Latest news with #Footsie
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
2 dirt cheap FTSE 100 shares! Which should investors consider in June?
There's no shortage of undervalued FTSE 100 stocks to choose from today. But which of these two banking giants could be the better share to consider as summer kicks off? Let's take a look. Lloyds' (LSE:LLOY) share price has rocketed more than 40% since the start of 2025. Yet concerns over weak economic conditions and multi-billion-pound misconduct charges means it still looks dirt cheap on paper. The bank trades on a forward price-to-earnings growth (PEG) ratio of 0.6. A figure below 1 indicates a share is undervalued. Meanwhile, a 4.4% dividend yield beats the Footsie average by around a percentage point. Hopes over sustained interest rate cuts continue to propel Lloyds' shares higher. Further Bank of England-induced interest rate reductions might help kick-start economic growth, boosting credit demand from businesses and consumers. Its effect could be especially beneficial for homes sales and therefore mortgage uptake, a key area for the company. Lloyds' market share here stands at around 19%. Despite a recent inflationary uptick, I'm confident interest rates will keep falling over the year and into 2026. But this doesn't necessarily mean a 'net win' for the banks. Falling rates are a double-edged sword, as they also weigh on net interest margins (NIMs). This is the difference between what the likes of Lloyds charge borrowers and pay to savers. The Black Horse Bank's margins are already under threat as competition rises across its product lines. I'm also concerned about the prospect of rising impairments as the UK economy struggles. During Q1, the company's underlying impairments soared to £309m from £57m the year before. My biggest fear however, relates to the possibility of crushing penalties if the bank's found guilty of mis-selling car finance. Some believe the £1.2bn it's set aside for such a scenario could be a drop in the ocean. A crisis on the scale of the historical PPI scandal could prove catastrophic for Lloyds' share price along with its dividend. Largely speaking, Asia-focused HSBC (LSE:HSBA) faces the same opportunities and threats as Lloyds right now. While it's not dependent on the UK to drive earnings, it has considerable exposure to China where economic conditions remain tough and is vulnerable to escalating trade wars. However, I think the emerging market bank is a far more attractive proposition to consider. Despite difficulties on the ground, the performance of its core units remain resolute. Underlying revenues and pre-tax profit increased 7% and 11% respectively in the opening quarter. Profits beat forecasts by mid-teen percentages, even though impairments ticked up year on year. Today, HSBC shares trade on a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 8.8 times, beating Lloyds' shares (10.9 times) by a healthy margin. The bank's dividend yield is 5.7%, also a healthy distance above its FTSE 100 peer. However, its PEG ratio of 1.3 is less impressive. But, on balance, I think it's the more attractive blue-chip bank to consider today. Its share price is up 11% in 2025 so far and has further scope to rise, driven by surging banking product penetration from current low levels. And unlike Lloyds, it doesn't have a potentially costly motor finance investigation to tackle. Of the two, I much prefer it. The post 2 dirt cheap FTSE 100 shares! Which should investors consider in June? appeared first on The Motley Fool UK. More reading 5 Stocks For Trying To Build Wealth After 50 One Top Growth Stock from the Motley Fool HSBC Holdings is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Royston Wild has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has recommended HSBC Holdings and Lloyds Banking Group Plc. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. Motley Fool UK 2025 Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sutton's predictions v grime stars Footsie & Strategy
The Premier League's top two meet at Anfield on Sunday but there is far more at stake earlier the same day when Newcastle host Chelsea. "This is huge for both sides in the race for the top five, and there are definitely some goals in this game," said BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton. "Chelsea have hit form again and it is important for them that Cole Palmer has ended his goal drought, but Newcastle are going to go for it because they are at home." Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests. For week 36, he takes on grime stars Footsie and Strategy, who are both Manchester United fans. Footsie and Strategy's collaborative album, Theatre of Dreams, was released on Thursday along with their video for their new lead single, Standard, which was shot in Manchester and London. Do you agree with their scores? You can make your own predictions below. The most popular scoreline selected for each game is used in the scoreboards and tables at the bottom of this page. A correct result (picking a win, draw or defeat) is worth 10 points. The exact score earns 40 points. Footsie is from east London but followed in his family's footsteps by supporting United. "When my grandparents came over from Jamaica, they landed in Manchester," he told BBC Sport. "My grandad worked there for a bit, and that's where the love for United comes from - my dad supported them too, and the whole family were Reds from there." For Strategy, who grew up much closer to Old Trafford, there was never any choice either. "My mum lived in Lower Broughton which was round the corner from The Cliff (United's old training ground) so when we were kids we used to hang out there and see all the players like Eric Cantona and David Beckham," he explained. "My Nana lives in Ordsall, which is like a two-minute walk from Old Trafford, and I used to catch my school bus from outside the ground every day. "I used to regularly see Fergie (Sir Alex Ferguson) when I was stood waiting at the bus stop, and I've got a photo of me with him and Bobby Charlton. "It's not quite the same but just the other day Footsie and I got a follow off JJ Gabriel [the 14-year-old old United striker dubbed 'Kid Messi']. That will impress a lot of girls in about three years time!" View this post on Instagram A post shared by @sirspyro Footsie and Strategy performed a freestyle on Sir Spyro's The Grime Show on BBC Radio 1Xtra on Tuesday, which is available now on BBC Sounds. Before beginning his music career, Footsie was a talented footballer in his youth. He played for famous east London junior side Senrab FC and was on Charlton's books as a teenager. "Senrab produced an amazing amount of footballers - Jermain Defoe, John Terry, Paul Konchesky and Ledley King all played for them," Footsie said. "I was in the same team as Muzzy Izzet and Jon Fortune and we were the top team in England in our age group. "I had a long stint at Charlton as a schoolboy, but then music was my calling really." Strategy played a lot of football as a teenager too, but admits it was not at as high a level. "I had the ability, but I never had the mentality," he said. "I was a great finisher, but I just did not take well to training on a Wednesday morning in the rain. "Like Footsie, I am an FA qualified football coach though. I did that for a while, but then music took over for me too." Chris Sutton, Footsie and Strategy were speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan. Fulham 1-3 Everton I was at Goodison Park for Everton's draw with Ipswich last week and although the result was disappointing, they played well enough to win. If Everton had taken their chances they would have had the points wrapped up before Ipswich got back into the game. As I've said before though, I don't think it's a bad thing that they have not sustained their early form under David Moyes because that would paint a false picture of how strong their squad is, and it needs a serious overhaul in the summer. Moyes definitely lifted things when he took over in January but he has got some big decisions to make about who stays and goes, and it feels like a few players are on trial at the moment, with their futures uncertain. As for Fulham, well I've found them almost impossible to call for most of the season, especially at home, but I am going to back Marco Silva's side to take the points here. They will have a go at Everton and, with James Tarkowski injured, I don't think the Toffees will hold out. Sutton's prediction: 2-1 Strategy: Let's make this competitive, shall we? Footsie: Okay then! Strategy's prediction: I am going with Everton 1-2 Footsie's prediction: I am never sure which Fulham will turn up, but my initial thought was that they will win. 2-1 Strategy: Oh it is like that, is it!? Ipswich 0-1 Brentford Ipswich did well to fight back for a draw against Everton last week but this is a really tough game for them. Brentford are such a dynamic team and now they have got Kevin Schade scoring as well as Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, so it is going to be hard to keep them quiet. The Bees recovered from 2-0 down to win 4-3 when they played Ipswich at home in October, with Mbeumo scoring the winner in the 96th minute. That was a big blow for the Tractor Boys at the time, but I don't think this will be anywhere near as close. Brentford have won three games in a row, and this will make it four. Sutton's prediction: 0-2 Footsie's prediction: Brentford are scoring some goals here. 1-3 Strategy's prediction: Yeah, this one is an away win. 0-2 Southampton 0-0 Manchester City Manchester City have got the FA Cup final to look forward to next weekend but they also have a top-five place to secure, so there is no danger they will not be fully focused on that on Saturday. After winning their past four league games, City also have some real momentum for the first time in a long while. You have to go back to August for the last time they managed a run like that. So, I can only see one outcome at St Mary's Stadium, and it is going to leave Southampton stuck on 11 points for at least another week. The only question here really is how many goals City score. Sutton's prediction: 0-3 Footsie's prediction: This is definitely a City win, whether we like it or not! 0-3 Strategy's prediction: I am going to go with Southampton to score a cheeky goal, but City to get four. 1-4 Wolves 0-2 Brighton Wolves' winning run was ended by Manchester City last time out but I was still really impressed by their intensity and they will cause Brighton plenty of problems too. It has been a strange season for the Seagulls, who have been a top-half team for the entire campaign but have won only one of their past seven league games. I don't think their campaign is necessarily fizzling out because they played well in their draw with Newcastle last week, but their poor run might continue because I don't see them beating Wolves either. Sutton's prediction: 2-1 Footsie's prediction: This is a tough one to call. 2-2 Strategy's prediction: I am backing Wolves here. This is a bit of a gamble, but I just have a hunch. 