With markets in a volatile mood because of Trump Vs 2.0, in this month’s note on funds, we concentrate on income-producing fund ideas as well as funds that minimise market volatility by picking only those stocks with more defensive characteristics. We also outline an adventurous portfolio of high-yielding investment trusts and ponder whether UK small […]
A look at what has gone wrong at AGFX, including management’s voluntary disclosure around liquidity risk versus the reality of zero-zero margins. Other companies covered MERC and ELIX. The FTSE 100 was up +1% to 8,422 in the last 5 days. US markets rallied much more strongly, with the Nasdaq100 up +9% and the S&P500 […]
It’s gutting news for Argentex shareholders as earlier this week the business announced that it had suspended trading as a result of its financial position. The latest is that the company is in “advanced discussions” with IFX Payments regarding a possible offer at 2.49p per share for Argentex stock. Given that the last traded price […]
Richard looks beyond Morgan Sindall’s excellent numbers to find any Big Obvious Objections (or Boo’s) to investing in the business. Meanwhile, 11 shares make it through the 5 Strikes filters. In the last fortnight 21 companies have published annual reports and passed my minimum quality filter. Eleven of them achieved less than 3 strikes. 5 […]
A look at why bull markets climb a “wall of worry”, but crashes are fast and brutal. Companies covered VLX, BOOM and CNC. It’s been a wild couple of weeks! Here’s a Sharescope chart of how the major indices have performed since 2nd April. Apologies for the amount of red in the chart… The […]
Michael looks at recent events and the importance of protection. Well, it turns out China wasn’t big enough to bully Trump into submission. But the bond market was. As my Grandad once told me… there’s always someone bigger. And in this instance, US Treasury Bills are far bigger than any President. The Federal Reserve doesn’t […]
In 2021, traders gobbled up shares in cake store franchise Cake Box, then spewed them back out. Today, the company earns twice as much in turnover than it did in 2020, but the share price is not much higher. Bonanza! 5 Strikes Twenty-nine shares have published annual reports and passed my minimum quality filter in […]
Ever since Trump came back into power, the dynamics of the global stock market have changed. US equities are now flirting with a bear market, while European equities continue to power ahead. Even Chinese equities are outperforming US equities, and we’ve seen the Mag7 become less magnificent as the European defence sector surges ahead. These […]
A look at Larry Fink’s letter to BlackRock shareholders. The US asset manager has $11.6 trillion of AuM, and saw $281bn of inflows in Q4 alone. Companies covered AVON, BWY, VTY and FRAN. The FTSE 100 was flat over the last 5 days, at 8680. US indices had a difficult week, with the Nasdaq100 […]
“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.” Or so said Samuel Johnson back in 1777. Back in that time, high mortality rates and the disgusting living conditions suppressed the birth rate and life expectancy of native Londoners, and so the city grew only because of new migrants who replaced the […]
They say elephants can’t gallop, but Pets At Home is an elephant in UK pet care, and it has been trotting along nicely. Richard takes a closer look at the pet store chain dominating the market. Of the ten shares to publish annual reports in the last fortnight and pass my Minimum Quality filter, four […]
Filtronic’s shares have defied AIM’s doom and gloom by rocketing 10-fold within three years. Maynard Paton reviews the multi-baggers announcements and asks whether we could have foreseen the huge gain. “London Stock Exchange boss warns AIM is under threat of collapse“ “London AIM market should be axed for failing to win tech floats, say think-tanks“ […]
Indicators in the government bond, corporate credit and commodity markets, suggest little contagion from the sell-off in US equities. Companies covered: JUST, SOM and SRC. – The FTSE 100 was up +2.5% in the last 5 days, to 8,710. Nasdaq100 is now down -5.7% YTD and the Nasdaq Composite is the worst-performing major index, down […]
Is this the beginning of the end? Michael looks at the future of the London Stock Exchange and Beeks Financial Cloud. Five years ago we marked the bottom of the Coronavirus crash. It went as quickly as it came. Boris put us in lockdown and markets rocketed. Helicopter money, furlough, work from home, and not […]
