WH Smith Plans £40m Store Sale to Focus on Global Travel Retail

UK mid-cap stocks like WH Smith and Genus show potential for long-term growth despite recent challenges. WH Smith is adjusting its sale of high street shops to Modella Capital at a reduced price due to softer trading, reflecting the ongoing struggles of traditional retail amid rising e-commerce and taxation pressures. Genus, an animal genetics firm, has seen a 30% rise in 2025 and benefits from a new US regulatory approval for gene-edited pigs resistant to a costly viral disease, opening significant commercial opportunities globally. Meanwhile, the UK market overall faces headwinds, with the FTSE 100 impacted by weak trade data from China, but smaller UK penny stocks such as Warpaint London demonstrate strong financial performance and promising growth rates, supported by debt-free status and experienced management. On the global front, U.S. stock markets reached record highs, driven by optimism over a potential U.S.-China trade deal and anticipated interest rate cuts, favoring momentum stocks with recent price strength. These developments highlight a mixed yet cautiously optimistic investment landscape, with opportunities in select UK mid-caps, penny stocks, and resilient mega caps in the U.S.