2-0 Vitality Stadium, 17:30 BST This should be a cracking game. Aston Villa really need a win to boost their hopes of making the top five, but how can I back against a Bournemouth side that beat Arsenal last time out? Part of my predictions strategy last week was to back the teams who are going for the Champions League places, but I don't think you can just ignore how well a team like Bournemouth are playing. Sutton's prediction: 2-2 Footsie's prediction: Bournemouth might nick this. 2-1 Strategy's prediction: No, Villa are taking it. 1-2 St James' Park, 12:00 BST It's great to see two teams going head-to-head in this race for the top five and Chelsea probably come into it in better form after getting a great result against Liverpool on Sunday. Yes, they were playing straight after Liverpool had won the title and the Reds had probably been celebrating all week, but they still had to put them away and they did that convincingly. It means Enzo Maresca's side have won their past three league games so they will be full of confidence ahead of this one, but it's going to be tough for them to extend that run. We know Maresca is a stickler for playing out from the back, but doing that against Newcastle is asking for trouble. The Magpies will put them under serious pressure, because that's what they do to teams at St James' Park. Newcastle have got a very physical midfield which might be where the battle is won and lost, and of course Alexander Isak is such a threat too. Chelsea have got match-winners too, if Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke are firing, and my first thought was that there will be lots of goals in this game. With what's at stake, though, it might be a little cagier than that. I think the BBC readers will go for a draw but I am going to stick my neck out and say Newcastle will edge it. Sutton's prediction: 2-1 Footsie's prediction: Newcastle are at home, which makes a difference. 3-1 Strategy's prediction: I rate Newcastle but I'm going with Chelsea. 1-2 Old Trafford, 14:15 BST I am not sure who would want to watch this game? Manchester United's second string versus such a poor West Ham side with nothing to play for is not exactly essential viewing, is it? The Europa League final is going to be Ruben Amorim's focus for the rest of the season and Brentford made the most of that when they beat a weakened United team last weekend. I am not sure the Hammers are as dynamic as Brentford in attack, however, so they may not be capable of doing the same thing. A lot depends on the United team selection, though. It is hard enough making predictions anyway, but its even harder when there could be mass changes, and you don't know whether it is the United first team who are going to play, or be more like the youth team. That makes this more of a guess, when I am used to applying science to my predictions, but I wish I had gone for West Ham to draw with Tottenham last week, and I am not going to make the same mistake this time. Sutton's prediction: 1-1 Footsie's prediction: I've got to back United haven't I? 2-1 Strategy's prediction: I don't even know what to expect but I think there will be some goals. 4-3 Footsie's favourite United player: I used to play right-back so I used to watch Paul Parker and Denis Irwin avidly and just study their games. Now I've got love for Harry Maguire. He was 10 seconds away from leaving the club but now he is one of our best players by a long way. I love all the workhorses, because you need them. Strategy's favourite United player: I was a full-back too... a left-back. I started out as a striker but just got pushed further back. Everyone starts up front, don't they!? The players I liked were not just down to their performances, but the attitude they brought to the team. So Eric Cantona for me was a massive hero. As a kid, he was the guy. Now? I really like Lisandro Martinez, aka The Butcher. That's my kind of player - even if the performance is not up there, he is giving it everything. City Ground, 14:15 BST I am at this game for Sky and it is a must-win for Nottingham Forest in the top-five race. The pressure is off Leicester because they are already down and they are probably still smiling after getting a rare win over Southampton last time out, when Jamie Vardy scored his 199th goal for the Foxes. I bet Vardy would dearly love to get goal number 200 against Forest's rivals before he leaves the club in the summer, and this game does have a whiff of being one where he has a say in keeping Forest out of the Champions League places Still, if both teams play anything like they have done all season then this is a Forest win, easily. Chris Wood scored twice in a 3-1 win at the King Power in October