The trickle of annual reports in January and February has turned into a stream. It will soon be a flood. Eight companies have achieved less than three strikes. Richard takes a closer look at Dotdigital, which achieved only one strike last November. Of the 13 companies that published annual reports in the last fortnight, a […]
This month’s fund article maps out why, ironically, European equities have been the big winners after President Trump’s general election victory back in November. We also look at higher-yielding corporate fallen angel bonds that might appeal to income investors, plus the China ETFs that track the local technology sector (which is booming), and finally, why […]
A look at Buffett’s rudimentary textual analysis of management discussion of mistakes and errors. Companies covered: QTX, IPF, WATR. The FTSE 100 was up +2% in the last 5 days to 8,832, helped by a blistering rally in Aerospace and Defence stocks, Rolls Royce +28% and BAE Systems +18%. Over the same time, the Nasdaq100 […]
Guest author Andrew Latto explains that UK gilts serve as a benchmark for investment returns, offering safety, no capital gains tax, and government backing. While their fixed returns provide certainty, they remain vulnerable to inflation and interest rate fluctuations. Gilts don’t need a UK government guarantee – gilts are the government. They are also among […]
In this article, Michael looks at things to look for before buying stocks in order to check up on potential red flags. Before buying any stock, it’s important to do some quick checks to stop you from buying a complete crock. Depending on the type of trade will depend how deep you go. For example, […]
Richard digs deeper into Spirax’s annual report to discover why its numbers have deteriorated and consider whether the company can re-establish its tremendous long-term track record. 5 Strikes Only four companies have published annual reports and passed the minimum quality filter since my last article. Only one of them achieved less than 3 Strikes, and […]
Sifting through the IPO carnage of recent years leads to high-margin, cash-rich BIG Technologies. Maynard Paton reviews the tagging specialist’s positive progress, entrepreneurial boss, generous options and current valuation. “It’s Probably Overpriced“ IPOs have suffered badly during the last few years. Buoyant markets encouraged lots of companies to go public at optimistic valuations… …only for […]
A look at some of Cathie Wood’s “Big Ideas” and ARKK ETF portfolio. Companies covered PRV, PZC and BATS. The FTSE 100 ended the week around 8,735, up +0.4%. The Nasdaq100 and S&P500 were up +1.2% and +0.5%, respectively. The best-performing index YTD has been the FTSE China 50, +15% followed by the German DAX […]
Michael looks at the pros and cons of trading as both the house and the player. I’m often worried that whenever I mention the words “position sizing” you will groan and think “Not this again”. But it truly is the most important factor in trading. Not the only important factor, of course. There are many. […]
Six years after selling Science, a share that today has no strikes to its name, Richard looks at the consultancy’s last annual report to see where the company’s strategy took it. Since last time, only three companies have published annual reports and made it past my minimum quality filter. I assigned all of them 4 […]
Investing in small and micro-cap stocks can be a risky exercise at the best of times, which is probably why funds and especially actively managed investment trusts have proved so popular. But there’s been a weight of academic research into small-cap investing, and it’s increasingly suggesting that small caps, especially in the UK, might not […]
A look at Rory Sutherland’s idea of “slow intelligence”, and if it makes sense to make processes less efficient. Companies covered: RNWH, BBSN, FEVR. We’ve seen significant volatility over the last couple of weeks, first with Nvidia’s reaction to DeepSeek’s AI model then Donald Trump’s tariff announcements. After all that, the FTSE 100 ended […]
In this article, Michael looks at the ramifications for Nvidia’s fall and his RNS layout. What a week. Nvidia took a dive on news of DeepSeek which, if we’re to believe is true, is able to compete with ChatGPT-4 and Claude for a fraction of the resources. It might not look much. But that drop […]
January is a quiet month for annual reports, so Richard mines the list of shares that passed the 5 Strikes test in 2024 and should pass it again in 2025. Spirax Sarco catches his eye. Only two shares have published annual reports in the sleepy post-New Year reporting season. That is because the many companies […]
A look at a couple of stocks that are off 80-90% from their highs, but which may have formed a bottom with a +20% bounce last week. ONT and FDEV, plus taking a look at IKA. The FTSE 100 bounced +3.6% last week to 8,524. That’s ahead of the Nasdaq100 up +2.8% and the S&P500 […]
