6 July 2026
Daily market update: SK Hynix, ITV, EasyJet and OcadoThe UK market was alive with M&A action among mid and large caps, with the FTSE 100 propelled by a broad range of sectors.
GSK and BAE Systems were the biggest contributors to the FTSE in terms of index points, while IAG locked into the tailwind from EasyJet’s bid update.
South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix has ridden the memory chip boom this year...
3 July 2026
What is the k-shaped economy?Every few weeks, the financial news likes to throw a new catchy phrase into the mix, leaving the rest of us to figure out what it means. The ‘k-shaped economy’ seems to be the latest one that’s stuck.
But what is it, and is there anything to it?
The k-shaped economy is the theory that as a nation recovers from economic hardship, its wealth splits...
3 July 2026
Martin Gamble on US markets: Nike stumbles, profit taking in semiconductor stocksIn a shortened trading week due to the 250th Independence Day holiday on 3 July, US stock markets finished with a flurry, emboldened by increased hopes of a benign interest rate backdrop after June’s non-farm payrolls report came in weaker than expected.
Traders scaled back expectations for Federal Reserve interest rate hikes, with chances of an...
2 July 2026
Why property is hot for buyers – but cold for investorsUK REITs (real estate investment trusts) are under pressure but buyers are still circling. What’s going on?
UK REITs and commercial property stocks have lagged the wider market, weighed down by higher interest rates, changing working patterns, and economic uncertainty. Yet private equity and overseas buyers continue to target the sector.
In this...
2 July 2026
Daily market update: Currys, asian markets wobble and awaiting US job dataAsian markets wobbled on renewed fears around excessive AI spending and whether all the good news for the chip supply firms was fully priced in.
European markets managed to keep their cool and push ahead as investors rotated away from tech into more defensive-style sectors. Healthcare and utilities were in demand, with AstraZeneca doing a lot of...
1 July 2026
Britain’s consistent winners: Stocks that keep deliveringIt is highly unusual for share prices to consistently perform well year after year. That is the nature of stock markets; they twist and turn in unexpected ways, which makes it hard to stay the course.
We like a challenge, and this begs the question: are there any stocks that have delivered strong returns like clockwork?
After all, stock prices are...
1 July 2026
Why FTSE 100 investors are in line for a record payout in 2026This article uses data from our quarterly Dividend Dashboard report. To dive into more detail and find out more about the biggest dividend payers and growers you can read the full guide .
Despite all the turbulence seen in the first six months of the year, forecasts for aggregate FTSE 100 earnings and dividend payments for 2026 are up slightly...
1 July 2026
Daily market update: Greggs, Associated British Foods and NikeA new twist with the US/Iran peace talks caused ripples across the market as investors grow tired of non-stop setbacks.
Iran said it would not meet with visiting US envoys, causing equities to pull back and investors to switch to a risk-off mood.
Commodity producers weighed down the FTSE 100, although support from pharma and defence stocks helped...
30 June 2026
Daily market update: Sainsbury's, Siemens Energy, Maersk and IWGGermany’s DAX index led the charge as European markets put their front foot forward.
The DAX rose 0.8%, propelled by Siemens Energy which was the talk of the town after an upbeat analyst briefing.
Positive sentiment didn’t extend to shipping giant Maersk despite raised guidance. The shares initially jumped at the market open, but the gains quickly...
29 June 2026
Daily market update: BT, Verizon and British American TobaccoAll eyes are back on the Middle East after renewed tensions despite efforts to bring the war to an end.
Brent crude oil nudged up 0.4% to $72.26 per barrel after a weekend of fighting. The scale of the price hike wasn’t as bad as it could have been, helped by reports the US and Iran would stand down once again. Investors will want greater...
27 June 2026
What the 2026 'super El Nino' could mean for marketsEvery El Nino event in the past 60 years has had a significant impact on financial markets, triggering spikes in commodity prices, higher inflation, bond market volatility and sharp sector divergences across stock markets.
With scientists predicting 2026 could usher in one of the biggest El Nino events in history, this article explains what El Nino...
26 June 2026
Where investors won and lost in the first half of 2026Companies on the receiving end of the AI spending boom were the winning investments in the first half of 2026. Meanwhile Bitcoin was a shocker, gold lost its shine, and IT services and consulting shares were among the names eaten alive by AI displacement fears.
There was an IPO boom in the US, with a drone software company proving to be a...
26 June 2026
Daily market update: FTSE 100 lower, Apple, OpenAI, HeathrowThe FTSE 100 took its cue from wider market weakness to trade lower on Friday morning, although it avoided the scale of losses seen for many of its global counterparts.
