs as the company heads into Thursday’s earnings report.

Technically, there is some hope.

Shares made a full roundabout from trough to peak and back to trough again, where they were able to find some major support. The $47.50/$48 level was the original double bottom that started the rally years ago, and now, when re-tested, it held again.

The risk/reward set-up appears to favor the bulls, barring another epic post-earnings drawdown. If shares sell off, the $47.50 level should get tested and could be a good entry point. However, the path to least resistance looks higher from this level. A mean reversion back to its long-term downtrend around the declining 200-day simple moving average would be good for a 23% gain.

Overall shares continue to act rather soggy, but one little quarter could spice things up and lead to a quick and satisfying return.

Restoration Hardware (RH)

Restoration Hardware has become one of the most volatile stocks after earnings over the last year-and-a-half and is one to watch with the report on Wednesday afternoon. Shares have moved an average of +/- 17% over the last six reports with gains of 17% and 25.5% over the last two.

Since last December’s 17% jump after results, the stock has declined as much as 50% from its recent highs. One major factor is the slowdown in the housing market, influenced by rising interest rates, which has dampened demand for home furnishings.

Technically, shares reached a major support level going back four years and held. It was the fourth time in four years that shares moved towards that $210 level and held. Clearly, we have a major level of interest to watch from a risk/reward set-up.

Shares hit extreme oversold levels in its relative strength index (RSI) in early March and have finally bounced. The rally back from oversold levels and a hold of key support should favor the bulls for now.

If you were to trade this into Wednesday afternoon’s earnings, you must watch that support level carefully. It has held time and again, and this would be a great area to dip into the stock with a stop-loss for protection just below support to minimize losses. Any positive reaction could see a fast snapback rally towards the 200-day moving average, which sits 35% above current levels. A simple mean reversion could equate to a nice return, while the stock remains in its longer-term downtrend.

ConAgra (CAG)

ConAgra, the parent company of Duncan Hines, Birds Eye, and Slim Jim, has struggled after earnings, as it has fallen five of the last six times it has reported.

Technically, shares sit in the middle of a range between its 50-day and 200-day moving averages. The consumer staple has held up relatively well compared to the overall market and has only declined -4.5% year-to-date. It pays a 5.3% dividend and is considered a safer haven in these turbulent times.

The $24.50/$25 level has acted as solid support and could be a good entry point given current market uncertainty. However, the upside has overhead resistance at the 200-day moving average and the $27.50/$28 level.

Overall, this may be a nice place to hide out during turbulent times, but the overall risk/reward is marginal, at best. It may be more rewarding to eat their products than to trade the stock.

Top 5 Canadian Mining Stocks This Week: Euro Sun Gains 54% as Copper Hits New High

The US Bureau of Economic Analysis released February personal consumption expenditures (PCE) index data on Friday (March 28). The figures show inflation increased 2.5 percent on an annualized basis in February, aligning with analyst expectations and reflecting no change from the 2.5 percent recorded in January. On a monthly basis, inflation rose by 0.3 percent, also matching January’s increase.

However, core PCE, which excludes the volatile food and energy prices, increased 2.8 percent year-over-year and 0.4 percent month-over-month. Both came in above analyst expectations of 2.7 and 0.3 percent, respectively.

The PCE is the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure for tracking inflation and will be significant when it meets next in May. Combined with recent consumer price index figures, the data indicates progress has stalled in bringing inflation to the Federal Reserve’s 2 percent target rate.

To the north, Statistics Canada released January gross domestic product (GDP) numbers on Friday. The report shows that GDP grew by 0.4 percent in January, up from a 0.3 percent increase in December.

The largest gain was observed in goods-producing industries, which rose 1.1 percent, marking the highest increase since October 2021. As for Canada’s resources, the mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction sector increased by 1.8 percent during the first month of the year. This increase was driven by a 2.6 percent rise in the oil and gas extraction subsector. However, metal ore mining declined by 1.2 percent.