Cerillion has a perfect track record selling software to a challenging sector. Goldplat knows how to profit consistently from miners in troubled economies. Renew has figured out how to make big returns from labour intensive infrastructure repair and maintenance. All pass the 5 Strikes test. Unsurprisingly companies haven’t been busy churning out annual reports over […]
A review of investing ideas for 2025, including AVAP and AT. plus financials WISE and FCH. Also covered TMG’s disposal of its US operations. The FTSE 100 didn’t see much of a “Santa Rally”, down -1% since the start of December. Nasdaq100 and S&P500 were up +1.9% and down -1.5%, despite enjoying a very […]
Happy New Year! Hopefully you have come back refreshed and energised, ready to compete in what is one of the world’s most competitive arenas. As the new year begins, traders everywhere are setting fresh goals and looking to make the most of a clean slate. It’s natural to want to start the year strong – […]
Richard makes a rare find, a company with no strikes to its name. He also stripped down his 5 Strikes system and checked its components to make sure it was fit for the purpose in 2025. Happy New Year! And a propitious one it is too, because the only company to have scored less than […]
Active exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are all the rage at the moment in funds land and may overtake investment trusts in the not-too-distant future. Crucially big, well-known names in fund management are lining up behind the idea. We dig a bit deeper. Plus, a deep dive into the world of Japanese benchmarks and funds. Active ETFs […]
Michael suggests some ideas to look at in an annual trading review. Five years ago, we had no idea of what was about to come. Whispers of a new virus in December. Mildly interested chatter in January. Concern creeping in at the start of February, yet markets powered higher even though the virus swept into […]
Richard brings you the latest shares to pass his 5 Strikes process and takes a look at Raspberry Pi, a rare British technology company that will not pass the 5 Strikes test for at least 7 years. Since this is my last article before Christmas, I am (temporarily) passing up the opportunity to write about […]
Screening for shares with a consistently high margin and ROE leads to model portfolio specialist Tatton Asset Management. Maynard Paton reviews the small-cap’s impressive financials, efficient workforce, owner-aligned founder and bold growth target. Today I have revisited a ShareScope screen that applies two ratios favoured by ‘quality’ investors — operating margin and return on equity […]
Michael looks at the recent cryptocurrency euphoria as well as two UK plays. Bitcoin has shot past $100,000. Its market cap now stands at nearly $2 trillion. Not bad for what is deemed a nothing asset by many. Dogecoin – a joke coin with no real tangible useful value and a picture of a cute […]
I’ve just launched a new edition of my book “Naked Trader” – edition 6. It’s been five years since the last edition and I thought I would answer a question many have asked: “What have you learned over the last 5 years from talking to investors?”. Here are 6 things I’ve learned. 1. I learned […]
A look at the capex boom from Artificial Intelligence and data centres, and who the winner(s) might be. Companies covered: W7L’s bid for BAR, EAH and VNET. The FTSE 100 was flat last week at 8,328. The Nasdaq100 was much stronger +3.3%, while the S&P was up around +1% over the last 5 trading days. […]
Gram for gram Bioventix must be one of the most profitable manufacturers in the UK. Richard also looks at Dotdigital. It too has an unblemished financial history. Since my last update in mid-November, six companies have passed my minimum quality filter, and four of them have achieved less than three strikes. These companies have achieved […]
Global stock market indices are widely used benchmarks and also form the core of a huge and growing range of exchange-traded funds. But what are the differences between these various indices? Taking that idea of global equities in one fund, Wisdom Tree has just issued what I think is a cracking one-fund solution, an ETF […]
A look at whether rising Natural Gas prices might threaten the market rally, and whether renewables might help offset the pain. Companies mentioned NESF, TAM, TRU and MTEC. The FTSE 100 was up +2.3% last week to 8,294, helped by a weak pound. The pound has fallen -6% from 1.34 against the dollar to 1.26 […]
