Shares & the stock market

20 May 2026

The yield on 10-year UK government bonds recently pushed through the key 5% mark to reach their highest levels since the late 1990s while 30-year yields are approaching 6%.

While this kind of environment is not typically helpful for stocks, some parts of the market have historically done better than others when rates are rising.

The UK is not alone...

19 May 2026

Trump’s hot/cold demeanour around the Iran war continues to cause volatility on the markets.

With the US president having yesterday called off a new military attack on Iran, investors are showing relief that tensions haven’t escalated. That’s helped oil prices to ease back slightly and equity markets to move higher in Europe and Asia.

However...

18 May 2026

After finishing the previous week with heavy losses, the FTSE 100 made an uncertain start on Monday as the list of market worries continues to build.

Hopes that a resolution between the US and Iran might be in sight continue to ebb away and that’s reflected in oil prices ticking higher. Meanwhile movements in government bonds imply a lasting and...

18 May 2026

While AI companies have been a winning investment strategy in recent years, the narrative for many people has now shifted towards apprehension.

Investors worry the companies won’t to live up to their lofty valuations as stocks like Nvidia have increased in price by 1,441% in the past five years. That’s more than the S&P 500 has increased in the...

15 May 2026

US markets marched to new highs this week led by the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite. It was buoyed by the blockbuster IPO of semiconductor firm Cerebras, whose shares doubled on their debut, giving the company a market value of around $100 billion.

The interest rate sensitive small company Russell 2000 index lagged as bond yields moved higher. This...

15 May 2026

The FTSE 100 fell as emerging evidence of inflationary pressures and domestic political uncertainty combined to put investors on edge.

The decision of a Labour MP to stand down and pave the way for Andy Burnham to return to parliament – likely as a precursor to a leadership challenge – has seen gilt yields move yet higher.

While there’s no...

15 May 2026

This article shows how the power of reinvesting dividends can really growth wealth over the long run. While this is purely an illustrative example and nothing in investing is guaranteed it helps show the difference this investment approach can make.

While we use the example of a single company for simplicity, it is crucial that investors hold a...

14 May 2026

Markets are back to enjoying record highs after faltering in March. The MSCI World has reached new peaks in May and rewarded investors with a return of 26% over the past year, as of 12 May. Looking at the numbers, it looks to be business as usual, and good business at that. So why do so many of us feel uneasy?

It’s healthy to have some level of...

14 May 2026

The FTSE 100 was flat in early trading on Thursday as investors sat on their hands and awaited the latest developments in politics and geopolitics at home and abroad.

Gilt yields were steady as a potential challenge to Keir Starmer’s premiership continued to bubble away in the background, while domestic-facing stocks regained some of the losses...

13 May 2026

The FTSE 100 bounced back on Wednesday despite continuing tensions in the Middle East and as the political situation in the UK remained fraught.

Keir Starmer is set to meet with one of his mooted leadership rivals, health secretary Wes Streeting, ahead of the King’s Speech when the embattled prime minister is expected to announce a raft of...

13 May 2026

If the past few years have taught investors anything, it’s that geography doesn’t insulate you from global shocks. Japan, like Europe and the UK, is highly exposed to the ongoing energy crisis, relying heavily on imports to keep its economy moving.

With over 90% of its oil sourced from the Middle East, Japan sits squarely in the line of fire if...

12 May 2026

US markets could be losing a tailwind this year as companies slow their share buybacks in favour of capital expenditure.

Share buybacks reduce the number of shares in issue and mathematically provide a boost to earnings per share.

Let’s say you own an equal share in a business with three friends and one of them wants out. After agreeing on a price...

12 May 2026

Gilt yields have remained at elevated levels after Labour setbacks in local elections. The results fuelling speculation that Keir Starmer might struggle to cling on as prime minister.

The 30-year gilt yield is often a better measure of political sentiment than the usual 10-year benchmark rate, as the government typically issues long-term debt. The...

12 May 2026

Drama and turmoil on both sides of the Atlantic helped put the FTSE 100 firmly on the back foot on Tuesday.

Comments from Donald Trump that the Iran-US ceasefire was ‘on life support’ saw investors wobble in Asia and Europe – with the sell-off in the UK market exacerbated by domestic political events.

The 30-year gilt yield, which is sensitive to...

11 May 2026

Gilt yields jumped after a weekend of speculation around Keir Starmer’s position as prime minister says.

The 30-year gilt yield edged up to 5.649%, indicating that bond investors are uneasy about the political backdrop. Starmer’s big speech could be make or break for his position at the top, and the bond market’s negative reaction implies a sense...

8 May 2026

US markets continued to make new highs this week despite the fragile Middle East ceasefire driven by technology stocks and positive earnings upgrades.

With the earnings season in full swing the data shows that roughly four fifths of companies have beaten profit estimates and the average positive surprise has been 11%.

The S&P 500 is on track for...

8 May 2026

The FTSE 100 started Friday on the back foot as local election results trickled in and tensions simmered in the Middle East.

While officially the ceasefire between the US and Iran remains in place, an exchange of fire in the Strait of Hormuz has helped to extinguish some of the hope that a deal between the parties might be close.

For now, the move...

7 May 2026

European markets mostly continued yesterday’s strong session, which saw equities rally globally on hopes of a resolution to the Middle East conflict.

The exception was the FTSE 100 which fell 0.6% as energy stocks weighed on the index amid oil falling back below $100 a barrel.

Shell reported bumper profits, but the market had fully expected that...

7 May 2026

The lofty valuations of AI stocks in the past few years have dredged up memories for some of the time before the dotcom bubble burst in 2000.

This burst, which led to steep fall in the MSCI World over a period of two years, was due to overinvestment in internet companies that eventually couldn’t live up to their value despite the internet becoming...

6 May 2026

The market is celebrating an apparent late-night TACO Tuesday as the US pauses its plan to escort commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz to focus on negotiations with Tehran.

A ceasefire which seemed to have been stretched to breaking point appears to be just about holding up. Hopes for de-escalation have been renewed by the latest...

6 May 2026

New research by AJ Bell explores the top financial goals at each stage in life and found that for Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X, the top three financial goals are retirement savings, money for travel and building an emergency fund.

Among those aged 61 and under, the older you are, the more likely you are to prioritise retirement savings (31% for Gen...

6 May 2026

The combined stock market value of the so-called Magnificent Seven of Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia and Tesla has hit a new record high of $22.5 trillion, finally passing last October’s peak as investors react a strong set of quarterly results from the six to have reported so far.

Nvidia’s first-quarter earnings are due on 20...

6 May 2026

Equity indices are often seen as a good way to achieve a broad spread of exposures to companies operating in different industries and thereby reduce stock risk, but it is important to be aware of concentration risk.

While much has been written recently about how the S&P 500 is dominated by its largest constituents, it is probably less well...