and although his goals have dried up a bit, I can see him getting back on the scoresheet here. The result is really all that matters for Forest, because they need to get to the last game of the season in touch with Chelsea before they meet in what might turn out to be a Champions League play-off. Forest are playing catch-up at the moment but, with West Ham up next after this, I still think they have a very good chance of making it. Sutton's prediction: 2-0 Footsie's prediction: Forest are taking this. 2-0 Strategy's prediction: Leicester might get something here. 1-1 Tottenham Stadium, 15:00 BST Both clubs can almost forget about this game, really. It is a bit of a nuisance for both of them. Tottenham's season rests on what happens in the Europa League final on 21 May, while for Crystal Palace it is all about the FA Cup final next weekend. Eagles boss Oliver Glasner went strong with his team selection against Forest last week and if he does the same here then I can see a Palace victory. They don't have much to play for, though, because win or lose they look likely to finish in their usual position - 12th. Spurs are still having a stinker of a time with injuries, with James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall both set to miss the rest of the season, and that situation hardly helps Ange Postecoglou with the side he picks. It is hard to make a call without knowing who will play but, all things considered, the most likely outcome is probably a draw. Sutton's prediction: 1-1 Strategy's prediction: Palace will edge it. 0-1 Footsie's prediction: Yeah, Palace might nick that. 1-2 Anfield, 16:30 BST Arsenal were really good against Paris St-Germain on Wednesday, and I was impressed by how brave they were, but they still went out of the Champions League. There will be Gunners fans out there who will think they should be winning more trophies than they have managed under Mikel Arteta, who has still not added to the FA Cup he lifted in his first season, 2019-20. Arsenal are still heading in the right direction but the biggest problem for me has been their recruitment, especially for them to not sign a striker last summer. There are such fine margins between success and failure at the highest level, and you need someone to put away your chances in the biggest games. They basically admitted that by trying to sign Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa in January and if anyone or anything is to blame for another trophyless season, then that's where it lies. Now Arsenal need to refocus and make sure they don't let second place slip away. This game obviously is not the title decider that some people may have anticipated earlier in the season, but I still feel both sides will be desperate to win it. It's just a shame that, from Liverpool's point of view, it might be over-shadowed by the reaction to Trent Alexander-Arnold's announcement he is leaving the club. There is this debate surrounding Alexander-Arnold now, and whether he should start at Anfield this weekend or play for the club again at all, and also what kind of reception he will get if he does. No-one can tell Liverpool fans, or fans of any club, what to think - myself included - but we can all have an opinion on this whether we support them or not, and I think some of the reaction to this whole saga has been completely over the top. Fair-minded people will look at Alexander-Arnold as someone who has given over 20 years service to his boyhood club after rising through the ranks, but just wants a different challenge at Real Madrid, the biggest club in the world, and the most successful one in terms of winning European Cups and Champions Leagues. If they were in the same position, what would they do? You have always got your die-hards who are not going to change or see things anyone else's way, but Alexander-Arnold does not deserve the ridiculous abuse he is getting. In terms of the game itself, I really don't know what to expect. Liverpool were way below their best against Chelsea last week, but Arne Slot could go strong here and they may feel they have a point to prove against their nearest rivals. Similarly, Arsenal could be flat after their disappointment in Paris, or they could come out firing. Hopefully that's the case, and both teams will be up for it. Sutton's prediction: 1-1 Footsie's prediction: It will be close but Liverpool will win. 2-1 Strategy's prediction: That's not a bad shout, I might have to say the same there. 2-1 Last week was huge for Chris and his hopes of defending his BBC predictions title. After the first nine games of week 34, he had five correct results with no exact score, putting him on 50 points. His guest, singer Sasha Keable, had only managed one correct results so had 10 points, but the BBC readers led the way thanks to three correct results and one exact score, giving them 70 points. That meant it all came down to Monday's game between Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest and, while Sasha and the BBC readers backed Palace to win, Sutton went for a 1-1 draw. That earned him 40 points for an exact score, which gave him his 10th outright weekly win of the season and put him back on top of the table. "I am a predictions genius," was his, erm, somewhat predictable response.