You’ve probably seen Jaguar’s new rebrand, which looks similar to a cosmetic or a fashion ad, without any mention of cars, and some vague slogans which mean little to anyone. Marketers worldwide have crowed about how “Jaguar has destroyed its brand” and that this is financial suicide. Maybe. But they missed the point. Jaguar barely […]
Only two companies pass Richard’s minimum quality filter. Luckily Associated British Foods and Softcat both pass the 5 Strikes test. It’s been a thin fortnight for my 5 Strikes system since I last updated you. Only two of the 16 companies that published annual reports passed my minimum quality filter, which is a pretty low […]
There are two approaches to trading: discretionary and systematic. The former relies on the trader’s judgement to make decisions, whilst systematic follows a set of predefined rules. Both of these have merits and drawbacks, and it’s not untypical for traders to look down upon the other group as inferior. Which, given we’ve had the budget […]
Phil looks at the state of the US stock market following the presidential election and the reasons why it might continue to boom and why it might not. Even if you don’t invest in US shares, what happens on Wall Street has a big say in how UK shares will perform. A high-flying US stock […]
A look at how different asset classes have responded to the US election result, and whether there might be some inconsistent thinking therein. Companies covered: ZTF, TCAP and SFOR, plus a brief look at the AQX bid approach. The FTSE 100 was down around -0.5% last week to 8,125. In the US, the Nasdaq100 […]
Wynnstay has paid an increased dividend every year since 2004 yet its shares trade nearly 40% below net tangible assets. Maynard Paton weighs up whether the agricultural supplier is a value bargain or a value trap. I am back again looking for ‘value bargains’ and revisiting a screen that identifies companies trading at less than […]
Richard presents the latest companies to make it through his 5 Strikes process. Volution, a manufacturer of extractor fans and more sophisticated ventilation systems achieved only one strike, making it a prime candidate for research. Since my last update, five companies have published annual reports and passed my minimum quality filter. Having briefly scrutinised their […]
In this month’s Funds Focus, David Stevenson looks at a recent report on the consolidation of investment trusts which has some quite revealing headline numbers. Plus he casts his eye over CLO & Charteris Funds and Equal Weight ETFs. We also ask whether it’s time to switch out of Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) that track […]
After rival house builder Bellway decided not to buy Crest Nicholson, Phil asks whether the shares have been treated too harshly by the market or if investors should stay clear of them. Source: Crest Nicholson It’s been a rough few years for house-building companies. COVID-19 badly disrupted their businesses while government subsidies and low borrowing […]
A look at the movements at the long end of the government bond yield curve, and the implications for equity investors. Companies covered GBG, CER and PCIP. The FTSE 100 was down -1% last week to 8,223. The Nasdaq100 was flat, while the S&P500 was down -1%. The price of palladium was up +9% last […]
Michael takes a look at some sectors that could be affected by the upcoming autumn budget. The budget day is going to be like a firehose of RNS announcements attached to your face. Lots of changes are going to be anticipated and there will be plenty of volatility. This volatility presents an opportunity (both for […]
Investing in UK market-leading companies is a marmite proposition. They must have done something good but, if they are already so big, how can they keep taking market share? Richard examines market leaders Dunelm, and Inchcape (again!) In this week’s update, only two companies published annual reports, passed my minimum quality filter and the 5 […]
Phil takes a look at the subject of factor investing and whether quality factor exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can deliver better returns than those that track the stock market. Factor investing 101 To some extent, most investing is based around factors. Factors are used to deliver sources of return from portfolios and to explain the performance […]
A look at what might be causing the divergence in performance between the FTSE Small Cap (SMX) index -8%, which has outperformed FTSE AIM (AXX) -44% since Sept 2021. Companies covered CAV, WYN and TET. The FTSE 100 was down -0.75% to 8,244 last week. The Nasdaq100 and S&P500 were both up just over +1%. […]
