30 March 2026
Daily market update: Markets, oil, M&S, BoohooMarket nervousness around the situation in the Middle East continues to ratchet up as the Iran conflict enters a fifth week.
Comments from President Trump about seizing Iranian oil and the country’s Kharg Island export hub, a build-up of US troops and the involvement of Tehran-backed Houthis in the war all create the impression of a conflict that...
28 March 2026
Why most fund managers ignore crypto despite its bumper returnsBitcoin has become a catch-all term for all things cryptocurrency, an asset which has captured investors' attention for the best part of two decades. Yet it's an investment which has largely been shunned by professionals in the fund manager space.
Launched in 2009 by the anonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto as a rebellion to the traditional banking...
26 March 2026
Daily market update: Next, Currys, Ceres Power, Centrica, OECDInvestors have eagerly awaited a ceasefire in the Middle East this week but once again there are mixed messages from the US and Iran, leaving markets confused. Momentum has been lost across the main European stock indices and oil has edged higher, meaning it’s still a waiting game.
The FTSE 100 dipped 0.7% to 10,036, dragged down by several big...
26 March 2026
These UK stocks pay the biggest dividends – where to lookUK bond yields have jumped sharply, reshaping expectations for Bank of England interest rates and putting pressure on equity valuations. In this video, AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould explains why rising two‑year and 10‑year Gilt yields matter, how they affect the FTSE 100, and which stocks now offer the highest dividend yields.
He also...
25 March 2026
Daily market update: Equities, UK inflation, ASOS, Crest NicholsonEuropean markets moved higher in early trading on Wednesday, despite conflicting messages about the Middle East crisis.
The FTSE 100 moved back through the 10,000 level, led by banks and miners. Oil prices remained volatile as talk of a potential peace plan was offset by ongoing strikes in the Middle East and reports of the US sending more troops...
25 March 2026
How could higher interest rates impact your investments?One of the striking market reactions to the US-Iranian conflict is the sharp reversal in interest rate expectations as investors anticipate the potential inflationary impacts of energy supply disruptions.
UK markets were expecting two interest rate cuts over the next 12 months from the Bank of England in late February, but just three weeks after...
24 March 2026
Daily market update: Stocks higher, Kingfisher, Vets, Estee LauderInvestors will be relieved to see further gains for European stocks after recent market turmoil.
It implies some faith on the part of markets that an off-ramp can be found for all parties in the Iran conflict before the economic damage becomes too acute.
Asian indices were higher, taking their lead from yesterday’s bounce back in the US and Europe...
23 March 2026
Daily market update: Shares, bonds and gold hit by Trump 48-hour deadlineThe risk dial has been turned up again on the Middle East conflict, causing widespread turbulence on financial markets.
Donald Trump imposing a tight deadline changed the narrative for markets. Up until yesterday, investors were unsettled by activities but hoped the US president would eventually back down.
Trump telling Iran it had 48 hours to open...
21 March 2026
Why are banking shares doing badly this year?As of the close on Thursday (19 March), the FTSE 350 Banks sector index was down by 6% in 2026.
That leaves the sector ranked just 24th out of the 38 industrial sectors that make up the FTSE 350 overall, which is a huge contrast to 2025 when Banks ranked third behind only Precious Metals & Mining and Aerospace & Defence – and indeed the last five...
20 March 2026
Martin Gamble on US markets: confusion at Nvidia with Wall Street in retreatUS stock markets fell for the third consecutive week as tensions in the Middle East escalated, while bond yields went up on inflation fears.
The Federal Reserve’s interest rate meeting saw policy makers vote 11-to-one to keep rates unchanged with Trump appointee Stephen Miran, once more, calling for a rate cut.
The central bank also revealed its...
20 March 2026
Daily market update: Markets rebound, Unilever, McCormick, WetherspoonsA small rebound in European stock markets brought a sense of relief to the end of a turbulent week.
Oil prices eased back and the FTSE 100 advanced 0.5% to 10,113 thanks to a solid showing from banks and miners – the two main culprits for Thursday’s market weakness.
Unilever sprung to life as talk about selling its food brands intensified. The...
19 March 2026
US exodus: AJ Bell investors bring their holdings homeIn the past year, AJ Bell investors have changed course: instead of putting their money across the pond in the US market, they’ve been bringing their funds home.
While last year saw DIY investors withdraw large amounts of money from the North American funds sector, AJ Bell data also showed notable withdrawals from UK All Companies sector funds...
