12 October 2026
How can I protect a £20,000 windfall from tax after using my ISA allowance?Ask the experts. Sarah Coles is on hand to answer your personal finance questions. If you’d like a question considered for a future edition send it in now .
Or alternatively leave a rating for the article and include your question in the comment box.
I currently use all my normal “tax free allowances” including a cash ISA and the £1,000 personal...
12 October 2026
Can you rely on the 4% rule in retirement?The 4% rule offers an answer to one of retirement’s hardest questions: how much can I safely spend? But markets don’t move in straight lines and it’s likely that the plans you have for your retirement won’t either. Could being prepared to vary your income help your pension last longer?
One of the biggest challenges when moving from saving for...
12 October 2026
What do rising bond yields mean for income hunters?Income investors need to be aware of the significant opportunities and risks that can emerge across financial markets because of developments in the bond market.
UK and US government bond yields have been rising since the end of June. Investors have increasingly priced in the risk that higher energy prices could add to inflation pressures at a time...
12 October 2026
Should I own oil stocks as a hedge against geopolitical shocks?Ask the experts. Russ Mould is on hand to answer your queries about the financial markets. If you'd like a question considered for a future edition, send it in now .
Or alternatively leave a rating for the article and include your question in the comment box.
With tensions in the Middle East pushing up energy prices, should I consider adding oil...
8 October 2026
Top-performing construction stocks enter a new phase of growthThe UK construction and materials sector may go under the radar with investors but its recent performance warrants closer attention. In recent years, the market has drastically reappraised the potential for these businesses.
They are no longer perceived as poorly managed, low-margin contractors reliant on housebuilding for their revenue but instead...
8 October 2026
How to invest when markets feel too complicatedThe world is becoming increasingly complex. Technology is playing a growing part in our day-to-day lives, whether in the cars we drive or the consumer electronics we use, and that complexity is feeding into financial markets too, with the AI theme and wider technology sector holding a dominant position.
That is somewhat at odds with a key principle...
8 October 2026
Are commodities back in fashion as investors look beyond AI?The price for a barrel of crude oil has taken up a lot of column inches this year and for good reason. It’s hit historically high levels and has led to a lot of other things becoming more expensive as a result.
When the Iran conflict started earlier this year, everyone quickly learned where the Strait of Hormuz sat on the map and heard that $100 a...
8 October 2026
Housebuilders eye a Help to Buy-style revivalIt has been a difficult period for the housebuilding sector since the pandemic. Rising inflationary pressures have affected their input costs while the rising borrowing costs associated with the increase in inflation has dampened demand. This has put margins under pressure and hit valuations.
In this context, it is no surprise to see investors...
8 October 2026
What is an active ETF and should I invest in one?Ask the experts. Paul Angell is on hand to answer your questions about investments. If you'd like a question considered for a future edition, send it in now.
Or alternatively leave a rating for the article and include your question in the comment box.
I hold an active fund in my portfolio, but the company it’s from has just let me know it’s...
8 October 2026
Meta’s looks to AI bets to power the next phase of growthOnce known as Facebook on the stock market, Meta’s change of name encompasses its evolution from a social media company into an advertising and artificial intelligence infrastructure giant.
With billions of users across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger, the company is investing heavily in AI and virtual reality technologies to drive...
8 October 2026
Can Raspberry Pi build on its record-breaking results?The UK market is often seen as falling short when it comes to technology. However, while it may not have tech names to rival those in the US or even in Europe there are some notable exceptions.
After a mixed start to life as a public company following its high-profile IPO, Raspberry Pi will have shot to the top of investors’ consciousness after its...
8 October 2026
Worried about rising rates? These UK stocks offer generous dividends and growthUK 10-year bond yields have reached their highest levels since 2007, while longer-term yields rose to their highest since 1998. When government bonds offer investors more than 5% the stock market has a potential problem.
That’s because rising bond yields represent increasing competition for investors’ money. Higher yields also put pressure on stock...
8 October 2026
Should I move money from my SIPP to an ISA before the inheritance tax changes?Ask the experts. Rachel Vahey is here to answer questions on pensions. If you’d like a question considered for a future edition send it in now .
Or alternatively leave a rating for the article and include your question in the comment box.
I’m 67 and retired, and I’m trying to get my head around the best way to use my SIPP before the inheritance...
