Latest news with #NickSaunders
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What this week's stock market volatility means for European investors
Confidence is the motor which drives stock markets upwards. Confidence in management, in markets and in the rational making of policy. The extreme volatility of the past week underscores the crisis in confidence on European investors, but the recent turbulence also presents opportunities. Short-term fluctuations may unsettle investors who are used to predictability, but they also present entry points in undervalued sectors. In general terms, for the last decade, there has been a shift towards trading US-listed stocks, while UK and European valuations have suffered accordingly. However, a renewed focus on domestic markets is a growing trend amongst investors as they grapple with the unpredictability of the US markets. Much has been written about the rise of European defence stocks – BAE Systems, Thales, Rheinmetall – but defensive sectors are also in the spotlight. Healthcare companies such as weight-loss titans Novo Nordisk, AstraZeneca and Roche present stable earnings and a lower sensitivity to economic cycles. Nestle, Unilever and L'Oreal offer consistent cash flows and some cushioning from volatility. Uncertainty still reigns in some sectors, with nervousness that tariffs on Chinese production will lead to dumping of goods in Europe. While Chinese EVs are all but excluded from the US market, providing opportunities for VW, BMW and Stellantis, it is likely that BYD and Nio will have to find alternative markets. While stock picking is important, market volatility has led to increased cash holdings, as investors grow more risk-averse, express lower confidence in equities, and position themselves opportunistically to buy the dip. Money market funds are likely to benefit alongside bank deposits. Related European stocks spiral after China hits back against Trump's tariffs The euro as a safe haven: Is it here to stay? So, what should investors do? Holding assets in cash is a great short-term insurance policy but a poor long-term investment. A gradual drip feed of investment into a diverse range of quality companies could be a smart approach. Choosing collective investments over single stocks and balancing higher-risk investments with more mundane choices may help smooth out the bumps along the way. Nick Saunders is CEO of Webull UK, an all-in-one investment platform.
Reuters
19-02-2025
- Business
- Reuters
British stocks fall as inflation rises; Glencore's earnings hit
Feb 19 (Reuters) - Britain's benchmark index fell on Wednesday after inflation rose more than expected in the country, while Glencore's (GLEN.L), opens new tab shares slid after the company posted lower 2024 earnings. The blue-chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE), opens new tab was down 0.3% at 1034 GMT, while the midcap FTSE 250 (.FTMC), opens new tab fell 0.4% to a nearly two-week low. Britain's inflation accelerated to a 10-month high of 3.0% in January, surpassing expectations and testing the Bank of England's confidence that price pressures will ease over the longer term. The BoE earlier this month cut its benchmark interest rate to 4.5% from 4.75% and said inflation was likely to hit 3.7% later this year, almost double its 2% target. The UK house builders' index (.FTNMX402020), opens new tab dropped 1.6%, with homebuilders such as Persimmon (PSN.L), opens new tab, Taylor Wimpey (TW.L), opens new tab and Barratt Redrow (BTRW.L), opens new tab falling between 1.6% and 2.4%. Elevated interest rates lead to higher mortgage payments, resulting in lower demand for new homes. "It feels like we're balancing on an knife edge and it's just going to take a few poor sets of data to turn any optimism into pessimism for the markets," said Nick Saunders, chief executive officer at Webull UK. Glencore's shares declined 6.9% after the miner and commodity trader reported that lower commodity prices impacted its earnings last year, despite returning $2.2 billion to shareholders through a share buyback. This dragged the industrial metal mining index (.FTNMX551020), opens new tab down 2.6%, making it the day's biggest sectoral loser. Trainline (TRNT.L), opens new tab slid 9% to a near five-month low after J.P. Morgan downgraded the stock to "neutral" from "overweight". Jet2 (JET2.L), opens new tab tumbled 10.6% after the travel company warned of profit margin pressure due to high inflation increasing costs and reducing consumer holiday spending. Peers Easyjet and Wizz Air (WIZZ.L), opens new tab were down over 4% each. The UK's travel-linked index (.FTNMX405010), opens new tab fell 1.9%. Britain's 10-year bond yield rose to a three-week high at 4.6%, adding pressures on equities. Utilities (.FTUB6510), opens new tab, often traded as bond proxy, added 0.8%. Meanwhile, the energy index (.FTNMX601010), opens new tab advanced 0.7% as it tracked gains in crude prices.