The agency also provided a brief estimate of February’s GDP numbers, as well as a look at Canada and the US’s metal manufacturing trade. Tariff threats from the United States appear to have kept numbers flat, as preliminary real GDP data is “essentially unchanged in February.” Official data for February will be released on April 30.

Markets and commodities react

In Canada, markets were in the red this week. The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) fell 1.2 percent during the week to close at 24,759.15 on Friday, the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) decreased 1.04 percent to 633.63 and the CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) dropped 2.43 percent to 121.13.

US equity markets fell even further this week. The S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) lost 2.4 percent to close at 5,5680.95, the Nasdaq 100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) dropped 3.79 percent to 19,281.40 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) shed 1.41 percent to 41,583.91.

The gold price climbed to fresh all time highs this week gaining 2.02 percent to US$3,084.48 per ounce at 5:00 p.m. EDT Friday. The silver price rose higher with a 3.29 percent increase during the period to US$34.10.

In base metals, the copper price set an all time high of US$5.32 per pound on Wednesday before finishing the week flat to close out Friday at US$5.13 per pound on the COMEX. Meanwhile, the S&P GSCI (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) was up 0.41 percent to close at 560.50.

Top Canadian mining stocks this week

So how did mining stocks perform against this backdrop? We break down this week’s five best-performing Canadian mining stocks below.

Stock data for this article was retrieved at 2:00 p.m. EDT on Friday using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market capitalizations greater than C$10 million are included. Companies within the non-energy minerals and energy minerals sectors were considered.

1. Euro Sun Mining (TSX:ESM)

Company Profile

Weekly gain: 53.85 percent
Market cap: C$30.94 million
Share price: C$0.10

Euro Sun Mining is a copper and gold development company focused on advancing its Rovina Valley project in Romania.

The project’s mining license received full approval for 20 years in 2018, with the option to renew it in five-year increments.

An updated feasibility study from March 2022 demonstrated the project’s economics, showing a post-tax net present value of US$512 million and an internal rate of return of 20.5 percent, assuming a base case gold price of US$1,675 per ounce and a copper price of US$3.75 per pound.

Proven and probable mineral reserve estimates for the site show contained quantities of 197,522 metric tons of copper with an average grade of 0.16 percent, along with 1.84 million ounces of gold with an average grade of 0.47 grams per metric ton (g/t) from 123.3 million metric tons of ore.

Although Euro Sun did not release news this week, shares increased alongside a rising copper price.

2. Rackla Metals (TSXV:RAK)

Company Profile

Weekly gain: 50 percent
Market cap: C$22.58 million
Share price: C$0.225

Rackla Metals is a gold exploration company with a significant land package covering 59,000 hectares in the Eastern Yukon and Western Northwest Territories, Canada. The firm is specifically targeting properties within the Tombstone Gold Belt, which hosts a gold system that tends to produce deposits in clusters.

Among its key projects is the Astro plutonic complex in the Northwest Territories, which is in close proximity to significant discoveries at Snowline Gold’s (TSXV:SGD,OTCQB:SNWGF) Rogue plutonic complex and Fireweed Metals’ (TSXV:FWZ,OTCQX:FWEDF) Macmillan Pass project.

Besides Astro, Rackla has been exploring its Grad property, which it initially staked in August 2024. Work at the 4,000 hectare site has focused on anomalies identified in a government regional geochemical survey. In October 2024, the company reported that grab samples from the BiTe zone yielded grades of up to 92 g/t gold in its season-end exploration update.

The company’s latest release came on Tuesday (March 24), when it announced a non-brokered private placement to raise total gross proceeds of C$2.45 million. The company intends to use proceeds to advance work at its Tombstone gold belt properties.

3. Tidewater Renewables (TSX:LCFS)

Company Profile

Weekly gain: 49.55 percent
Market cap: C$112.45 million
Share price: C$3.35

Tidewater Resources is focused on the production of low-carbon fuels from facilities in British Columbia, Canada.

Its sole operation is a renewable diesel and hydrogen complex located near Prince George. The project has a nameplate capacity of 3,000 barrels per day of renewable diesel and 23.7 metric tons per day of hydrogen. The plant began production during Q4 2023 using feedstock that included soybean and canola oil.