If memory chip play Micron helped manufacture some momentum for the market after its bumper results on Wednesday, Apple axed it overnight as it put up prices on a broad range of...
26 June 2026
Martin Gamble on US markets: Micron surges, FedEx faltersMarkets saw a setback this week led by a sharp sell-off in global chip stocks with the Korean Kospi index dropping more than 7% and the Philadelphia semiconductor index, known as the SOX index, falling more than 6% before recovering slightly.
The sell-off created a big divergence in the performance of major US indices with the technology-led Nasdaq...
25 June 2026
Daily market update: Micron, EasyJet, Halfords, Moonpig, H&MFears about a pullback in AI-related stocks have been banished after Micron Technology’s results implied all is well in tech land.
The company has reported a surge in profit and said supply tightness in the memory chip market will continue beyond next year.
That put a rocket under Micron’s shares which jumped 16% in pre-market trading and took...
24 June 2026
Bought your first global ETF? Here’s how to build from thereGetting started is always the hardest step. That first run, the first time trying to get your car into gear, riding a bike, the list goes on, and investing is no different.
Usually, most people choose a global equity tracker fund to start with, and for good reason. “It’s a great place to start,” AJ Bell’s Head of Investment Research Paul Angell...
24 June 2026
Daily market update: Markets calm, Segro, Prologis, BerkeleyWhile a red day on Wall Street on Tuesday put investors on edge, it didn’t trigger contagion across global markets.
The Nasdaq fell 2.2% and the Vix measure of volatility jumped 13%, prompting investors to worry if we’re on the cusp of a new market meltdown. Fortunately, Asian and European markets showed resilience on Wednesday and helped to settle...
24 June 2026
Three key lessons the birthday lottery tells us about investing for childrenThe lottery of birth has a massive impact on Junior ISA (JISA) and Child Trust Fund growth over the years. If you were one of the first children to receive money from the government in February 2005, and your parents topped it up to £1,000, by the time you reached the age of 18 it would have grown into an impressive nest egg of £5,172.**
However...
23 June 2026
Emerging markets: opportunities, risks and how to investThe list of reasons people in invest in emerging markets includes their faster growing economies underpinned by large working-age populations, rising middle classes and increasing productivity.
This means countries like India, Indonesia and Vietnam may grow faster than developed nations for decade to come. Economic growth and stock market returns...
23 June 2026
Investing in foreign shares or fund? The tax on dividends explainedUK residents are taxed on their income and gains, and this will include dividends from international shares. While your AJ Bell ISA and SIPP wrappers shelter your investments from UK income and capital gains tax, there may still be other tax considerations related to foreign investments, even if they’re held in these wrappers.
This article will...
23 June 2026
Daily market update: Royal Mail, Bunzl, Telecom Plus, Heineken, Gear4MusicThe FTSE 100 was lower on Tuesday after yesterday’s tech sell-off in the US.
The selling in SpaceX, as its trajectory starts to reverse following a blockbuster market debut, has had a knock-on effect on some of the UK vehicles with stakes in the business. The mining sector in London was also lower amid concern about the global economy.
The market...
23 June 2026
Starmer gone: five things for investors to watch in the coming monthsDon’t be fooled into a false sense of security from the muted bond market reaction to Keir Starmer’s resignation. There is still a risk that bond markets find something to worry about as we transition to a new prime minister.
It could just be a momentary stillness before things escalate. Here are five key areas to watch.
1. Leadership battle?Uncer...
22 June 2026
How the UK’s stock and bond markets react to mid-term prime ministersKeir Starmer's resignation as leader of the Labour Party and UK prime minister is the latest in a series of events which could see the country welcome its eighth unelected, mid-term prime minister since the launch of the FTSE All-Share in 1962.
After winning the Makerfield by-election Andy Burnham is currently the frontrunner to take on the Number...
22 June 2026
Daily market update: Keir Starmer, Babcock, Ocado, EasyJetTalks to end the war between the US and Iran are underway. Markets could see heightened volatility during the process as this won’t be a simple handshake to get it done.
To compound this situation, investors are on the edge of their seats regarding a seismic change in UK politics. Gilt yields moved up slightly on news Keir Starmer will step down as...
21 June 2026
How to use price to sales to find cheap UK companiesIf you’re trying to separate undervalued from overvalued companies, comparing market value (the company’s worth) to revenue (the amount of money a business earns before deducting expenses) can be a useful starting point. It is referred to as the price to sales or PS ratio for short.
The PS ratio is straightforward to calculate; for example...