Canadian 200-bagger Constellation Software has inspired Software Circle to become a serial acquirer of ‘vertical market’ software businesses. Maynard Paton studies the promising early progress of AIM-traded emulator. Mark Leonard has been described as the “best capital allocator you have never heard of“. According to Forbes, Mr Leonard is now worth $5 billion after he […]
Michael looks at the benefits of a sharper mind and how to cultivate an edge in trading. The difference between winners and losers is almost always the mindset. And yes, there are lots of other things that go into successful trading, such as knowledge, hard work, and the ability to learn quickly. But you can […]
Richard looks at one of his least favourite kinds of business – asset managers. Love them or loathe them, many London-listed asset managers are profitable and financially sound. Investors, aka asset managers, are not my favourite category of share. The financial world is precarious to me, which is why long ago I decided to take […]
Phil asks whether the latest profit warning from Aston Martin is the final straw for investors or whether a turnaround in its fortunes is still possible. Since its flotation five years ago, shares in Aston Martin Lagonda have been a disastrous investment. They have lost more than 90% of their value since then. Last year […]
In this month’s funds overview, we revisit the exciting world of gold and especially gold trackers which provide a regular income via options writing strategies. We also look at a very adventurous way of generating a big regular income, all through a well-established and successful investment trust. We also quickly glance at a new exchange-traded […]
A look at stimulus coming from the People’s Bank of China and deficit spending by Western governments, both of which seem expansionary. Companies covered: IPO, OMG and ABDP. The FTSE 100 was flat last week, bouncing around 8,270. In the USA, the Nasdaq100 and S&P500 were both up less than +1%. China on the other […]
In this article, Michael looks at flipping direction and two trade ideas. It’s been a big week for volatility. China’s stimulus plan jumpstarted the resources sector and helped the luxury sector too. China’s slowdown in consumer spending has been responsible for a big part of the luxury slump, and sales collapsed in Mainland China for […]
There is very little 5 Strikes action, so Richard takes the opportunity to slide Inchcape onto the front burner. Over the last eight years, the company has sharpened its focus on motor vehicle distribution. Deciding what to focus on is the basis of good strategy. Since my last article only two shares have published annual […]
Many investors like to buy shares that are popular or those of companies that are doing well. Phil takes a look at why sometimes buying shares that professional investors are betting against can generate big gains. Finding unpopular shares Most investors make money by buying shares that eventually go up in price. However, it is […]
A liking for ‘value bargains’ prompts Maynard Paton to search again for asset-rich shares with depressed ratings. Screening for low price to books and net cash positions leads to engineer Castings. I always love a traditional ‘value bargain’. Hence this revisit to an old screen that pinpoints companies trading at less than book value. Importantly, […]
Bruce looks at the reversal in the copper price, and what this might signal about global growth and interest rate expectations. Companies covered WOSG, HVO and FEVR. The FTSE 100 rose +1% to 8,273. US markets were much stronger, with the Nasdaq100 up +6.% and the S&P500 up +4%. That seems to be driven by […]
In this article, Michael assesses whether sellers present opportunities and a potential early stage two stock. I got asked this week about known sellers and if it is a good opportunity to buy a stock when there’s a seller. The reasoning behind this is that once the seller clears, sometimes there isn’t much of a […]
From a pool of more than 200 shares, Richard hones in on software company Kainos (again), fast food favourite Greggs, motor vehicle distributor Inchcape, integrated pet shop and vet group Pets at Home, and defence technology supplier Cohort. On the horizon: posh wallpaper and fabric designer Colefax and Gately, a law firm. Well, maybe not […]
The conventional wisdom that stocks deliver the best returns for investors is generally true, but only if you can ignore the wild ups and downs that come with them and stay invested. Phil looks at whether a popular and lower-risk approach to investing is worth considering at the moment. Shares deliver the best returns if […]