The company is expanding the site to produce sustainable aviation fuel, which it plans to start producing in 2028.

On March 6, Tidewater announced that it had advised the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) to initiate an anti-subsidy and anti-dumping duty investigation into imports of renewable diesel from the US. The release indicated that the CBSA confirmed that Tidewater had provided sufficient evidence to support the allegations.

Tidewater expects that additional duties of between C$0.50 and C$0.80 will be applied to renewable diesel imports originating from the US, which would provide increased market stability for Tidewater products.

The company released its financial results for 2024 on Thursday, March 27. In the announcement, the company stated that its renewable diesel and hydrogen complex achieved an average daily throughput of 2,677 barrels per day in the fourth quarter, marking a significant increase from the 1,700 barrels per day throughput in Q4 2023.

4. Titan Mining (TSX:TI)

Company Profile

Weekly gain: 48.28 percent
Market cap: C$57.27 million
Share price: C$0.43

Titan Mining is a critical mineral mining and development company focused on advancing and exploring its zinc and graphite assets in New York, US.

Its Empire State Mines (ESM) zinc operations include ESM 4, which restarted production in January 2018, along with six past-producing mines capable of supplying additional feedstock for its onsite mill.

On January 7, Titan released an updated life of mine plan for its ESM properties, which projected a 35 percent increase in production compared to its previous plan released in 2021. The new plan extends the mine’s operational life to nine years, up from seven, and anticipates the production of 636 million pounds of zinc, increased from 470 million pounds in the prior plan.

In addition to zinc, the company also owns the Kilbourne graphite deposit located 4,000 feet from the existing mill at its Empire Mines operation.

A December 2024 maiden mineral resource estimate demonstrated an open pit inferred resource of 653,000 short tons of contained graphite from 22.42 million short tons of ore with an average grade of 2.91 percent copper.

Titan’s most recent news came on March 20, when it released its full-year 2024 results. In the announcement, the company stated it had achieved the upper end of production guidance with 59.5 million pounds of payable zinc. It also reported C1 cash costs of US$0.91 per payable pound sold, which was below the guidance range of US$0.98 to US$1.02.

5. Supernova Metals (CSE:SUPR)

Weekly gain: 39.71 percent
Market cap: C$14.1 million
Share price: C$0.475

Supernova Metals is an exploration company with rare earth mineral claims in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, as well as petroleum interests in Namibia.

Its TT rare earth claims comprise two licenses spanning 825 hectares in central Labrador and are adjacent to Canada Rare Earth’s (TSXV:LL,OTC Pink:RAREF) Two Tom project. The company shared plans to begin exploration in February.

In addition to its TT Claims, the company announced on January 31 that it had successfully completed its acquisition of NamLith Resources. The purchase provides Supernova with an 8.75 percent indirect ownership interest in Block 2712A and petroleum exploration license 107 in Namibia’s offshore Orange Basin.

In a follow-up on February 6, Supernova reported that a NI51-101 technical report is being prepared for the block. The company has since added two senior strategic advisors with experience in the energy industry.

The company has not released any project updates in the past week.

FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

What is the difference between the TSX and TSXV?

The TSX, or Toronto Stock Exchange, is used by senior companies with larger market caps, and the TSXV, or TSX Venture Exchange, is used by smaller-cap companies. Companies listed on the TSXV can graduate to the senior exchange.

How many companies are listed on the TSXV?

As of June 2024, there were 1,630 companies listed on the TSXV, 925 of which were mining companies. Comparatively, the TSX was home to 1,806 companies, with 188 of those being mining companies.

Together the TSX and TSXV host around 40 percent of the world’s public mining companies.

How much does it cost to list on the TSXV?

There are a variety of different fees that companies must pay to list on the TSXV, and according to the exchange, they can vary based on the transaction’s nature and complexity. The listing fee alone will most likely cost between C$10,000 to C$70,000. Accounting and auditing fees could rack up between C$25,000 and C$100,000, while legal fees are expected to be over C$75,000 and an underwriters’ commission may hit up to 12 percent.

