Shares & the stockmarket

  • 14 December 2021

    FTSE 100 recovers as labour market tightens, Relief over Ocado legal battle, and Rentokil gets mixed response to blockbuster US deal

    “The FTSE 100 was off to a strong start on Tuesday, recovering some of yesterday’s losses as investors await the big central bank action to come this week and as concern over the Omicron variant continues to wax and wane,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.

    “More signs of a tightening jobs market may be good news for employees but could...

    4 min read

  • 13 December 2021

    FTSE 100 higher as weak pound helps salve Omicron wounds

    “The FTSE 100 was off to a solid start on Monday despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s warning of a ‘tidal wave’ of Omicron in a televised address last night,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.

    “However, this is less a case of investors shrugging off the news as it is the index responding as it usually does to weakness in the pound.

    “...

    2 min read

  • 10 December 2021

    FTSE runs out of breath while Associated British Foods soldiers on despite difficult backdrop

    “After a decent start to the week, come Friday and the FTSE 100 had run out of breath, falling 0.2% to 7,305. Only the basic materials sector was able to muster any gains, led by BHP and Rio Tinto,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.

    “UK growth nearly stalled in October, according to new GDP data, and that’s before Omicron struck...

    2 min read

  • 9 December 2021

    AJ Bell Favourite funds list update – Allianz Gilt Yield removed

    What is the AJ Bell Favourite funds list?

    The AJ Bell Favourite funds list is designed to lighten your research load. There are thousands of funds out there – so we’ve narrowed the field by selecting a high-quality shortlist of funds we believe can deliver their objectives over the long term. To make the list, each fund needs to pass our robust...

    2 min read
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  • 9 December 2021

    Investing for the year ahead - eight funds and investment trusts for 2022

    The year end is a natural time for people to review their investment portfolios and ensure it is well positioned for the year ahead. Ryan Hughes, head of investment research at AJ Bell, looks at eight funds and investment trusts with different risk levels covering bonds, global equities, infrastructure, healthcare and dividends.

    These articles...

    7 min read
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  • 9 December 2021

    Weak pound lifts FTSE but renewed restrictions sink travel and hospitality stocks, Moonpig delivers nice gift for investors, and On The Beach faces tough backdrop

    “The FTSE 100 continues to tick higher but its momentum has been checked slightly by the reintroduction of restrictions in the UK which suggest the market’s more relaxed attitude to the Omicron variant might be somewhat premature,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.

    “The modest gains for the index on Thursday morning could largely be...

    4 min read

  • 8 December 2021

    Markets continue to rally, while Games Workshop’s problems get worse

    “The FTSE 100 continued its winning streak, rising a further 0.4% to 7,368 as investors brushed off fears over the Omicron variant and regained their appetite for risk,” comments Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.

    “Even Asian stocks pressed ahead despite gigantic Chinese property developer Evergrande being on the verge of collapse.

    “A...

    3 min read

  • 7 December 2021

    FTSE 100 recovers from Omicron sell-off and Ashtead enjoys boom time

    “The more positive market sentiment seen at the start of the week extended into Tuesday, supported by waning fears about the Omicron variant and robust Chinese trade data,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.

    “Suggestions the new Covid strain might only trigger mild symptoms are prompting relief among investors and helping travel stocks...

    4 min read

  • 6 December 2021

    Omicron fears recede (for now) and Fulham Shore swings back to profit

    “Monday brought a solid rise for the FTSE 100 despite the continued spread of the Omicron variant as investors reacted positively to suggestions from officials in the US and South Africa that the latest strain of Covid might carry milder symptoms,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.

    “It doesn’t feel like we are out of the woods yet...

    3 min read

  • 3 December 2021

    FTSE tries hard to recover and Wickes raises guidance on impressive margin performance

    “A 0.6% rise in the FTSE 100 on Friday means the UK index has now suffered less than a 2% decline since the eve of the big sell-off on 26 November, which was triggered by shocking headlines declaring Omicron to be the worst ever covid-19 variant,” says Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell.

    “Under the circumstances, the movement in the index...

