6 May 2026
April market review: How equities bounced back while bonds flounderedAfter a chaotic March, April allowed investors to take a step back and process the situation in front of them. What markets saw, by and large, was a return to the norms of earlier this year.
The US made a strong recovery, as the Morningstar US Market index rose 7.2% during the month, while the Morningstar UK Index climbed up 2.4%. The indices are...
4 May 2026
Three types of funds for beginner investorsInvesting doesn’t have to be complicated when you use funds, and you’re never too old to get started. There are some easy steps for anyone whose interest has been piqued by the government’s push to get more people investing their money rather than letting it sit in cash.
A lot of people feel overwhelmed when looking for investments because the...
1 May 2026
Martin Gamble on US markets: Google-owner Alphabet soars, Meta punishedUS markets were surprisingly steady this week despite a barrage of macroeconomic news and big technology earnings.
The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged as expected but four of its twelve policy members dissented, revealing the biggest lack of consensus at the Fed in 34 years.
In Jerome Powell’s last meeting as chair, he told reporters...
1 May 2026
Daily market update: FTSE 100 drifts with oil above $110, Diageo, NatWest, AppleThe FTSE 100 took a step back on Friday on a mix of continuing concern about the situation in the Middle East, profit taking in the utilities sector and weakness among precious metals miners.
The latest US earnings season has been robust, which has helped prevent global markets from suffering big losses despite the impact of the Iran conflict. US...
30 April 2026
Consumer staples stocks 2026: what’s going wrong?Consumer staples stocks in 2026 are not behaving as expected. Russ Mould explains why traditionally defensive stocks are under pressure. In uncertain markets, investors often turn to consumer staples for stability. But this year, companies like Unilever and Reckitt Benckiser have struggled, despite rising geopolitical tensions and inflation...
30 April 2026
Daily market update: Markets mixed as Iran crisis continues, United Utilities, Rolls-RoyceThe relative calm the market has displayed so far over the Iran war has started to dissipate, with oil prices creeping higher on fears a timely resolution to the conflict is slipping away.
The FTSE 100 was helped by its oil and gas heavyweights but elsewhere there was heavy selling in Europe as the energy price shock threatens to intensify and with...
29 April 2026
Daily market update: FTSE retreats, Lloyds, AstraZeneca and GSK bullish, AdidasDespite a decent showing from Asian markets, Europe was on the back foot as yesterday’s dip in oil prices reversed, reminding investors that inflation risks are still elevated.
UAE’s exit from oil producers’ cartel Opec might eventually lead to greater oil supplies from the region which could bring down oil prices, but it won’t happen overnight.
T...
29 April 2026
Why are shares in defence companies under pressure?European defence stocks suffered their worst drop in five years in March while the iShares US Aerospace & Defence ETF saw nearly $1 billion of outflows in the week ending 24 April.
Many defence companies now sit below where they stood before the war in Iran began at the end of February 2026.
While this may seem counterintuitive, there are reasons...
28 April 2026
Investing in the British companies you use every dayWe’re often told to invest in what we know – and there’s a surprisingly large number of companies on the UK stock market embedded into everyday life.
From the moment we wake up, get dressed and have breakfast, go to work and come home again, there are oodles of touch points with companies whose shares can be bought at the click of a button. There’s...
28 April 2026
Daily market update: FTSE up, oil above $110, BP, Card Factory, Travis PerkinsA matter of weeks ago oil moving through $110 per barrel would be enough to give markets the willies but they seem to be in wait-and-see mode right now .
Energy prices are reacting to stalled talks between the US and Iran and a blockage of the Strait of Hormuz which has now extended to the best part of two months – with just a few fleeting moments...
27 April 2026
Daily market update: Equity markets higher, Whitbread, motor finance redress schemeEquity markets pushed ahead in Europe despite oil prices creeping ever higher.
The exception was the FTSE 100 which held firm as energy and industrial sector gains were offset by weakness in consumer non-cyclicals and miners.
The oil market has been the place to watch closely since the start of March when the Middle East crisis unfolded. Oil below...
26 April 2026
Big dividends: The highest yielding stocks on UK stock marketOne of the UK stock market’s key attractions is the rich bounty of dividends on offer. There are companies with a history of returning copious amounts of money to shareholders and that makes the UK a fertile hunting ground for income investors.
At a headline level, the FTSE 100 yields 3.3% based on forecast payments. While 3.3% is less than you’d...
24 April 2026
Martin Gamble on US Markets: Tesla spend spooks investorsUS markets took a well-earned breather this week after President Trump announced an indefinite ceasefire to hostilities in the Middle East.