The exchange lists a handful of other fees and expenses companies can expect, including but not limited to security commission and transfer agency fees, investor relations costs and director and officer liability insurance.

These are all just for the initial listing, of course. There are ongoing expenses once companies are trading, such as sustaining fees and additional listing fees, plus the costs associated with filing regular reports.

How do you trade on the TSXV?

Investors can trade on the TSXV the way they would trade stocks on any exchange. This means they can use a stock broker or an individual investment account to buy and sell shares of TSXV-listed companies during the exchange’s trading hours.

Article by Dean Belder; FAQs by Lauren Kelly.

Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Securities Disclosure: I, Lauren Kelly, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Editor’s Picks: Gold Hits New High, Silver Squeeze 2.0 Next Week?

The gold price continued moving higher this week, reaching yet another record.

After trading as low as US$3,006 per ounce on Monday (March 24), the yellow metal took off midway through the week, closing at US$3,085 on Friday (March 28).

So what factors are moving gold right now?

Many experts agree that the precious metal is benefiting from long-term underlying drivers — like central bank buying — as well as recent turmoil surrounding tariffs, the US economy and global conflicts.

Tariffs were definitely in focus this week, with US President Donald Trump signing an executive order to impose 25 percent tariffs on all automobile imports starting on April 3.

Trump’s reciprocal tariffs are also set to go into effect on that day.

Anything can happen, but at this point it seems fairly certain that gold itself is unlikely to face tariffs. Here’s how Dana Samuelson of American Gold Exchange explained it:

‘My opinion is that it doesn’t make sense to tariff gold because it is a tier-one asset — it’s equivalent to a Treasury. So they’re not going to tariff Treasuries, right?

‘The commodity uses for gold are about 5 percent compared to 95 percent being a monetary metal. So I don’t think it makes sense to tariff gold.’

He added that silver, which has strong industrial applications, could face tariffs.

Copper is another story entirely — Trump previously ordered the Department of Commerce to investigate copper tariffs, and while it was supposed to provide a report within 270 days, sources now indicate it could come sooner. People familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that the investigation ‘is looking like little more than a formality,’ and the news has bolstered prices for the red metal.

Copper futures on the Comex in New York rose to an all-time high this week, although London copper prices declined, creating a larger spread between the two.

Going back to gold, the precious metal is also digesting last week’s US Federal Reserve meeting, which saw the central bank leave rates unchanged. While officials are still calling for only two cuts this year, Danielle DiMartino Booth of QI Research thinks the Fed could cut as many as four to five times in 2025.

Here’s what she said:

‘I do see the pace of layoffs and bankruptcies in the US economy as probably (putting) the Fed in a tight position going into May. We’ve got two nonfarm payroll reports before they meet on May 7, and I think that because the unemployment rate is just a rounding error shy of being at 4.2 percent, that there is a risk — a very tangible risk given, again, all of the layoffs, store closures that we’ve seen in 2025 — in economic fallout, not just in the public sector, but more so in the private sector.

‘The Fed (could) be at its 4.4 percent year-end unemployment rate target a lot sooner than it foresees, such that the president could be right here — we could be seeing quite a few more than two interest rate cuts this year. I foresee maybe four or five.’

Friday brought the release of the latest US personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index data, and it shows that core PCE was up 0.4 percent month-on-month in February, the largest gain since January 2024. On a yearly basis, core PCE was up 2.8 percent.

Both numbers are higher than analysts’ estimates of 0.3 and 2.7 percent, respectively.

PCE is the Fed’s preferred gauge for inflation, and is expected to impact its next rate decision.

Bullet briefing — Silver squeeze 2.0?

Elsewhere in the precious metals space, silver is spending time in the spotlight as social media users plan a ‘silver squeeze 2.0’ for this coming Monday (March 31).

Many market participants will be familiar with the 2021 silver squeeze, when members of Reddit’s WallStreetBets forum tried to squeeze the market like they did for GameStop (NYSE:GME).

The movement got a lot of attention and resulted in some price movement before petering out.