BBC News
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Sutton's predictions v grime stars Footsie & Strategy
The Premier League's top two meet at Anfield on Sunday but there is far more at stake earlier the same day when Newcastle host Chelsea."This is huge for both sides in the race for the top five, and there are definitely some goals in this game," said BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton."Chelsea have hit form again and it is important for them that Cole Palmer has ended his goal drought, but Newcastle are going to go for it because they are at home."Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of week 36, he takes on grime stars Footsie and Strategy, who are both Manchester United and Strategy's collaborative album, Theatre of Dreams, was released on Thursday along with their video for their new lead single, Standard, which was shot in Manchester and you agree with their scores? You can make your own predictions most popular scoreline selected for each game is used in the scoreboards and tables at the bottom of this page.A correct result (picking a win, draw or defeat) is worth 10 points. The exact score earns 40 points. Footsie is from east Lonadon but followed in his family's footsteps by supporting United."When my grandparents came over from Jamaica, they landed in Manchester," he told BBC Sport. "My grandad worked there for a bit, and that's where the love for United comes from - my dad supported them too, and the whole family were Reds from there."For Strategy, who grew up much closer to Old Trafford, there was never any choice either."My mum lived in Lower Broughton which was round the corner from The Cliff (United's old training ground) so when we were kids we used to hang out there and see all the players like Eric Cantona and David Beckham," he explained."My Nana lives in Ordsall, which is like a two-minute walk from Old Trafford, and I used to catch my school bus from outside the ground every day. "I used to regularly see Fergie (Sir Alex Ferguson) when I was stood waiting at the bus stop, and I've got a photo of me with him and Bobby Charlton."It's not quite the same but just the other day Footsie and I got a follow off JJ Gabriel [the 14-year-old old United striker dubbed 'Kid Messi']. That will impress a lot of girls in about three years time!" Footsie and Strategy performed a freestyle on Sir Spyro's The Grime Show on BBC Radio 1Xtra on Tuesday, which is available now on BBC beginning his music career, Footsie was a talented footballer in his youth. He played for famous east London junior side Senrab FC and was on Charlton's books as a teenager."Senrab produced an amazing amount of footballers - Jermain Defoe, John Terry, Paul Konchesky and Ledley King all played for them," Footsie said. "I was in the same team as Muzzy Izzet and Jon Fortune and we were the top team in England in our age group."I had a long stint at Charlton as a schoolboy, but then music was my calling really."Strategy played a lot of football as a teenager too, but admits it was not at as high a level."I had the ability, but I never had the mentality," he said. "I was a great finisher, but I just did not take well to training on a Wednesday morning in the rain."Like Footsie, I am an FA qualified football coach though. I did that for a while, but then music took over for me too."Chris Sutton, Footsie and Strategy were speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan. Premier League predictions Saturday, 10 May Craven Cottage, 15:00 BSTI was at Goodison Park for Everton's draw with Ipswich last week and although the result was disappointing, they played well enough to Everton had taken their chances they would have had the points wrapped up before Ipswich got back into the I've said before though, I don't think it's a bad thing that they have not sustained their early form under David Moyes because that would paint a false picture of how strong their squad is, and it needs a serious overhaul in the definitely lifted things when he took over in January but he has got some big decisions to make about who stays and goes, and it feels like a few players are on trial at the moment, with their futures for Fulham, well I've found them almost impossible to call for most of the season, especially at home, but I am going to back Marco Silva's side to take the points will have a go at Everton and, with James Tarkowski injured, I don't think the Toffees will hold prediction: 2-1Strategy: Let's make this competitive, shall we?Footsie: Okay then!Strategy's prediction: I am going with Everton 1-2Footsie's prediction: I am never sure which Fulham will turn up, but my initial thought was that they will win. 2-1Strategy: Oh it is like that, is it!? Portman Road, 15:00 BSTIpswich did well to fight back for a draw against Everton last week but this is a really tough game for are such a dynamic team and now they have got Kevin Schade scoring as well as Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, so it is going to be hard to keep them Bees recovered from 2-0 down to win 4-3 when they played Ipswich at home in October, with Mbeumo scoring the winner in the 96th was a big blow for the Tractor Boys at the time, but I don't think this will be anywhere near as close. Brentford have won three games in a row, and this will make it prediction: 0-2Footsie's prediction: Brentford are scoring some goals here. 1-3Strategy's prediction: Yeah, this one is an away win. 0-2 St Mary's Stadium, 15:00 BSTManchester City have got the FA Cup final to look forward to next weekend but they also have a top-five place to secure, so there is no danger they will not be fully focused on that on winning their past four league games, City also have some real momentum for the first time in a long while. You have to go back to August for the last time they managed a run like I can only see one outcome at St Mary's Stadium, and it is going to leave Southampton stuck on 11 points for at least another week. The only question here really is how many goals City prediction: 0-3Footsie's prediction: This is definitely a City win, whether we like it or not! 0-3Strategy's prediction: I am going to go with Southampton to score a cheeky goal, but City to get four. 1-4 Molineux, 15:00 BSTWolves' winning run was ended by Manchester City last time out but I was still really impressed by their intensity and they will cause Brighton plenty of problems has been a strange season for the Seagulls, who have been a top-half team for the entire campaign but have won only one of their past seven league games.I don't think their campaign is necessarily fizzling out because they played well in their draw with Newcastle last week, but their poor run might continue because I don't see them beating Wolves prediction: 2-1Footsie's prediction: This is a tough one to call. 2-2Strategy's prediction: I am backing Wolves here. This is a bit of a gamble, but I just have a hunch. 