    3 min read

  • 2 December 2021

    New Omicron jitters ahead of OPEC meeting

    “As expected, the markets are continuing their up and down trajectory as traders and investors await confirmation on just how disruptive Omicron will be,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.

    “The market is awaiting confirmation on the severity of the new Covid variant, the degree to which it escapes existing vaccines, and how infectious...

    2 min read

  • 1 December 2021

    Oil and stocks rebound with Omicron volatility in store

    “There seemed little reason for positivity but, nonetheless, the FTSE 100 managed to make solid progress as people reached for their advent calendars on Wednesday,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.

    “Overnight US stocks took another step back as Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell suggested inflation wasn’t transitory after all –...

    2 min read

  • 30 November 2021

    Moderna CEO comment derails markets, while EasyJet stomachs £1.1 billion loss

    “It only took one comment from the boss of drugs firm Moderna to derail markets once again. Stéphane Bancel said he believed existing vaccines would struggle with the Omicron variant, leading to a renewed sell-off in shares and oil prices,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.

    “Markets hate uncertainty, and this is precisely what we have...

    3 min read

  • 29 November 2021

    Irn-Bru maker AG Barr shows its mettle with upbeat trading update

    “Soft-drink maker AG Barr now expects its full-year pre-tax profit to exceed pre-pandemic levels but the Scottish firm’s shares still languish nearly 20% below where they were trading February 2020 as the virus first reached Western Europe and markets began to take its threat seriously,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.

    “This may seem...

    4 min read

  • 29 November 2021

    European markets rebound, and BT might be in the sights of India’s Reliance

    “Decisive action by governments to try and control the spread of the new Omicron Covid variant has restored some confidence among investors,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.

    “Despite tougher rules on travel and the reintroduction of wearing face masks in different locations including shops, investors have taken an optimistic view...

    3 min read

  • 26 November 2021

    Market shock: Black Friday turns to Red Friday as stocks slump around the world

    “Forget Black Friday; today has been renamed Red Friday after the colour of share price screens as stocks slump globally on fears over a new Covid strain,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.

    “The FTSE 100 fell 3.1% in early trading, dragged down by a 3.5% slump in the Brent Crude oil price which in turn weighed on shares in UK market...

    4 min read

  • 25 November 2021

    Shares in wafer-maker IQE crumble as sales and earnings disappoint

    “With global silicon chip sales setting new all-time highs, and stories of shortages still commonplace, investors are understandably disappointed with IQE’s latest trading update, which implies that sales and profits will undershoot management’s prior forecasts by 8% and 17%, adjusting for currency movements,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ...

    5 min read

  • 25 November 2021

    Diageo and Remy Cointreau in a sweet spot, Mitchells & Butlers still has challenges, and Vivo Energy is the latest UK-listed takeover target

    Markets: Diageo and Remy Cointreau in demand

    “ Diageo has been enjoying a strong rally since September and on Thursday was once again the biggest contributor to the FTSE 100 in points terms. Investors have been warming to the recovery story as it enjoys greater sales from pubs, restaurants and hotels now that many Covid restrictions have been...

    4 min read

  • 24 November 2021

    Oil rises again as market casts doubt over effectiveness of strategic reserve release, and Britvic fizzes on out-of-home boost

    “Oil prices continued to be under the spotlight as a US-led release of oil from strategic reserves failed to dampen commodity price inflation. Brent Crude advanced 0.5% to $82.70, extending a 3.3% rise yesterday,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.

    “Strategic reserves are meant to be untouched unless there is a real shortage of oil...

    3 min read

  • 23 November 2021

    Why the rise of responsible investing makes it more affordable

    Making sustainable choices in your everyday life isn’t always cheap. An electric car costs more than one with a combustion engine. Going vegan can mean going to the speciality aisle and paying a bit more for your dairy-free chocolate.

    The above examples are driven largely by supply and demand dynamics. Because these products are more niche in...

    4 min read
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  • 23 November 2021

    Investing in emerging markets – is it worth the risk?

