About the expert

James has over a decade of experience running MPS and managed accounts for intermediaries. After graduating from Northumbria University with a first class degree in Finance & Investment Management, James joined a regional DFM, where he most recently served as Head of Investments. He joined AJ Bell Investments in 2023 as a Fund Manager. James is a CFA charterholder.

Latest articles from James Flintoft

  • 25 February 2026

    The US market might be more promising than it seems

    Investors’ obsession with the US seems to be waning as returns from the country’s flagship S&P 500 index slowed from 24.5% in 2024 to 17.9% in 2025 and made an uncertain start to 2026.

    So, it may seem surprising that in our latest rebalance, the AJ Bell investment team chose to increase the proportion of assets we hold in the US. Notably, our...

    6 min read
    Wall Street
  • 22 January 2026

    How AJ Bell funds are shifting their asset allocation this year

    Each year, the AJ Bell investment team reviews their fund range and prepares for the changing market environment by tweaking the fund allocations.

    Although the fund range will consider many of the same factors, the specifics of the adjustments will be on a fund-to-fund basis, to account for different risk levels. This year’s asset allocation...

    6 min read
    A set of scales
  • 11 December 2025

    Why the AJ Bell investment team favours the UK

    Investing in the UK when the economic environment feels weak might feel counterintuitive. While the perception of the UK economy is turbulent, the stock market has told a very different story.

    As of 3 December, the FTSE All Share has returned 21% this year, near double the returns from the S&P 500 for UK investors. So, what is going so right for...

    4 min read
    uk flag with stock market figures and coins
  • 12 November 2025

    Are AI opportunities better outside the US?

    When AI comes up in market conversations, the US usually quickly follows. This is for good reason. It holds many of the heavyweights, including Nvidia, Microsoft, and Alphabet. But it is far from the only region that’s benefitted from the AI boost.

    On the other side of the globe, emerging markets have made their own market niches. These have...

    5 min read
    finger pointing at global financial data on screen
  • 21 January 2025

    The changes we've made to the AJ Bell funds

    The AJ Bell funds are managed by the team at AJ Bell Investments, with one aim: helping you invest. We look after the funds and make the daily decisions to keep your money working hard for you.

    That means, from time to time, we’ll make updates to the funds in response to differing market conditions. In this article, we’ll take you through the...

    6 min read
    AJB-Funds-update-0125.jpg