2-0 Vitality Stadium, 17:30 BSTThis should be a cracking game. Aston Villa really need a win to boost their hopes of making the top five, but how can I back against a Bournemouth side that beat Arsenal last time out?Part of my predictions strategy last week was to back the teams who are going for the Champions League places, but I don't think you can just ignore how well a team like Bournemouth are prediction: 2-2Footsie's prediction: Bournemouth might nick this. 2-1Strategy's prediction: No, Villa are taking it. 1-2 Sunday, 11 May St James' Park, 12:00 BSTIt's great to see two teams going head-to-head in this race for the top five and Chelsea probably come into it in better form after getting a great result against Liverpool on they were playing straight after Liverpool had won the title and the Reds had probably been celebrating all week, but they still had to put them away and they did that means Enzo Maresca's side have won their past three league games so they will be full of confidence ahead of this one, but it's going to be tough for them to extend that know Maresca is a stickler for playing out from the back, but doing that against Newcastle is asking for trouble. The Magpies will put them under serious pressure, because that's what they do to teams at St James' have got a very physical midfield which might be where the battle is won and lost, and of course Alexander Isak is such a threat have got match-winners too, if Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke are firing, and my first thought was that there will be lots of goals in this what's at stake, though, it might be a little cagier than that. I think the BBC readers will go for a draw but I am going to stick my neck out and say Newcastle will edge prediction: 2-1Footsie's prediction: Newcastle are at home, which makes a difference. 3-1Strategy's prediction: I rate Newcastle but I'm going with Chelsea. 1-2 Old Trafford, 14:15 BSTI am not sure who would want to watch this game? Manchester United's second string versus such a poor West Ham side with nothing to play for is not exactly essential viewing, is it?The Europa League final is going to be Ruben Amorim's focus for the rest of the season and Brentford made the most of that when they beat a weakened United team last weekend.I am not sure the Hammers are as dynamic as Brentford in attack, however, so they may not be capable of doing the same thing.A lot depends on the United team selection, though. It is hard enough making predictions anyway, but its even harder when there could be mass changes, and you don't know whether it is the United first team who are going to play, or be more like the youth makes this more of a guess, when I am used to applying science to my predictions, but I wish I had gone for West Ham to draw with Tottenham last week, and I am not going to make the same mistake this prediction: 1-1Footsie's prediction: I've got to back United haven't I? 2-1Strategy's prediction: I don't even know what to expect but I think there will be some goals. 4-3Footsie's favourite United player: I used to play right-back so I used to watch Paul Parker and Denis Irwin avidly and just study their games. Now I've got love for Harry Maguire. He was 10 seconds away from leaving the club but now he is one of our best players by a long way. I love all the workhorses, because you need favourite United player: I was a full-back too... a left-back. I started out as a striker but just got pushed further back. Everyone starts up front, don't they!? The players I liked were not just down to their performances, but the attitude they brought to the team. So Eric Cantona for me was a massive hero. As a kid, he was the guy. Now? I really like Lisandro Martinez, aka The Butcher. That's my kind of player - even if the performance is not up there, he is giving it everything. City Ground, 14:15 BSTI am at this game for BBC Radio 5 Live and it is a must-win for Nottingham Forest in the top-five pressure is off Leicester because they are already down and they are probably still smiling after getting a rare win over Southampton last time out, when Jamie Vardy scored his 199th goal for the Foxes.I bet Vardy would dearly love to get goal number 200 against Forest's rivals before he leaves the club in the summer, and this game does have a whiff of being one where he has a say in keeping Forest out of the Champions League placesStill, if both teams play anything like they have done all season then this is a Forest win, easily. Chris Wood scored twice in a 3-1 win at the King Power in October and although his goals have dried up a bit, I can see him getting back on the scoresheet result is really all that matters for Forest, because they need to get to the last game of the season in touch with Chelsea before they meet in what might turn out to be a Champions League are playing catch-up at the moment but, with West Ham up next after this, I still think they have a very good chance of making prediction: 2-0Footsie's prediction: Forest are taking this. 2-0Strategy's prediction: Leicester might get something here. 1-1 Tottenham Stadium, 15:00 BSTBoth clubs can almost forget about this game, really. It is a bit of a nuisance for both of season rests on what happens in the Europa League final on 21 May, while for Crystal Palace it is all about the FA Cup final next boss Oliver Glasner went strong with his team selection against Forest last week and if he does the same here then I can see a Palace victory. They don't have much to play for, though, because win or lose they look likely to finish in their usual position - are still having a stinker of a time with injuries, with James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall both set to miss the rest of the season, and that situation hardly helps Ange Postecoglou with the side he is hard to make a call without knowing who will play but, all things considered, the most likely outcome is probably a prediction: 1-1Strategy's prediction: Palace will edge it. 0-1Footsie's prediction: Yeah, Palace might nick that. 1-2 Anfield, 16:30 BSTArsenal were really good against Paris St-Germain on Wednesday, and I was impressed by how brave they were, but they still went out of the Champions will be Gunners fans out there who will think they should be winning more trophies than they have managed under Mikel Arteta, who has still not added to the FA Cup he lifted in