    The MSCI All Country World Index, a performance benchmark for the global stock market, includes a 12% chunk called ‘emerging countries’.

    Though there’s no single measure for what an emerging country is, one common metric uses gross domestic product (a common measure of income) per person. The richest countries are labelled as advanced or developed...

    4 min read
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  • 23 November 2021

    FTSE 100 struggles on oil weakness, US tech sell-off and European Covid fears, AO’s nightmare before Christmas, and Pets at Home pepped up by pet boom

    “A slump in the oil price as the US taps into its strategic reserves helped put the FTSE 100 on the back foot on Tuesday,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.

    “The air has been coming out of the market like a slowly deflating balloon over the last week or so but it has accelerated this morning, not helped by a sell-off in US technology...

    5 min read

  • 19 November 2021

    Ryanair to exit London stock market and Kingfisher is still riding the DIY boom

    “A rather slow day for news is enlivened somewhat by the not entirely unexpected revelation that Ryanair is to fly off into the sunset and leave the London stock market behind,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.

    “For a business with a razor sharp focus on costs it seems the expense of maintaining a UK listing just doesn’t stack up any...

    3 min read

  • 16 November 2021

    FTSE flat, pound up after strong jobs figures, Diageo eyes greater market share, and Restaurant Group in robust shape

    “The FTSE 100 continues to be stuck in a bit of a holding pattern,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.

    “Holding the index back a bit was strength in the pound, hitting the relative value of its dominant overseas earnings, as stronger than expected unemployment figures suggested Bank of England Governor and ‘unreliable boyfriend’ Andrew...

    4 min read

  • 12 November 2021

    UK unemployment, wage growth and inflation figures

    “The Bank of England is sticking to its script that the current spike in inflation is down to global issues that may well prove temporary. This ignores another explanation, which is that the combination of ultra-loose monetary policy and fiscal largesse from Governments means the economy has been over-stimulated (global semiconductor sales reached...

    3 min read

  • 12 November 2021

    Unilever’s share price weakness presents Marmite Moment for investors

    As Unilever shares wallow at a historically low valuation, AJ Bell’s Head of Investment Analysis, Laith Khalaf, examines the bull and bear case for the stock:

    “Several lifetimes ago, in 2018, Unilever tried to move its headquarters from the UK to the Netherlands, prepared to forfeit its place in the prestigious FTSE 100 as a result. British...

    4 min read
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  • 11 November 2021

    Tesla slumps, Rivian surges, Disney misses subscriber target, Burberry hit by tourist shortfall, and Johnson Matthey pulls out of EV battery tech market

    “The FTSE 100 started Thursday on the front foot, shrugging off any hangover from the latest surge in US inflation,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.

    “There was plenty to unpick for investors from corporate events on the other side of the Atlantic overnight including divergent fortunes for two electric vehicle plays.

    “ Tesla continued...

    5 min read

  • 10 November 2021

    Marks & Spencer pleases with another profit upgrade, ITV on course for record advertising revenue, and strong corporate results overshadow inflation fears

    Marks & Spencer

    “Something spectacular must have happened since August for Marks & Spencer to upgrade earnings guidance once again. Back then, it believed pre-tax profit for the year would be above the upper end of a previously guided £300 million to £350 million range. Now it’s talking about profit hitting £500 million which is quite some jump,”...

    4 min read

  • 9 November 2021

    Primark smartens up and UK stocks squeeze out small gains

    Associated British Foods

    “Even though full-year revenue was slightly below market forecasts, there is a lot to like about Associated British Foods’ results,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.

    “It benefits from having diverse activities and the non-retail operations have developed a reputation for being solid and dependable...

    3 min read

  • 4 November 2021

    What have been the best investments in the year since ‘Pfizer Monday’?

    “Pfizer’s shares are up by a third since its announcement of a covid-19 vaccine on Monday 9 November 2020 and the company upgraded its forecasts for 2021 alongside its third-quarter results on Tuesday. Anyone who held shares in the drug giant a year ago has done well but the vaccine has helped to transform the outlook for financial markets, as well...