This time around, the push seems to have originated on X, formerly Twitter, where it’s quickly gained traction among key players in the silver community.

Days ahead of the official squeeze, the white metal’s price is on the move. It rose to the US$34.50 per ounce level on Thursday (March 27), although it had pulled back to around US$34.10 by Friday’s close.

The activity has sparked optimism about what will unfold next week — while silver is known to be frustrating, it can also move quickly when it does break out.

Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Stock Market News UK Update: FTSE 100 & 250 Rise

Stock Market News: UK Forecast and Technical Analysis

Today, the UK stock market saw the FTSE 250 increase by 195 points (0.9%) to 21,628, nearly matching the 1.2% increase in the FTSE 100, driven largely by gains in mining stocks. This positive momentum is creating a bullish sentiment in the market.

The two London indices are leading the European market this morning. The DAX is up 0.7% in Germany, followed by the FTSE MIB in Italy, the CAC 40 in France, and the IBEX 35 in Spain, all of which are up 0.4%, reinforcing the optimistic outlook across Europe.

The gain for the Euro Stoxx 600 is just under 1%. Risers include Just Eat Takeaway, rising 17%; TeamViewer, the software company and owner of Kenco, JD Peet.

Among the higher risers, Wickes Group PLC, one of the UK’s listed companies, has seen a 3.3% increase in revenue despite facing difficulties retaining customers for its custom kitchen, home office installation, and bathroom services.

In the first half, this segment’s revenues were destroyed by 17%, offsetting the 1% growth in revenue in its core retail offering.

GSK Shares Decline

GSK PLC, the drugmaker listed on the FTSE 100, raised its annual earnings and sales forecasts due to strong second-quarter performance from HIV and cancer treatments, but the stock is currently down 2.5%.

Core EPS profits are now expected to increase by 10-12% in 2024, up from the previous guidance of 8-10%. Meanwhile, the overall profits are expected to increase by 7-9%, compared to the earlier estimate of 5-7%.

Nonetheless, there were some omissions in the data: vaccination profit fell 9% short of expectations as shingles treatment Shingrix was a 20% disappointment as US sales plummeted 36%.

This is due to decreased demand and inventory reductions. However, it is important to note that international sales make up about 64% of total revenue.

General medicine, oncology, and HIV all performed better than anticipated.

GSK/GBX 5-Day Chart

Growth Expectation For FTSE 250

In the last five years, Greggs’ shares have increased by 40%, outpacing the FTSE 250 London stock. The company’s first-half (H1) results have given them an additional 5% boost.

The most recent data shows a 16% increase in profit before taxes and a 14% increase in sales.

However, despite these gains, projections indicate a minor decline in Greggs’ EPS for the full year 2024. However, the company’s first-half revenue increased by only 15%.

It is a basic diluted estimate that does not account for anomalies. However, it raises the possibility that projections are simply exaggerating the situation.

Thanks to these expenditures and a well-defined expansion plan, Greggs has produced substantial returns for its owners.

For the 2023 fiscal year, Greggs reported record yearly sales of £1.8 billion and a profit before taxes of £188.3 million.

The company also disclosed a significant capital investment program aimed at enhancing its manufacturing capacity and expanding its capacity to accommodate approximately 3,500 stores throughout the United Kingdom.

UK Stock Market Today: FTSE Stock Surge

Among the top risers in the FTSE, Antofagasta PLC and Rio Tinto have shown significant gains. Antofagasta PLC saw notable gains despite no specific news being released. Rio Tinto’s positive results, which included a 1.8% increase in first-half profit, contributed to a 1% rise in its shares and may have influenced the broader market.

More significantly, there are rumours that the Anglo-Australian miner Antofagasta is eyeing a major opportunity in the copper industry, further boosting investor confidence.

The Footsie has continued to rise, hitting a two-month peak of nearly 8,374 following a 1.2% increase. This is the highest value for the London standard since May 22nd, topping 8,368.

HSBC Makes a £3 Billion Buyback

Following a largely flat first half of the year, HSBC Holdings PLC announced an additional interim dividend and a £3 billion share buyback.