Euronews
19-02-2025
- Business
- Euronews
HSBC announces €1.9bn share buyback as annual profit jumps
Europe's largest bank, HSBC, reported a pre-tax profit of $32.31 billion (€30.91 billion) for the full year 2024, up 6.5% from a year earlier, despite slightly missing analysts' estimates. Its strong performance in wealth and personal banking (WPB) and global banking and markets (GBM) offset a decline in its primary revenue contributor, net interest income (NII). The bank also announced a $2bn (€1.9bn) share repurchase plan, expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2025. The London-based lender's share price jumped 1% before retreating following the results on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Before its earnings report, HSBC's stock reached a two-decade high in London on Tuesday and rose 16% this year after a 23% gain in 2024. The fourth-quarter earnings are the first set of results after Georges Elhedery took the helm at the bank in September last year. He commented: 'Our strong 2024 performance provides firm financial foundations upon which to build for the future, as we prioritise delivering sustainable strategic growth and the best outcomes for our customers.' A decline in NII Notably, the bank reported net interest income (NII) of $32.73bn (€31.32bn) for 2024, down $3.1bn (€2.97bn) or 8.5% from 2023. The decline was due to 'the impact of business disposals and higher funding costs associated with the redeployment of our commercial surplus to the trading book,' stated the bank. The net interest margin declined by 10 basis points to 1.56%. Meanwhile, WPB and GBM both recorded double-digit annual growth of 37.7% and 21.9%, respectively, reflecting HSBC's strategic restructuring efforts. Its overall revenue was recorded at $65.9bn (€63.1bn) in 2024, slightly down from 2023, as growth in WPB and GBM supported the performance. Its operating expenses grew by 3% to $33 billion (€31.6 billion), mainly due to higher spending on technology and high inflation. Its common equity tier 1 (CET1) capital ratio rose by 0.1% to 14.9%. During the fourth quarter of 2024, the company reported a pre-tax profit of $2.3bn (€2.2bn), nearly doubling from the same quarter last year. However, quarterly revenue declined by 11% due to the recycling of foreign currency losses and other reserves relating to the sale of its business in Argentina. Commenting on the results, the CEO of the stock trading platform Webull UK, Nick Saunders said: 'Underneath the expected cost-cutting and restructuring, HSBC's performance is ultimately a reflection of its Asia-first strategy. Asian business is not a line marked 'for future growth' but the best performing sector of one of the largest global banks. "The sale of the Canadian banking business is the most obvious example of this. The decline of the bank's net interest margin is potentially concerning, by the fact that the bank's strategy appears to be working puts it in contrast to its more Western competitors.' Outlook focuses on cost discipline Amid rising costs and reduced profits, HSBC announced a new geographic restructuring last year, merging two of its three major divisions—Commercial Banking and Global Banking and Markets—as part of new CEO Georges Elhedery's cost-cutting efforts. The bank said it would retain a group-wide focus on cost discipline and target annual growth of approximately 3% in 2025. 'Our cost target includes the impact of simplification-related savings associated with our announced reorganisation,' the bank stated. It aims to generate approximately $0.3bn of cost reductions in 2025 and an annualised reduction of $1.5bn (€1.44bn) in the cost base by the end of 2026. HSBC maintained its guidance from the September quarter, continuing to target a mid-teens return on average tangible equity (RoTE) in each of the three years from 2025 to 2027. The NII is expected to be around $42bn (€40.2bn) in 2025, or a 3.9% drop from 2024. This may be related to expectations of falling interest rates.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘High-energy' rave bingo party with stage battles and giveaways coming to Manchester
A 'high-energy' rave bingo party night is launching a new weekly event at a popular venue in Manchester. Bingo Lingo, which started nine years ago, will be launching a new residency at Manchester's Freight Island from this Friday (February 7) having already proved to be hugely popular at the venue with regular sold-out one-off events. Launched by Liverpool-born Nick Saunders, the event has now been held in more than 50 towns and cities across the UK and beyond since its inception and features 'hilarious hosts, special performers and on-stage contests'. READ MORE: Much-loved Greater Manchester festival announces line-up as it marks 20th anniversary READ MORE: Beyoncé Cowboy Carter world tour dates including four shows in the UK - full list Keeping up with tradition, the weekly Mayfield events will feature hilarious party games, an 'anthem-packed' playlist, dance-offs, and other frolics as attendees compete for luxury prizes which can range from top-tier gifts like luxury holidays and festival tickets to giant inflatables and celebrity cardboard cut-outs. With more than 1.5million fans having enjoyed the event to date, Manchester now joins Bristol, Swansea, Liverpool, Oxford, Bath and Birmingham to have their own residency. Throughout the year, the weekly residency will also feature special themed events, like at Halloween and on St. Patrick's Day, alongside outdoor events from June to the end of August. 'We are excited to launch our latest city residency at the amazing Freight Island in Manchester,' Nick said. "We've loved sharing our special brand of rave bingo with fans at Freight Island in recent years – so we cannot wait to get going with our weekly games, and a whole load of themed events. 'If you want a night of nostalgic singalongs and non-stop dancing, get your best friends together for an incredible night of Bingo Lingo at Freight Island." Freight Island general manager Mikele Corzata added: 'Bingo Lingo is here to shake up your weekly nights with wild games, big laughs, and even bigger wins! Let the good times roll at Freight Island on Friday nights!' Tickets for Bingo Lingo can be bought here. Event runs 8pm to 12pm and all ticketholders must be aged 18+.