This week, investment professional, Jamie Ward discusses the ways in which private investors are at an advantage to professional investors. He then describes practical steps to exploiting these advantages and avoiding the pitfalls. From the outside, the life of a fund manager looks to be a charmed life. Indeed, if you are interested in markets […]
A look at UK retail fund flow data, from the Investment Association, which represents UK Fund Management Firms. Companies covered CLX, AQX and ESYS. The FTSE 100 was up +0.5% to 8,369 last week. The Nasdaq100 was down -0.7% and the S&P500 was flat. Both of these US indices are up +25% YTD, whereas AIM […]
Gold prices are moving steadily higher, yet most investors shun the shiny precious stuff. This month’s funds article looks at gold as an asset class, why professionals dislike it, and why UK investors have done well out of the precious metal. It also examines an innovative new way to invest in gold AND generate an […]
Richard examines fault after fault in businesses until he can find no more. If the faults should not cause permanent damage, the share is an investment candidate. Currently, Kainos is in the spotlight and Iomart and IG enter the pipeline. I am compiling a list of all the companies with a few flaws in their […]
In this article, Michael covers the recent stock market fall and two trade ideas. Two weeks ago stocks were tanking. This week stocks are up. If you were on holiday the last fortnight and didn’t bother checking the markets, then you might not have noticed anything was up. As I wrote in my Slack group […]
In the latest in the series, we have an investor with over 10 years of experience who is relatively new to ShareScope – Andrew. He is sharing a bit about his investing history and how he uses ShareScope. If you have your own routine you would like to share, or some interesting custom settings, layouts […]
This week, Jamie Ward rewatched an old interview with an investor whose style might be considered rogue in today’s professional investment landscape. He believes that the lessons espoused could be useful for private investors who consider whatever wealth they have accumulated to be precious and irreplaceable. He then suggests a few businesses that might form […]
A look at Nvidia, which is forecast to grow sales by 11x since 2020, compared to Cisco Systems valuation in the previous technology bubble. Companies covered BUR, CGEO and GHH. The FTSE 100 rose +1% to 8,294 last week. The Nasdaq 100 has recovered strongly from its wobble earlier in August, and was up +5.4% […]
The market has become very unhappy with buy-and-hold investor Nick Train. Maynard Paton studies Lindsell Train Investment Trust and reckons Mr Train’s fund-management business could now be valued on a P/E of less than 2. Could now be the time to back Nick Train? The buy-and-hold fund manager was for years feted for selecting blue-chip […]
The latest haul of investment candidates from Richard includes a software company, a timber importer, a one-of-a-kind fantasy gaming and modelling company Games Workshop, a housebuilder and a business so small you may never have heard of it. Just to recap and contextualise, 5 Strikes is a quick way of deciding which shares are the […]
This week, Jamie talks about how the phrase ‘quality investing’ has been distorted and why complacency in investing can be really bad for your returns. He then explains why he thinks Unilever, a darling of quality investment portfolios, might not be as good as some perceive. As is so often the case, seemingly minor events […]
A difficult start to August seems to be driven by the Japanese carry-trade unwinding. Companies covered: DATA, LTG, CRPR. Markets sold off heavily on Monday. The FTSE 100 fell -3.6% in the last 5 days to 7,974. Meanwhile, the futures market suggested that US markets would start the week badly. The FT contained an article […]
Michael looks at some of this week’s action and notes some commonalities between trades. Riddle me this… If the market is efficient, then why don’t prices gap up and open without moving? The simple answer is because the market isn’t efficient. In this basic assumption, we assume that all (or at least a big majority) […]
Richard’s 5 Strikes system puts three very different businesses in the frame: Athleisure brand Lululemon, Gamma Communications – an IT company that supplies communications systems, and MS International, which manufactures naval cannon. Bingo! Well, almost Bingo. In my last article, I promised to order the results of my 5 Strikes system by number of strikes […]
With markets, the US ones in particular, in a bullish mood over the summer months, and volatility still well below long-term averages (even after the recent tech sell-off), our monthly look at funds continues its search for ideas that could hedge downside risk, focusing this time on managed futures funds. On a more optimistic note, […]