19 March 2026
How top fund managers are responding to renewed inflation risksThe rise in oil and gas prices has sparked fears of a 2022-style inflation crisis reemerging, with energy costs set to rise as the war in Iran continues.
A repeat of this could be painful for investors because 2022 saw both equities and bonds experience negative returns for the first time since 1977. This meant even portfolios which were...
19 March 2026
Bank stocks are falling – Here’s what’s really going onUK bank stocks are falling in 2026 — but why? In this video, Russ Mould breaks down the key reasons behind the drop in Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, NatWest and Standard Chartered shares, despite strong profits, high dividends and big buybacks.
19 March 2026
Daily market update: Middle East tensions, oil, gold, Unilever, Kraft foodsThe Fed and Bank of England are in a state of limbo while they wait to see if the Middle East crisis will trigger a long-lasting inflation shock.
There was no change to US rates last night and the Bank of England may also sit on its hands today. There simply isn’t enough data to make an informed decision on whether to put up rates to deal with the...
18 March 2026
Daily market update: Markets, Prudential, BHP, Ramsdens, UnileverTalk of a deal between Iraq and Turkey to restart oil supplies has helped to calm financial markets.
This provided some relief to investors on the edge of their seats amid worries about disruptions to oil supplies. While the news helped to nudge down Brent prices by 0.5% to $102.89 a barrel, getting the commodity value significantly lower still...
18 March 2026
From AI winners to casualties: the UK stocks swept up in the volatilityYou may have spotted the big collapse in share prices of software and data companies in early February 2026.
This followed the release by ChatGPT rival Claude, a chatbot owned by Anthropic, of a specialised AI tool for the legal industry.
This saw many companies which were previously perceived as AI winners go into reverse; but just how much ground...
17 March 2026
The highest yielding companies across stock market sectorsThe UK stock market is known for a being a handy source of dividends, but within this overall picture, certain sectors do a lot of the heavy lifting.
The FTSE 100 is forecast to provide a dividend yield of 3.4% for 2026. According to AJ Bell’s Dividend Dashboard report released in December 2025, just 10 companies are forecast to pay out 54% of the...
17 March 2026
Daily market update: FTSE 100, Close Brothers, NVIDIA, Wickes, TrustpilotThe FTSE 100 ticked higher and outperformed some of its counterparts as oil continued to climb .
The longer the oil price stays above $100 per barrel, the louder the alarm bells for the market over inflation risks. Iran’s continued attacks on regional energy infrastructure are helping to keep crude at elevated levels.
The FTSE 100 has a large...
16 March 2026
Daily market update: FTSE 100, CRH, Thames Water, Scottish MortgageThe FTSE 100 ticked higher at the start of the week as its material weighting towards energy continued to offer some ballast during the Iran conflict.
Oil prices were higher again and Asian markets were lower as fighting in the Middle East rumbles on. By the time markets opened in Europe, oil was a little off its highs for the session. Over the...
13 March 2026
Commodities are surging again – here’s what’s driving the moveCommodities are back centre stage – and for good reason. Oil and European gas prices have jumped sharply amid renewed tensions in the Middle East, and the CRB Commodities Index is now climbing toward highs last seen in 2008.
In this episode, AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould unpacks what’s behind the latest price moves and looks at the ripple...
13 March 2026
Martin Gamble on US markets: Oracle shines as data storage surge continuesUS markets continued to be volatile this week, buffeted by continued tensions in the Middle East and rising oil prices.
Concerns that the conflict will last longer than expected have put upward pressure on US 10-year government bond yields which moved back above 4.2%, their highest level since mid-January.
Consumer prices remained stable in...
13 March 2026
Why you shouldn’t panic when markets wobbleIf the past two weeks of conflict in Iran have caused some nerves about your investments, you are not alone.
Even though market volatility can be stressful in the moment, history has shown it often turns out to be more of a blip than a significant change.
The market movement we’ve seen from events in the Middle East has been relatively subtle so...
13 March 2026
How defensive investments are holding up in the Middle East crisisInvestors 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...
13 March 2026
Daily market update: Markets, oil up and gold down, BerkeleyFinancial markets showed signs of frustration that the Iran conflict continues to rage on.
European and Asian equities were in the red and the US looked set to follow in the same path when Wall Street opens for trading later.
Oil held firm at high prices, while gold lost its shine as investors offloaded liquid assets and the metal suffered from a...