For the first half of 2024, the £0.10 per share dividend will equate to 20 cents, unchanged from the previous year. The share buyback is anticipated to be finished in three months.

The bank, with a focus on Asia, reported a first-half pre-tax profit of $21.6 billion, which was marginally lower than the same period last year, even though revenue increased 1% to $37.3 billion and certain “strategic transactions” had a net positive revenue impact of $0.2 billion.

The second quarter’s $16.5 billion in revenues exceeded analysts’ expectations, and the quarter’s $8.9 billion profit before taxes was significantly more than the $7.8 billion they had predicted.

Despite being lower than the 1.53% consensus estimate, the net interest margin improved from 1.7% to 1.62% a year ago due to an increase in the finance cost of average profit liabilities. These developments are significant for the stock market news UK, as they may influence investor sentiment and market trends.

FTSE 250 Share Price

  • Value: 21,572.34
  • Net Variation: 139.83
  • High/Low: 21,649.47 / 21,430.07
  • Previously closed price: 21,432.51
  • 52WK range: 16,783.09 – 21,432.51
  • Launch date: October 12th 1992
  • Constituents number: 250
  • Net MCap: 324,478
  • Dividend Yield: 3.35%
  • Average: 1,298
  • Largest: 4,059
  • Smallest: 81
  • Median: 1,085

FTSE 100 Share Price

  • Value: 8,390.33
  • Previous Close: 8,292.35
  • Open Price: 8,292.35
  • Day low: 8,235.55
  • Day High: 8,297.92
  • 52-week low: 7,215.76
  • 52-week high: 8,474.41

In summary, today’s gains on the stock market news UK are remarkable, as the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 indices both saw an increase. Mining stocks, especially in the FTSE 100, have primarily driven these gains. Major indices have also increased throughout Europe, indicating an optimistic trend in the market.

While GSK continues to face difficulties even after increasing its earnings projections, Greggs has shown remarkable growth in both its stock price as well as profitability. Despite a little fluctuation in its profit margins, HSBC’s announcement of a significant share buyback and dividend demonstrates the strength of its financial position.

The post Stock Market News UK Update: FTSE 100 & 250 Rise appeared first on FinanceBrokerage.

Stock Market News UK Update: FTSE 100 & 250 Rise

Stock Market News: UK Forecast and Technical Analysis

Today, the UK stock market saw the FTSE 250 increase by 195 points (0.9%) to 21,628, nearly matching the 1.2% increase in the FTSE 100, driven largely by gains in mining stocks. This positive momentum is creating a bullish sentiment in the market.

The two London indices are leading the European market this morning. The DAX is up 0.7% in Germany, followed by the FTSE MIB in Italy, the CAC 40 in France, and the IBEX 35 in Spain, all of which are up 0.4%, reinforcing the optimistic outlook across Europe.

The gain for the Euro Stoxx 600 is just under 1%. Risers include Just Eat Takeaway, rising 17%; TeamViewer, the software company and owner of Kenco, JD Peet.

Among the higher risers, Wickes Group PLC, one of the UK’s listed companies, has seen a 3.3% increase in revenue despite facing difficulties retaining customers for its custom kitchen, home office installation, and bathroom services.

In the first half, this segment’s revenues were destroyed by 17%, offsetting the 1% growth in revenue in its core retail offering.

GSK Shares Decline

GSK PLC, the drugmaker listed on the FTSE 100, raised its annual earnings and sales forecasts due to strong second-quarter performance from HIV and cancer treatments, but the stock is currently down 2.5%.

Core EPS profits are now expected to increase by 10-12% in 2024, up from the previous guidance of 8-10%. Meanwhile, the overall profits are expected to increase by 7-9%, compared to the earlier estimate of 5-7%.

Nonetheless, there were some omissions in the data: vaccination profit fell 9% short of expectations as shingles treatment Shingrix was a 20% disappointment as US sales plummeted 36%.

This is due to decreased demand and inventory reductions. However, it is important to note that international sales make up about 64% of total revenue.

General medicine, oncology, and HIV all performed better than anticipated.