It is likely to be the quiet before the storm ahead of a next week’s deluge of data including a interest rate decision from the Federal Reserve and earnings from the mega-cap technology firms, including Apple...
24 April 2026
Daily market update: FTSE falls after Bank of England warning, Intel, MondiAn official from the Bank of England has warned of a potential global stock market correction.
Deputy governor for financial stability Sarah Breeden told the BBC that current share prices didn’t reflect economic pressures facing the markets.
The stock market reflects what investors think will happen in the future. While markets have been wobbly...
24 April 2026
Big pharma in focus: What’s driving AstraZeneca and GSK right nowAstraZeneca results are in focus as the FTSE 100 earnings season accelerates. With pharma stocks near record highs, what should investors be watching?
In this week’s market update, Russ Mould looks ahead to upcoming results from AstraZeneca and GSK, two of the UK’s largest pharmaceutical companies. With strong share price performance and ambitious...
23 April 2026
Why the UK beats the US on value and dividendsThere has been a pervasive misconception about UK companies when compared to those in the US that they don't have as much to offer in terms of exciting opportunities and, for market participants, returns.
Comparing the valuation and dividend trends – two of the most crucial factors for investing – on UK and US stocks the former trumps the US.
The...
22 April 2026
What are trackers and how can they get you started with investing?If you’re new to investing, the level of choice can feel overwhelming and leave you confused on where to begin. One option when you’re starting out is to use tracker funds to get exposure to lots of different investments in one go.
Casual followers of financial headlines will likely have heard of the FTSE 100 and possibly even the S&P 500. These...
22 April 2026
Daily market update: Markets steady on ceasefire extension, JD Sports, Shoe ZoneThe FTSE 100 was steady after an extension to the ceasefire between the US and Iran.
Mixed messages from Donald Trump, and an insistence that a US blockade of Iran will continue, mean investors are still playing a guessing game. Suggestions from the Iranian side that they will not attend today’s talks in Pakistan and an attack on a container ship...
22 April 2026
Why three markets haven't reacted how we might expect to conflictMarkets are fickle. Even if we knew exactly what was going to happen in the world before they did, it’s another matter entirely to guess what the reaction would be. Investors in gold, bonds and US equities might currently be experiencing a bit of shock at how markets have performed this year.
This can be unnerving. We expect assets to follow a...
21 April 2026
How the bumper US rally compares with previous two-week surgesMarkets scaled new all-time highs recently following a ceasefire in the Middle East and hopes that a lasting resolution in imminent.
The S&P 500 has now gained roughly 12% in just two weeks, one of the steepest rises ever seen over that timeframe. (For clarity this encompasses the trading days within a two-week period rather than 14 trading days)...
21 April 2026
Daily market update: new CEO for Apple, British Land, Associated British FoodEuropean markets trod water in early trading as investors waited for the next update on US-Iran peace talks.
Oil prices remained below $100 a barrel which suggests cautious optimism that the Middle East conflict won’t intensify. However, the longer oil remains in the 90s range (currently $95), the higher the chance of an inflationary shock and a...
20 April 2026
Daily market update: Stocks slip back, oil above $90, Evoke, FTSE 100It appears last week’s market enthusiasm over the Strait of Hormuz reopening may have been premature.
Events over the weekend have left the ceasefire between Tehran and Washington looking as fragile as ever.
The Strait was open for just a day before the US seizure of an Iranian vessel. The continuing blockade of the country’s ports over the weekend...
17 April 2026
Daily market update: S&P 500 has increased, Asian and European markets, IntertekCrisis, what crisis? In forging ahead to new all-time highs on Thursday night, the S&P 500 has now increased by $1.5 trillion in value since the Iran war began.
While other global indices aren’t quite as buoyant – Asian stocks largely easing back in their latest trading sessions and European shares starting Friday modestly lower – most of the falls...
17 April 2026
I want £500 in yearly dividends – how much do I need to invest?What total would you have to invest in the stock market to get £500 worth of dividends every year?
This is the amount you can earn in dividends and not pay tax on them. Though if you have a larger dividend income from your investments than this amount you can shield the income from HMRC by holding them within an ISA or SIPP.
It depends where you...
17 April 2026
Retail investors set to get more choice in corporate bondsRetail investors could soon have greater choice among corporate bonds. Three bonds from London Stock Exchange Group are now available to the public, and more bonds could follow suit in the coming months by other companies.
Historically, corporate bonds required minimum investment amounts beyond the reach of individuals. That is now changing. While...