    7 min read

  • 3 November 2021

    Next beats expectations but cautious on outlook, and major Darktrace investor offloads stock

    “The FTSE 100 was in something of a holding pattern on Wednesday morning as investors await two central bank announcements which could define the year to come, let alone this week,” says AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould.

    “The first of these comes tonight UK time as the US Federal Reserve is widely expected to begin tapering its financial...

    4 min read

  • 2 November 2021

    THG shares remain in freefall, BP beats expectations and Flutter has a bad day

    THG / MARKETS

    “For a while THG was a stock market darling with investors clambering to own the stock in the belief it would play a key role in helping product manufacturers sell direct to consumers. Now it is losing fans at an incredibly rapid rate,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.

    “The shares peaked at nearly 800p at the start...

    5 min read

  • 1 November 2021

    Big week for markets, Barclays CEO steps down, and Howden Joinery is still in demand

    “It is an incredibly important week ahead for markets and there are numerous macro and political factors which could easily upset investors,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.

    “The US Federal Reserve is expected to start tapering its bond purchases and the Bank of England could press the button on the first of many interest rate...

    5 min read

  • 1 November 2021

    How to beat Sunak’s £47 billion stealth tax raid

    “A growing economy and inflationary pressures have turbo charged the tax revenues the Chancellor is now expecting to harvest from freezing tax thresholds, which he announced in the March Budget. While this is good news for the Exchequer, it means income taxpayers are going to suffer the consequences of Sunak’s stealth tax raid, to the tune of £47...

    7 min read
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  • 29 October 2021

    FTSE slips after corporate disappointments, NatWest disappoints with margin reduction, Apple and Amazon hit by supply chain issues and Facebook becomes Meta

    “Underwhelming corporate news on both sides of the Atlantic saw the FTSE 100 get off to a sluggish start on Friday,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.

    “For now investors appear to have shrugged off a long list of concerns taking in Chinese property, inflation, Covid, a fully blown supply chain crisis and an increase in interest rates...

    5 min read

  • 27 October 2021

    Prosecco budget delivers cheer for pub groups and housebuilders

    This was a Budget for lower paid workers, drivers and boozers, with a large increase in spending on public services. In many ways it was like watching austerity in reverse. Overall the policy decisions represent a £75 billion giveaway over the next five years. Make no mistake there is a cost to this, but many of the painful decisions that paved the...

    4 min read
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  • 27 October 2021

    FTSE struggles for direction ahead of the Budget, Bloomsbury prints record results

    “As often transpires, the contents of Rishi Sunak’s battered red briefcase were left looking like Westminster’s worst kept secret as today’s Budget enjoyed more trailers than the latest Marvel film ahead of its announcement,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.

    “Certainly the FTSE 100 was in sleepy mood ahead of the Budget announcement...

    2 min read

  • 26 October 2021

    FTSE 100 Reckitt lifts sales forecasts, Whitbread recovery gathers pace but warns on staffing

    “The FTSE 100 made a strong start on Tuesday, lifted by some strong corporate updates and as investors reacted to the fresh records set on Wall Street overnight,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.

    “The sharp falls seen in September when the index fell below the 7,000 mark are starting to recede into the distance. However, investors will...

    4 min read

  • 25 October 2021

    FTSE starts busy week on front foot, HSBC beats forecasts

    “The FTSE 100 started a new week in robust fashion on Monday despite a lukewarm reaction to better-than-expected results from index heavyweight HSBC,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.

    “The mining sector is doing the heavy lifting, as it did at the end of last week. The coming days look busy as more of the UK’s big companies report on...

    3 min read

  • 22 October 2021

    FTSE higher after weak retail sales, InterContinental Hotels gets staycation boost

    “The FTSE 100 started in decent fashion on Friday after a week in which the markets have turned downwards, albeit modestly,” says AJ Bell Financial Analyst Danni Hewson.

    “The rise in the index reflects its global horizons with the latest news on the UK economy hardly doing much to inspire confidence.

    “An unexpected fall in retail sales, which came...

    3 min read