GSK/GBX 5-Day Chart

Growth Expectation For FTSE 250

In the last five years, Greggs’ shares have increased by 40%, outpacing the FTSE 250 London stock. The company’s first-half (H1) results have given them an additional 5% boost.

The most recent data shows a 16% increase in profit before taxes and a 14% increase in sales.

However, despite these gains, projections indicate a minor decline in Greggs’ EPS for the full year 2024. However, the company’s first-half revenue increased by only 15%.

It is a basic diluted estimate that does not account for anomalies. However, it raises the possibility that projections are simply exaggerating the situation.

Thanks to these expenditures and a well-defined expansion plan, Greggs has produced substantial returns for its owners.

For the 2023 fiscal year, Greggs reported record yearly sales of £1.8 billion and a profit before taxes of £188.3 million.

The company also disclosed a significant capital investment program aimed at enhancing its manufacturing capacity and expanding its capacity to accommodate approximately 3,500 stores throughout the United Kingdom.

UK Stock Market Today: FTSE Stock Surge

Among the top risers in the FTSE, Antofagasta PLC and Rio Tinto have shown significant gains. Antofagasta PLC saw notable gains despite no specific news being released. Rio Tinto’s positive results, which included a 1.8% increase in first-half profit, contributed to a 1% rise in its shares and may have influenced the broader market.

More significantly, there are rumours that the Anglo-Australian miner Antofagasta is eyeing a major opportunity in the copper industry, further boosting investor confidence.

The Footsie has continued to rise, hitting a two-month peak of nearly 8,374 following a 1.2% increase. This is the highest value for the London standard since May 22nd, topping 8,368.

HSBC Makes a £3 Billion Buyback

Following a largely flat first half of the year, HSBC Holdings PLC announced an additional interim dividend and a £3 billion share buyback.

For the first half of 2024, the £0.10 per share dividend will equate to 20 cents, unchanged from the previous year. The share buyback is anticipated to be finished in three months.

The bank, with a focus on Asia, reported a first-half pre-tax profit of $21.6 billion, which was marginally lower than the same period last year, even though revenue increased 1% to $37.3 billion and certain “strategic transactions” had a net positive revenue impact of $0.2 billion.

The second quarter’s $16.5 billion in revenues exceeded analysts’ expectations, and the quarter’s $8.9 billion profit before taxes was significantly more than the $7.8 billion they had predicted.

Despite being lower than the 1.53% consensus estimate, the net interest margin improved from 1.7% to 1.62% a year ago due to an increase in the finance cost of average profit liabilities. These developments are significant for the stock market news UK, as they may influence investor sentiment and market trends.

FTSE 250 Share Price

  • Value: 21,572.34
  • Net Variation: 139.83
  • High/Low: 21,649.47 / 21,430.07
  • Previously closed price: 21,432.51
  • 52WK range: 16,783.09 – 21,432.51
  • Launch date: October 12th 1992
  • Constituents number: 250
  • Net MCap: 324,478
  • Dividend Yield: 3.35%
  • Average: 1,298
  • Largest: 4,059
  • Smallest: 81
  • Median: 1,085

FTSE 100 Share Price

  • Value: 8,390.33
  • Previous Close: 8,292.35
  • Open Price: 8,292.35
  • Day low: 8,235.55
  • Day High: 8,297.92
  • 52-week low: 7,215.76
  • 52-week high: 8,474.41

In summary, today’s gains on the stock market news UK are remarkable, as the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 indices both saw an increase. Mining stocks, especially in the FTSE 100, have primarily driven these gains. Major indices have also increased throughout Europe, indicating an optimistic trend in the market.

While GSK continues to face difficulties even after increasing its earnings projections, Greggs has shown remarkable growth in both its stock price as well as profitability. Despite a little fluctuation in its profit margins, HSBC’s announcement of a significant share buyback and dividend demonstrates the strength of its financial position.

The post Stock Market News UK Update: FTSE 100 & 250 Rise appeared first on FinanceBrokerage.