RWS has lifted its dividend for 19 consecutive years yet the shares currently offer a 6.5% yield. Maynard Paton studies the translation group’s acquisition history, profit adjustments and management changes. An illustrious dividend history and a worthwhile yield have brought RWS to my attention. The language-translation group presently offers: An unbroken record of dividend increases […]
This week, Jamie talks about the narrow education professional investors receive and why it is important to keep learning. He then discusses why you can make a compelling case for Burberry yet he does not own it currently as he puts into practice the lessons he’s learned later in his career. When I passed my […]
Some background reading on cybersecurity and hacking, topical in the wake of Crowdstrike-related chaos from last week. Companies covered TRST, RNO and CRL. The FTSE 100 rose +0.5% to 8,216 last week. Nasdaq100 and S&P500 were down -4% and -2% respectively. For contrast, the Russell 2000 small cap index jumped +7%, encouraged by helpful inflation […]
Richard scratches the itch that is payments company PayPoint. Maybe his time would have been better spent investigating one of the other companies on his research list, Cranswick, say, or Castings, but he has no regrets. The main focus of this article is PayPoint. There’s no snappy adjective I can use to describe Paypoint because […]
In the latest in the series, we have experienced investor and long-term subscriber – Harry sharing a bit about his investing history and how he uses ShareScope. If you have your own routine you would like to share, or some interesting custom settings, layouts or screening filters – we would love to hear about you […]
A look at the bank sector, that has been disappointing for decades but has now begun to outperform the wider market. Companies covered BARC, CBG, LLOY, MTRO, HSBA, STAN Lloyds kicks off the H1 Jun reporting season for UK banks on the 25th of July, closely followed by NatWest, Standard Chartered, HSBC and Barclays. Most […]
After a difficult 3 years for London-listed smaller companies, Bruce looks at a couple of reasons to feel positive about the future. Companies covered: MOON, DUKE, EQLS. The FTSE 100 was up less than +0.5% last week to 8,194. The Nasdaq100 and S&P500 were up +3% and 1.6% respectively. China remains in the doldrums with […]
In this article Michael looks at share placings and how to take advantage of them. Equity placements, also known as share placings, are a critical aspect of the financial markets. They are what you might call a necessary evil and are often used by companies to raise capital. That said, not all share placings are […]
The latest haul of 5 strikes shares includes Halma and RS, proof perhaps that big companies can gallop, or at least trot. Richard also doffs his cap to Bloomsbury Publishing and works out how profitable Next 15 really is. We’re in a low period for annual report publishing as the large number of companies that […]
This week, a podcast that Jamie listened to inspired a little research project, which reiterated an important lesson in investment. He asks what makes a good business and what impact buying back of company shares has or hasn’t had over the last ten years. I listened to a podcast, recently where the host interviewed a […]
With global stock markets in bullish form and the all-important US benchmark, the S&P 500, threatening to crash past the psychologically important 5500 level, our monthly fund’s report spins through some left-field ideas for bears and bulls from the world of ETFs and investment trusts. We look at everything from strategies that benefit from sudden […]
A look at mortgage approvals data trends, and how the Election may impact the UK housing market. Companies covered WISE, YOU and IGP. The FTSE 100 rose +1.7% last week to 8,274. The Nasdaq100 and the S&P500 were both up +0.6%. The US 10Y Govt bond yield fell back to 4.25% and yield curves remain […]
Michael looks at the various types of stockbrokers in this article and how they can be used effectively. Having the right stockbroker can have a huge impact on your P&L. It came as no surprise to me that Shares decided to close down its UK operations. You most likely haven’t heard of this broker – […]
The standout share from Richard’s latest 5 Strikes haul is Pets at Home, a dominant pet care business in the UK with a strong financial track record. Fifteen companies have passed the Minimum Quality Filter since my last update, but the finances of only three score less than three strikes, according to the 5 strikes […]
