A quiet Thanksgiving in the markets, but everyone else was loud: bookies howling over tax hikes, Boohoo strutting again, Halfords trying to convince us “steady” is a vibe, and Tesla discovering gravity works on sales too. Here is your Five at Five:
1. Bookies vs Budget: Round One
Gambling giants Entain, Evoke and Flutter say the UK’s new tax regime will whack profits, chop jobs and shove punters toward the black market. Duty jumps, margins crater, and mitigation plans begin. Even Rank isn’t spared. The mood: bruised. Click here for more
2. Boohoo Finds a Mirror It Likes
Boohoo finally gets a win: profits beat forecasts and the Debenhams platform pulls its weight with bigger margins and double-digit GMV growth. Youth brands still limp, but analysts are cautiously optimistic that the turnaround has a pulse. Click here for more
3. Halfords Plays the Long Game
Halfords posts steady sales and a carefully non-disruptive strategy refresh under new boss Henry Birch. Three phases, no fireworks: optimise, evolve, scale. Balance sheet discipline stays sacred; M&A stays shelved; dividends stay polite. The market shrugs. Click here for more
4. Tesla Hits the Brakes
Tesla’s sales slow across the US, Europe and China as rivals multiply and price-cut their way into buyers’ hearts. Year-on-year drops bite, incentives expire, and analysts now expect deliveries to fall next year. Musk’s growth hopes look increasingly hypothetical. Click here for more
5. FTSE: A Whole Lot of Not Much
Thin volumes, turkey-day silence and a Budget everyone had already memorised left the FTSE 100 drifting sideways. The collective mood: deeply unbothered. Click here for more
Pick of the Small-Caps
Anglo Asian Mining Plc (LSE:AAZ, OTC:AGXKF)
ACG Metals Ltd (LSE:ACG, OTC:ACGAF)
Greatland Resources Ltd (AIM:GGP, OTC:GRLGF, ASX:GGP)
Ariana Resources PLC (AIM:AAU, ASX:AA2)
Pan African Resources PLC (AIM:PAF, OTCQX:PAFRY, JSE:PAN)
Arrow Exploration Corp (TSX-V:AXL, AIM:AXL, OTC:CSTPF)