his first season, are still heading in the right direction but the biggest problem for me has been their recruitment, especially for them to not sign a striker last summer. There are such fine margins between success and failure at the highest level, and you need someone to put away your chances in the biggest basically admitted that by trying to sign Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa in January and if anyone or anything is to blame for another trophyless season, then that's where it Arsenal need to refocus and make sure they don't let second place slip game obviously is not the title decider that some people may have anticipated earlier in the season, but I still feel both sides will be desperate to win just a shame that, from Liverpool's point of view, it might be over-shadowed by the reaction to Trent Alexander-Arnold's announcement he is leaving the is this debate surrounding Alexander-Arnold now, and whether he should start at Anfield this weekend or play for the club again at all, and also what kind of reception he will get if he can tell Liverpool fans, or fans of any club, what to think - myself included - but we can all have an opinion on this whether we support them or not, and I think some of the reaction to this whole saga has been completely over the people will look at Alexander-Arnold as someone who has given over 20 years service to his boyhood club after rising through the ranks, but just wants a different challenge at Real Madrid, the biggest club in the world, and the most successful one in terms of winning European Cups and Champions they were in the same position, what would they do? You have always got your die-hards who are not going to change or see things anyone else's way, but Alexander-Arnold does not deserve the ridiculous abuse he is terms of the game itself, I really don't know what to expect. Liverpool were way below their best against Chelsea last week, but Arne Slot could go strong here and they may feel they have a point to prove against their nearest Arsenal could be flat after their disappointment in Paris, or they could come out firing. Hopefully that's the case, and both teams will be up for prediction: 1-1Footsie's prediction: It will be close but Liverpool will win. 2-1Strategy's prediction: That's not a bad shout, I might have to say the same there. 2-1 How did Sutton do last week? Last week was huge for Chris and his hopes of defending his BBC predictions the first nine games of week 34, he had five correct results with no exact score, putting him on 50 guest, singer Sasha Keable, had only managed one correct results so had 10 points, but the BBC readers led the way thanks to three correct results and one exact score, giving them 70 meant it all came down to Monday's game between Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest and, while Sasha and the BBC readers backed Palace to win, Sutton went for a 1-1 earned him 40 points for an exact score, which gave him his 10th outright weekly win of the season and put him back on top of the table."I am a predictions genius," was his, erm, somewhat predictable response.
Daily Mail
05-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Biggest FTSE risers and fallers in April amid Trump's tariffs
Shares in Britain's biggest oil and gas producers have led losses on the London Stock Exchange over the last month, as US trade tariffs have rocked global markets. But the FTSE 100 has now clawed back a 0.1 per cent gain since 2 April - President Donald Trump 's 'Liberation Day' - as investors have been attracted to the 'defensive' qualities of London 's blue-chip index. BP has been the FTSE 100 Index's largest faller, with a 20.7 per cent drop, while Shell is the third-biggest faller, having declined by 14.2 per cent. The pair, which have published first-quarter results in recent days, have seen shares come under pressure from lower oil price s as trade tensions have weighed on the outlook for the global economy. A barrel of Brent Crude costs $61.8, an 11.8 per cent monthly fall, while West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures are 12.2 per cent lower at $59.8 per barrel. Ithaca Energy shares have also suffered, dropping by 18 per cent, but Harbour Energy shares have done even worse than BP and Shell, plummeting by about 30 per cent. Only oilfield services provider John Wood Group has experienced a greater descent among FTSE 250 firms, diving by 40 per cent despite receiving an uplift after Dubai-based rival Sidara made a takeover offer. Other stocks that have undergone massive declines are 4imprint Group and Watches of Switzerland, which dived in the immediate aftermath of Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariff remarks. Paul Moody, chairman of merchandise seller 4imprint, warned that extra import duties might impact sales after admitting that his company's order intake was marginally weaker in January and February. For Watches of Switzerland, the US Government's plan to impose 31 per cent tariffs on Swiss products - though currently suspended - seriously threatens the luxury goods market's health. The blue-chip and mid-cap London indices did endure a torrid few days following Trump's Rose Garden speech, with the FTSE 100 - Footsie - having its worst day of trading since the Covid-19 pandemic. However, UK markets eventually recovered ground, and the Footsie is currently on a two-week-long winning streak thanks partly to the popularity of retail stocks. Discount chain B&M has been the blue-chip index's strongest performer over the past month, rising by 23.5 per cent. Shares began soaring after the group said in mid-April that it expects annual profits to exceed the mid-range of guidance due to new store openings and strong trading in France. B&M was followed in second place by Sainsbury's, which has grown by 16.1 per cent. Other retailers among the ten strongest performers are JD Sports, Tesco, and B&Q owner Kingfisher. Within the FTSE 250, Currys tops the list with a 27.5 per cent increase; the electricals upped its earnings outlook for the second time this year after attracting solid sales over the Black Friday and Christmas periods. Yet less like the Footsie, the top ten fastest-growing mid-cap companies represent a wide diversity of sectors, from motor finance provider Close Brothers to pub chain JD Wetherspoon and low-cost airline Wizz Air. Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown, remarked: 'Investors appear to have an appetite for the defensive nature of the index, as they continue to show a little more wariness for US assets which risk staying more volatile given the erratic policymaking at the White House.'
