Shares & the stock market

13 March 2026

Investors might have been surprised at how supposed lower-risk investments haven’t provided complete protection as the Iran conflict unfolded. But they aren’t meant to, and it’s an important reminder that diversification is vital when investing.

Research by AJ Bell found that only money market funds and shares in non-life insurance companies have...

12 March 2026

The past two weeks have shifted inflation expectations from a gradual float down towards the Bank of England’s 2% goal, to another steep climb, and back again to somewhere in the middle as the market attempts to predict what will happen next in Iran.

This is a near impossible task. The recent spikes in anticipated levels of inflation have been...

12 March 2026

Once again the FTSE 100 was protected from the worst of the falls on Thursday as its higher exposure to the energy sector helped support the UK stock index.

Nonetheless, UK stocks were still in the red as investors reacted to ongoing disruption to energy markets from the Middle East conflict. Oil prices surged through the $100 per barrel mark for...

11 March 2026

Dips and dividends were the key trends for AJ Bell DIY investors responding to Middle East conflict-driven market volatility last week. There were twice as many buy trades than sells between 2 and 6 March, implying that investors saw an opportunity to buy companies or funds at depressed prices.

While there remains considerable uncertainty around...

11 March 2026

The situation in the Middle East has had a dramatic impact on global energy markets. In the space of just 24 hours on Monday and Tuesday, Brent crude oil traded as high as $120 per barrel and at less than $90 per barrel as expectations about the duration and intensity of the conflict waxed and waned.

Reopening the strategically important Strait of...

11 March 2026

The relief rally which took hold after comments from Donald Trump that the Iran war was close to ending has proved as short-lived as a mayfly’s lifespan.

While investors have not returned to the panic mode seen at the start of the week, with extraordinary swings in the oil price and plunging market values, there is genuine trepidation.

Reports Iran...

10 March 2026

The Iran conflict has created considerable uncertainty in the markets for investors to navigate. But how can we take the temperature of the market and compare volatility to where it has been during other periods of turbulence for stocks.

A popular measure used by professional investors is the Vix. You may have seen this referenced in reporting...

10 March 2026

The market is in highly speculative mode thanks to the absence of any certainty about what the next few days, let alone weeks will look like.

In these circumstances, Donald Trump’s comments about the Iran war ending soon have been seized upon like water offered to someone who’s just consumed a full bag of salty crisps.

The levels of volatility in...

9 March 2026

The Iran conflict intensified over the weekend and oil briefly going above $115 a barrel has caused another bout of selling on financial markets.

Tipping over the $100 a barrel level has major implications from a psychological and economical perspective. It significantly raises the chances of a sharp jump in inflation and interest rates shifting to...

6 March 2026

US stock markets were under pressure this week in response to the conflict in the Middle East with most of the losses seen in the benchmark S&P 500 index and the smaller companies Russell 2000 index.

The Nasdaq Composite showed resilience, gaining just under half a percentage point, led by continued support for big technology companies.

Despite the...

6 March 2026

The US and Israel’s attacks on Iran have caused considerable uncertainty for the world and led to unusually large movements across financial markets in a short space of time. While the human cost of any conflict is paramount, as an investor, it’s important not to panic in this situation. In general, shares went down, and oil went up.

The 17% rise...

6 March 2026

Markets displayed resilience in the face of events in the Middle East, with the FTSE 100 ticking higher on Friday.

This comes after mixed trading in Asia and with futures pointing to small gains on Wall Street later. Concern about inflation remains elevated with oil prices on course for their largest weekly gains since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine...

5 March 2026

The FTSE 100 welcomed another investment trust to its ranks this month, with a record seven now members of the UK’s blue-chip index.

Tritax Big Box REIT was promoted from the FTSE 250 after a rally in its share price and M&A activity saw it become a £4 billion plus trust.

It joins 3i Group, Scottish Mortgage, Pershing Square Holdings, F&C, Alliance...

5 March 2026

When frightening headlines start dominating the news, some investors' first instinct is to think of how they can capitalise on it. Others want to stay far away. If you’re in the latter camp, the past week might have been quite worrying.

More important than the market concerns is the ongoing loss of lives. For those who have been affected in the...

5 March 2026

A decent showing on Wall Street last night and a solid performance from Asia on Thursday helped to spur part of Europe into a higher gear.

The FTSE 100 advanced 0.4% to 10,612 amid a higher oil price and a plethora of corporate news flow.

Brent Crude continued to move higher, nudging above $83 per barrel and stoking fears that energy bills will go...

4 March 2026

Investing is not about selecting just any stock or fund at random in the hope of getting the best returns. You need to pick your investments wisely and consider how you might feel about losing money if something goes wrong.

It all comes down to making a plan that suits your temperament and lifestyle while giving yourself the best chance of staying...

4 March 2026

If yesterday was capitulation, today is investors catching their breath.

Most of the main European stock markets regained their balance and either edged higher or held firm, much to the relief of investors who have witnessed two days of share prices flashing red.

Tuesday was dominated by investors selling assets that had already served them well...

4 March 2026

People love a chance to jump ahead of the queue, especially when it’s an exclusive club everyone is trying to be a part of.

The joy of strolling up to the front with a casually knowing nod while others crane their necks to catch a glimpse of the room they’re waiting to go into is somewhat akin to investing in a company before it floats on the...

3 March 2026

The US and Israeli military intervention in Iran has led to a significant increase in oil prices.

What does this price hike and any potential move higher – like the $100 per barrel price seen after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – mean for markets and your money? From how much you pay to fill up your car to the impact on equities as a whole and oil...

3 March 2026

Despite an initial sanguine response to the Iran conflict seen on Wall Street on Monday, UK stocks recorded a meaningful drop on Tuesday morning.

Asian markets were weak as concern grows about rising energy prices, and US futures suggest investors across the Atlantic are also starting to become more alarmed about the situation in the Middle East...

2 March 2026

The uncertainty factor reigns again.

Scenes in the Middle East have caused widespread nervousness across financial markets. The US attacks on Iran have caused oil prices to soar amid fears of disruptions to supplies, pushing up costs for businesses and consumers. That ranges from costing more to fill up the car to making it more expensive to run...

2 March 2026

The defence sector has been booming the past 18 months, driven by a peak in geopolitical conflicts and governments dedicating higher budgets to military and cyber security resources.

Global military expenditure hit £2.7 trillion in 2024, the highest level on record, according to data from HanETF. Investors who took up holdings in defence off the...

27 February 2026

US stock markets were relatively flat on the week despite a negative market reaction to results from chip giant Nvidia on 25 February.

After initially rallying in after-hours trading Nvidia shares sank as much as 5.5% when markets reopened on 26 February as investors questioned the sustainability of the AI boom and lofty valuations of technology...