Lululemon shares drop 15% as CEO says inflation, economic concerns are weighing on spending

Lululemon beat Wall Street expectations for fiscal fourth-quarter earnings and revenue, but issued 2025 guidance that disappointed analysts.

On an Thursday earnings call, CEO Calvin McDonald said the athleticwear company conducted a survey earlier this month that found that consumers are spending less due to economic and inflation concerns, resulting in lower U.S. traffic at Lululemon and industry peers. However, he said, shoppers responded well to innovation at the company.

“There continues to be considerable uncertainty driven by macro and geopolitical circumstances. That being said, we remain focused on what we can control,” McDonald said.

Shares of the apparel company plunged 15% on Friday morning.

Lululemon was only the latest retailer to say it expects slower sales for the rest of this year as concerns grow about a weakening economy and President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Even so, the Canada-based company said it expected only a minimal hit to profits from the U.S. trade war with countries including Canada, Mexico and China.

Here’s how the company did compared with what Wall Street was expecting for the quarter ended Feb. 2, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG:

Fourth-quarter revenue rose from $3.21 billion during the same period in 2023. Full-year 2024 revenue came in at $10.59 billion, up from $9.62 billion in 2023.

Lululemon’s fiscal 2024 contained 53 weeks, one week longer than its fiscal 2023. Excluding the 53rd week, fourth-quarter and full-year revenue both rose 8% year over year for 2024.

Lululemon expects first-quarter revenue to total $2.34 billion to $2.36 billion, while Wall Street analysts were expecting $2.39 billion, according to LSEG. The retailer anticipates it will post full-year fiscal 2025 revenue of $11.15 billion to $11.30 billion, compared to the analyst consensus estimate of $11.31 billion.

For the first quarter, the company expects to post earnings per share in the range of $2.53 to $2.58, missing Wall Street’s expectation of $2.72, according to LSEG. Full-year earnings per share guidance came in at $14.95 to $15.15 per share, while analysts anticipated $15.31.

CFO Meghan Frank said on the Thursday earnings call that gross margin for 2025 is expected to fall 0.6 percentage points due to higher fixed costs, foreign exchange rates and U.S. tariffs on China and Mexico.

Lululemon reported a net income for the fourth quarter of $748 million, or $6.14 per share, compared with a net income of $669 million, or $5.29 per share, during the fourth quarter of 2023.

Comparable sales, which Lululemon defines as revenue from e-commerce and stores open at least 12 months, rose 3% year over year for the quarter. The comparison excludes the 53rd week of the 2024 fiscal year. Analysts expected the metric to rise 5.1%.

Comparable sales in the Americas were flat, while they grew 20% internationally. Lululemon has been facing a sales slowdown in the U.S., although McDonald said its U.S. business stabilized in the second half of the year and partially attributed the improvement to new merchandise. He added that Lululemon will expand its stores to Italy, Denmark, Belgium, Turkey and the Czech Republic this year.

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FCC is investigating Disney and ABC for DEI initiatives

The Federal Communications Commission has alerted the Walt Disney Company and its ABC unit that it will begin an investigation into the diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at the media giant.

The FCC, the agency that regulates the media and telecommunications industry, said in a letter dated Friday that it wants to “ensure that Disney and ABC have not been violating FCC equal employment opportunity regulations by promoting invidious forms of DEI discrimination.”

“We are reviewing the Federal Communications Commission’s letter, and we look forward to engaging with the commission to answer its questions,” a Disney spokesperson told CNBC.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who was recently appointed by President Donald Trump, began a similar investigation into Comcast and NBCUniversal in early February.

The inquiry comes after Trump signed an executive order looking to end DEI practices at U.S. corporations in January. The order calls for each federal agency to “identify up to nine potential civil compliance investigations” among publicly traded companies, as well as nonprofits and other institutions.

“For decades, Disney focused on churning out box office and programming successes,” Carr wrote in the letter to CEO Bob Iger. “But then something changed. Disney has now been embroiled in rounds of controversy surrounding its DEI policies.”

An FCC spokesperson didn’t comment beyond the letter.

Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and NBC News.

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