#Stoxx #SP500 Examine the markets for long enough and you’ll start to develop stupid, probably unfounded, dislikes for certain share names. In our own case, we’ve an irrational dislike of share names which reside in the bottom end of the alphabetical listings, anything which starts with N through to Z. Strangely though, when we examine listings over the most recent 10 years, it used to be the case we reported daily on 45 shares from the start of the alphabet through to “M” and a further 45 for the latter half. Nowadays, despite obvious additions over the years, we report on 43 shares from the first half and only 29 from the end bit of the alphabet.
Our irrational dislike of share names is somehow based on factual representation on the index’s. Sometimes, we suspect the last part of the alphabet suffers a thin time, due to basic laziness, analysts getting bored as they plough down what feels like an endless list of share names. Our software, on the other hand, doesn’t give a sod where a share appears in the alphabet, just focussing on the numbers. But make no mistake, dangle a share with a name beginning in the likes of “O”, “P”, “W” or “Z” in front of us and mentally, we immediately suspect the worst. It’s bizarre to also not popular alphabetical letters such as “R” and “S” will often do better than expected whereas “T’s” will often find themselves on the shelf.
As we said, this absurdity makes no sense but when a few emails ask us to examine Pan African, our default mode was not entirely positive, instead anticipating trouble before we’ve even run the numbers. However…
LSE:PAF were a component of the UK AIM Market, also listed on Jo’burg, SA. But from October 2025, Pan African were promoted to the FTSE 250, the share price doubling in the period since and currently it feels like it’s primed for further happy days ahead. Obviously, as a Gold Miner, the company should not be suffering pain from current record prices for Gold. Amusingly, mentioning to my wife and daughter the “choker” necklaces I’d asked a friend to design for each as Xmas presents back in the year 2000, were made of White Gold. This produced similar looks of panic from each as they tried to remember where the jewellery was. In my wifes case, the “choker” was serving duty as a necklace holder on the wall, whereas our daughter retrieved hers from the bedroom of one of the grandchildren, discovering it was now painted purple and bent into a shape which fitted neatly into a case for felt pens. Neither had given great thought to the actual weight of the Christmas presents but the sudden awareness their “boring” Hallmarked presents were now probably worth more than £5,000 apiece was a real giggle. I did learn a lesson from the original experience, choosing to never, ever, give jewellery as presents as I’d clearly no idea what my wife, nor daughter, actually liked.
Essentially, if I’d my way, gold would now only be used to conduct electricity with maximum efficiency, rather than wasted on the foibles of women!
As for Pan African share price, above an attractive 161p looks capable of provoking further growth to an initial 166p with our secondary, if bettered, at 183p and a point at which we anticipate some sort of hesitation, essentially a point at which the share price should bounce around a bit while it establishes new trend potentials.
Should things intend go a bit wrong, below 143p risks triggering reversal to an initial 131p with our secondary, if broken, at 117p and a reasonable chance for the share price to search for future trend possibilities.
For now, we’re fairly optimistic.
FUTURES
FUTURES
| Time Issued | Market | Price At Issue | Short Entry | Fast Exit | Slow Exit | Stop | Long Entry | Fast Exit | Slow Exit | Stop | Prior |
| 10:54:45PM | BRENT | 6963.1 | ‘cess | ||||||||
| 10:58:05PM | GOLD | 4962.03 | ‘cess | ||||||||
| 11:00:53PM | FTSE | 10672.9 | Success | ||||||||
| 11:06:00PM | STOX50 | 6095.8 | 6076 | 6066 | 6051 | 6095 | 6112 | 6156 | 6225 | 6080 | Success |
| 11:08:48PM | GERMANY | 25256 | Success | ||||||||
| 11:20:20PM | US500 | 6884 | 6832 | 6749 | 6668 | 6884 | 6909 | 6916 | 6962 | 6862 | ‘cess |
| 11:25:58PM | DOW | 49659 | ‘cess | ||||||||
| 11:28:56PM | NASDAQ | 24897.8 | ‘cess | ||||||||
| 11:32:47PM | JAPAN | 57560 | ‘cess |
18/02/2026 FTSE Closed at 10686 points. Change of 1.23%. Total value traded through LSE was: £ 7,416,218,337 a change of 13.36%
17/02/2026 FTSE Closed at 10556 points. Change of 0.79%. Total value traded through LSE was: £ 6,541,923,736 a change of 30.7%
16/02/2026 FTSE Closed at 10473 points. Change of 0.26%. Total value traded through LSE was: £ 5,005,351,962 a change of -53.38%
13/02/2026 FTSE Closed at 10446 points. Change of 0.42%. Total value traded through LSE was: £ 10,736,069,118 a change of 25.25%
12/02/2026 FTSE Closed at 10402 points. Change of -0.67%. Total value traded through LSE was: £ 8,571,766,423 a change of 6.33%
11/02/2026 FTSE Closed at 10472 points. Change of 1.15%. Total value traded through LSE was: £ 8,061,814,273 a change of -0.89%
10/02/2026 FTSE Closed at 10353 points. Change of -0.32%. Total value traded through LSE was: £ 8,133,860,971 a change of 2.3% 
SUCCESS above means both FAST & SLOW targets were met. ‘CESS means just the FAST target met and probably the next time it is exceeded, movement to the SLOW target shall commence.