14 September 2026
Johnson Matthey’s major reset: can it deliver for shareholders?For more than a decade, science and technology business Johnson Matthey has flattered to deceive on the stock market. The perceived threat to its catalytic convertors from the shift to electric vehicles (EVs) among the main factors weighing on sentiment.
But the company is now at a big inflexion point. The sale of its Catalyst Technologies business...
14 September 2026
UK retailers battle for consumer wallets against a tricky backdropThe UK retail sector is enduring its latest challenging period. Modest economic growth and stabilising sales volumes are being offset by increased costs partly due to 2025’s increases to the living wage and employer national insurance contributions. These factors have combined with reductions in business rates relief to squeeze margins.
Shoppers...
10 September 2026
What the TTFAC? The pension acronym that can cause tax-free cash confusionWhile the abolition of the lifetime allowance for pensions was largely welcomed, it also brought a new collection of jargon. Near the top of that list sits the transitional tax-free amount certificate, or TTFAC.
Most people will not need a TTFAC. But it is worth investigating if you accessed pension benefits before 6 April 2024 and took less tax...
10 September 2026
My boyfriend earns more but wants to split bills 50:50. How can I still save for my pension?Ask the experts. Sarah Coles is on hand to answer your personal finance questions. If you’d like a question considered for a future edition send it in now .
Or alternatively leave a rating for the article and include your question in the comment box.
My boyfriend earns much more than me and insists we pay 50:50 for household expenses, but I’m...
10 September 2026
Why are US government bond yields rising and why is it impacting my investments?Ask the experts. Russ Mould is on hand to answer your queries about the financial markets. If you'd like a question considered for a future edition, send it in now .
Or alternatively leave a rating for the article and include your question in the comment box.
I’ve noticed some losses in my portfolio as US government bond yields are going up. Why...
10 September 2026
I live outside the UK, will my beneficiaries pay UK inheritance tax on my pension?Ask the experts. Rachel Vahey is here to answer questions on pensions. If you’d like a question considered for a future edition send it in now .
Or alternatively leave a rating for the article and include your question in the comment box.
I have a question on pensions and inheritance tax (IHT). I have a SIPP with AJ Bell and a work pension with...
10 September 2026
How I invest: prioritising my ISA, cutting costs and riding out volatilitySometimes the biggest challenge in investing is having the discipline to continue making contributions, even if other expenses get in the way.
Luke, a just turned 25-year-old intelligence analyst at an educational tech firm, has demonstrated a commitment to adding to his ISA pot through thick and thin.
Luke started investing in his Stocks and...
10 September 2026
Sold-out chips, soaring profits: what next for Micron?Memory chip maker Micron Technology has been one of the big beneficiaries of the AI boom but, after a gravity-defying run which saw it become the latest name to hit a $1 trillion valuation, the shares have endured some turbulence of late.
Surging demand for advanced AI data storage chips has pushed the highly cyclical semiconductor industry into a...
10 September 2026
Healthcare funds have roared back, but investors need to know what they’re buyingThe healthcare and biotechnology sector has undergone a major turnaround in performance in recent months, going from one of the more lacklustre parts of the equity market to delivering some of the highest returns available.
The average open and closed-ended fund returned about 17-20% over five years, with the sector ranking among the bottom half of...
10 September 2026
US-Iran war: why the oil price threat has not gone awayWhen the US-Iran war started in late February 2026 some of the warnings about the impact on energy markets were dire – with oil prices expected to spike well above $100 per barrel.
Seen through that lens, the actual outcome six months on has been relatively benign. Oil has flirted with the $100 mark at regular intervals but not traded consistently...
10 September 2026
New breed of income ETFs: higher yield with a catchThe range of income-generating investments has expanded in recent years with the launch of new funds. Some investors may already know about funds labelled ‘income maximiser’, which aim to offer higher yields than standard equity income funds but potentially lower capital growth. Now, a variation of these products has arrived, and they’re all...
10 September 2026
Why some UK sectors command premium valuations while others trade at a discountSome parts of the UK stock market trade at a premium price to earnings or PE ratio while others trade at a discount to the market. While there are many factors which can influence the PE ratio, this article explains the most prevalent reasons and reveals the sectors with the highest/lowest PEs.
Before that, it is worth asking what the PE ratio is...
