Against a volatile backdrop for markets, investment trust JPMorgan Global Growth & Income (JGGI) generated a 9.1% H1 NAV return. That was behind the 13.3% return for the MSCI ACWI (All Countries World Index) in sterling terms but still respectable. Short-term underperformance The £3.3 billion trust, which looks for predictable income and long-term growth, has comfortably beaten the benchmark over five and 10 years. However, over shorter periods it can lag, as in the six months to December when the market favoured short-term momentum over long-term fundamentals. In terms of contribution versus the index, asset allocation detracted 0.5% of performance…

Shares in shipbroking and logistics group Clarkson (CKN) sailed to a new high on the announcement the firm had bought Link Group.  Link is the market-leading North American physical crude and derivatives oil brokerage business and data provider. Earnings enhancing The acquisition marks a major step in Clarkson’s strategy to enhance and grow its capabilities in physical commodities, derivatives and data. It also expands Clarkson’s presence in the Americas and will be immediately earnings enhancing. With WTI (West Texas Intermediate) now part of the Brent pricing complex, market participants are increasingly using the CME HTT (WTI Gulf Coast) contract to…

Specialist industrial parts distributor Diploma (DPLM) raised its guidance for FY26 revenue growth and margins after ‘very strong’ H1 trading. Shares in the group jumped 800p or 16% to a new all-time high of £58.40. Sales and margin upgrade The firm said it delivered a ‘great’ sales performance in H1 and was confident in the H2 outlook. It also said margins continued to expand helped by ‘steady accretion’ across the group and the integration of Peerless. Therefore, it raised its FY organic sales growth forecast from 6% to 9%, with 3% growth from acquisitions as before. So far Diploma has…

According to a recent study published by Bowmore Asset Management, 52% of the FTSE 100’s total return over the last decade came from dividends. Let that sink in for a minute. Not capital appreciation, re-rating, economic expansion, earnings growth or buybacks, but dividends. FTSE 100 total return with dividends vs without dividends Source: Bowmore Asset Management There are plenty of experts who will argue dividends are a drag on growth and should be the last resort when a company is allocating capital. So how is it possible they account for most of the return from big-cap UK stocks since 2016?…

Shares in lender Close Brothers (CBG) slid as doubts continued to swirl over the firm’s potential exposure to motor finance claims. The fall followed a 14% drop on Monday following a short-selling attack by Viceroy Research. Claim and counter-claim In a note titled ‘Commission Impossible’, Viceroy said it was short Close Brothers shares. It argued Close would have to double its existing provisions and its CET1 regulatory capital limits were ‘already at risk’. The short seller went on to claim Close had ‘systematically misrepresented’ its exposure to the FCA’s forthcoming Motor Finance Consumer Redress Scheme. Viceroy estimates claims could be…

Subsea services group Ashtead Technology (AT.) posted FY25 earnings well above the consensus, while revenue was in line with estimates. The firm issued upgraded guidance in January after H2 trading exceeded expectations. Strong market fundamentals For the year to December, revenue rose 21% to £203.2 million as per the firm’s revised guidance. The acquisitions of Seatronics and J2 Subsea contributed 19% growth, while underlying growth net of currency moves was 2%. Adjusted EBITA increased 17.5% to £59.1 million, representing a 29.1% margin, towards the top end of guidance. Adjusted EPS increased 9.8% to 49.4p against the company-compiled consensus of 44.7p.…

AIM-listed maritime surveillance system and navigation device maker SRT Marine (SRT) posted a near-doubling in H1 revenue. The firm also delivered a significant increase in pre-tax profit and operating cash flow. Strong growth and good visibility Revenue for the six months to December 2025 jumped 95% from £26.2 million to £51.1 million. Around 90% of the total came from surveillance systems and around 10% came from the transceivers business. The firm said it would continue to grow revenue in H2 and was confident of meeting market expectations. The current consensus on Stockopedia for FY revenue is £116 million, implying annual…

Mid-market legal services firm DSW Capital (DSW) warned the Iran war had ‘severely impacted’ UK M&A activity. As a result, the company lowered its full-year financial guidance sending its shares down over 15%. ‘Rapid and significant drop-off’ DSW, which owns the Dow Schofield Watts and DR Solicitors brands, said trading this year had largely been profitable. However, its financial year ends in March which is traditionally an important month for M&A completions ahead of the tax year-end. The AIM-listed firm said many deals it had expected to complete this month had been aborted or postponed. Companies are now waiting ‘until…

Life insurance and savings group Standard Life (SDLF) delivered better-than-expected FY25 profit and maintained its FY26 guidance. The firm, formerly known as Phoenix Group, changed its name and stock ticker earlier this year. A growing market The company buys and manages books of pensions and life insurance businesses which are closed to new customers. Over the past few years, more firms have moved to sell their Workplace pension liabilities to insurers. The UK long-term savings and retirement market is expected to grow by 70% over the next decade. Additionally, the company sees annual flows in the Workplace market reaching around…

In today’s podcast, the Sharesify team talk markets, technicals, and the week’s winners and losers. While the FTSE 100 is still clinging above 10,000, the S&P 500 is nearing a key market support level. Ian explains what it is and why so many market-watchers are keeping an eye on it. Companies in focus First up, Steve flags results from US software behemoths Adobe (ADBE) and Oracle (ORCL). In Adobe’s case, strong Q1 revenue growth and increasing AI adoption have been overshadowed by the CEO’s surprise departure. Oracle shares on the other hand have enjoyed a strong rally on current growth…