Our commentary is in two sections. Immediately below are today’s updated comments. If our commentary remains valid, the share can be found in the bottom section which has a RED heading. Hopefully, this will mean you no longer need to flip back through previous reports. HYPERLINKS DISABLED IN THIS VERSION
Please remember, all prices are mid-price (halfway between the Buy and Sell). When we refer to a price CLOSING above a specific level, we are viewing the point where we can regard a trend as changing. Otherwise, we are simply speculating on near term trading targets. Our website is www.trendsandtargets.com.
UPDATE. We often give an initial and a secondary price. If the initial is exceeded, we still expect it to fall back but the next time the initial is bettered, the price should continue to the secondary. The converse it true with price drops.
We can be contacted at info@trendsandtargets.com. Spam filters set to maximum so only legit emails get through…
Section One – Outlook Updated Today. Click here for Section Two – Outlook Remains Valid shares
Click Epic to jump to share: LSE:AZN Astrazeneca** **LSE:BBY BALFOUR BEATTY** **LSE:CNA Centrica** **LSE:EMG MAN** **LSE:FGP Firstgroup** **LSE:MRO Melrose** **LSE:RR. Rolls Royce** **LSE:STAR Star Energy** **LSE:TSCO Tesco** **LSE:VOD Vodafone** **
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Updated charts published on : Astrazeneca, BALFOUR BEATTY, Centrica, MAN, Firstgroup, Melrose, Rolls Royce, Star Energy, Tesco, Vodafone,
LSE:AZN Astrazeneca. Close Mid-Price: 15542 Percentage Change: + 0.13% Day High: 15730 Day Low: 15484
Continued trades against AZN with a mid-price ABOVE 15730 should improve ……..
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View Previous Astrazeneca & Big Picture ***
LSE:BBY BALFOUR BEATTY. Close Mid-Price: 781 Percentage Change: + 0.58% Day High: 779.5 Day Low: 772.5
All BALFOUR BEATTY needs are mid-price trades ABOVE 779.5 to improve acce ……..
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View Previous BALFOUR BEATTY & Big Picture ***
LSE:CNA Centrica Close Mid-Price: 196 Percentage Change: -0.20% Day High: 200 Day Low: 196
Target met. Further movement against Centrica ABOVE 200 should improve ac ……..
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View Previous Centrica & Big Picture ***
LSE:EMG MAN. Close Mid-Price: 278.8 Percentage Change: + 1.90% Day High: 278.8 Day Low: 273
Further movement against MAN ABOVE 278.8 should improve acceleration towa ……..
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View Previous MAN & Big Picture ***
LSE:FGP Firstgroup Close Mid-Price: 189.8 Percentage Change: -1.76% Day High: 196.5 Day Low: 190.3
In the event of Firstgroup enjoying further trades beyond 196.5, the shar ……..
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View Previous Firstgroup & Big Picture ***
LSE:MRO Melrose. Close Mid-Price: 681.8 Percentage Change: + 1.79% Day High: 681.6 Day Low: 670.8
Target met. Further movement against Melrose ABOVE 681.6 should improve a ……..
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View Previous Melrose & Big Picture ***
LSE:RR. Rolls Royce. Close Mid-Price: 1324.5 Percentage Change: + 2.12% Day High: 1333 Day Low: 1298
Target met. In the event of Rolls Royce enjoying further trades beyond 13 ……..
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View Previous Rolls Royce & Big Picture ***
LSE:STAR Star Energy. Close Mid-Price: 11.75 Percentage Change: + 4.44% Day High: 11.75 Day Low: 11.15
Target met. Continued trades against STAR with a mid-price ABOVE 11.75 sh ……..
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View Previous Star Energy & Big Picture ***
LSE:TSCO Tesco Close Mid-Price: 494.2 Percentage Change: -0.06% Day High: 499 Day Low: 492.6
All Tesco needs are mid-price trades ABOVE 499 to improve acceleration to ……..
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View Previous Tesco & Big Picture ***
LSE:VOD Vodafone. Close Mid-Price: 116.1 Percentage Change: + 0.39% Day High: 120.9 Day Low: 115.5
In the event of Vodafone enjoying further trades beyond 120.9, the share ……..
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View Previous Vodafone & Big Picture ***