Daily Mail
03-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
HAMISH MCRAE: Big business will survive Donald Trump
Maybe the financial markets are right about Donald Trump's tariff war not being too damaging to the global economy – and the naysayers warning of a collapse are going to be proved wrong. The big equity markets have recovered the ground they lost in the days after the US President's 'liberation day' on April 2. America's S&P 500 index has risen 14 per cent from its April lows, though it is still down on the year. The Footsie is now up 15 days on the trot, 4 per cent higher than on January 2, while the German Dax has recovered to within a couple of per cent of its all-time high. There are two messages here. One is that big American businesses are showing themselves to be extraordinarily resilient. The other is that it looks like quiet negotiations between the various players will ensure the most important elements of world trade are preserved – and maybe, just maybe, we will end up with a more durable form of globalisation than we had before. There are all sorts of examples of big tech resilience. One came from Apple. It is moving most of the assembly of its iPhones from China to India. Clear message there for the Chinese authorities. Another was from Microsoft, which reported better-than-expected profits, and whose market capitalisation shot up 10 per cent. Meta Platforms – Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and so on – also saw its shares recover. As for the moves to stop tariffs destroying global trade, the most significant one was the news that China had quietly dropped its retaliatory tariffs on a quarter of its imports from the US, including pharmaceuticals, aerospace equipment and semi-conductors. The politicians will go on posturing but the grown-ups are winning the argument. After all, anyone at the top of a global corporation is used to dealing with difficult governments. These entrepreneurs and executives know they will be there, or at least their companies will still be operating, long after the politicians of the day have been ousted. There was a spat between Jeff Bezos and Trump the other day after a report that Amazon was thinking of including a separate item for the cost of tariffs on its posted prices. Cue White House fury, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt saying it was a hostile, political act. Amazon denied it was a serious proposition. A phone call took place between Bezos and Trump, after which the President said that the head of Amazon was 'a good guy'. So Amazon bowed to pressure? Look, Bezos is 61 and worth $212 billion on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Donald Trump is 78, and doesn't even make the cut. His wealth is estimated by Forbes at $5.1 billion – huge of course, but not in the top 500 on the global wealth count. And which of the two will be around in ten years' time? As far as tariffs go, trade will continue. World trade needed reform, because many countries, including China and, let's not forget, the members of the European Union, have twisted a supposedly free trade system to gain advantage for their own producers. Is this blitz of tariffs by the US the best way of getting reform? Probably not, because smaller enterprises and countries get hurt in ways that can't be predicted and will inevitably be unfair. For Jaguar Land Rover, trying to sell cars to California, it's rough. It has had to pause exports to the US. But its parent, India's Tata Group, may end up being a net beneficiary from the tariff war if, for example, it has better access to the US for software exports. There had to be reform and this one way of getting it. Disruption is never good for an economy, and there is plenty of that here in the UK right now. On top of the trade stuff have come all the regulations and tax rises from this Government. But what is happening is nothing on the scale of the disaster that swept across the world as a result of the pandemic and the shut-down in response to that. Businesses, large and small, managed to cope. The markets are saying they will cope now. If they are right, there will indeed be some sort of mid-cycle slowdown, but a more robust world economy at the end of it.
