Dan Coatsworth is AJ Bell's Head of Markets. Dan has been with the company since December 2012 and has more than 18 years' experience in the industry, following the markets and all things investing. He has a degree in Corporate Communications from Southampton Solent University.
Dan is involved in a lot of the content published by AJ Bell, which includes; providing market commentary, starring in our educational videos, writing for Shares Magazine and co-presenting our Money and Markets podcast, as well as hosting and presenting at events for customers – both in person and online.
Dan’s passion lies with educating customers all about investing and staying informed about market events. He previously worked for Teletext on the business and personal finance desks which taught him the importance of telling a story in as few words as possible. He has also appeared as a business commentator on Times Radio and LBC News and written investment-related articles for The Telegraph, Evening Standard, Mail on Sunday and The Week.
A fun fact Dan learned about investing early on was to not get caught up on the hype around certain stocks. He found this out himself when the first share he bought was a company trying to recover copper from a shipwreck at the bottom of the ocean… this sounded exciting but sadly didn’t make him any money! Outside of work, Dan enjoys swimming and going to live gigs.
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
Are you focusing on the wrong number when picking an income fund?Investors searching for income opportunities often gravitate towards funds with the highest yields. If you had the choice of either 4p or 8p in every pound in dividends, you might choose the bigger reward.
What people often neglect to consider is the importance of looking at total return. This is the money you make from dividends and the increase...
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...
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...
11 March 2026
Three investment goals to unlock with your ISAWorking towards a specific goal can be a great incentive to put money away. Rather than a random ‘something for a rainy day’ motive to set aside money, having a clear purpose and a target amount keeps you focused.
It’s like putting a postcard of a dream holiday destination on the fridge – every time you walk past, you see the picture and feel even...
11 March 2026
How did AJ Bell DIY investors react as conflict escalated in the Middle East?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
Daily market update: Market relief rally, Legal & General, Gym Group, PorscheThe 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...
9 March 2026
Daily market update: Oil, gold, Clarkson, Farage, BitcoinThe 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...
5 March 2026
What have investors been buying in their ISAs so far in 2026?The two big themes for AJ Bell’s ISA investors in January and February were looking beyond the US for opportunities and buying on the dip.
With only a month left to use up any remaining ISA allowance, it’s possible that individuals are thinking more seriously about making the most of the tax benefit. The idea of putting money into the wrapper and...
