About the expert

Martin Gamble is Shares and Markets writer at AJ Bell. He was previously the Education Editor of Shares Magazine. He has been with the business since 2019.

Martin graduated from the University of Kent in 1984 with an accounting degree.

He has extensive financial markets experience gained through managing UK and European equity portfolios for institutions including Hermes Investment Management, Manulife Financial and Royal Bank of Canada.

While at Manulife Financial the funds Martin managed were consistently in the top quartile which was recognised with a ‘Stars of Excellence’ award.

Martin subsequently headed up the fund management business for Royal Bank of Canada in London.

Outside of work, Martin likes long distance hiking and playing Backgammon.

Latest articles from Martin Gamble

  • 15 January 2026

    Why UK bank shares have soared in recent years

    The UK banking sector has delivered strong price returns to investors over the last five years, averaging 218% compared with a 50% gain for the blue-chip FTSE 100 index.

    On a total return basis, including dividends, the sector has chalked up 279%, making it the second-best performing sector in the FTSE 350 index after the aerospace and defence...

    10 min read
    Shares magazine
    UK high street banks
  • 10 January 2026

    Copper surges past oil amid talks on £200 billion mining merger

    The price of copper and oil have tended to move in lockstep historically as both have been barometers of the health of the global economy. Both commodities, sometimes namechecked as ‘Dr. Copper’ and ‘Dr. Oil’ are pro-cyclical, which means they thrive at times of economic expansion.

    That connection seems to have broken down of late with copper...

    3 min read
    hand holding a piece of copper
  • 9 January 2026

    TSMC scales new heights, Constellation Brands: US markets this week

    US markets made a positive start to 2026 with gains seen across the board and new all-time highs for the S&P 500 index and the small cap Russell 2000 index, which gained almost 4%.

    Investors were bombarded with a raft of macroeconomic data which showed US services activity expanding in December at the fastest pace in more than a year, notching up...

    4 min read
    Man reaching for beers on a supermarket shelf
  • 26 December 2025

    Building a rounded portfolio

    When an investor is first setting up their portfolio, they are usually asking themselves some basic questions, like how much risk they are comfortable taking and what goal they are trying to achieve.

    For example, if you are uncomfortable seeing the value of your investments move up and down a lot, then you are probably on the risk averse part of...

    4 min read
    Construction imposed with coins
  • 23 December 2025

    Find out what’s expected for US interest rates next year

    The path of US interest rates has big implications for investors across the globe given the implications this has for the world’s largest economy and financial market.

    After a quarter percentage point cut was delivered on 10 December, attention turned to what is in store for 2026, a year which will see current Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell...

    4 min read
    Author
    federal reserve sign
  • 15 December 2025

    Why the experts see a 9% return from US stocks next year

    A MarketWatch survey reveals the median 2026 price target for the S&P 500 index from leading Wall Street analysts is 7,500. Based on its current level, this implies a return of around 9% for this key US stock market index next year.

    Assuming the consensus is right in 12-months’ time, it would roughly match the long-term average annual return for...

    3 min read
    Author
    Benjamin Franklin dollar image
  • 15 December 2025

    Portfolio MOT: how to keep your investments ticking over

    The one constant everyone can rely on in life and investing is change. Keeping on top of shifts in your portfolio is crucial if you want to remain positioned to reach your long-term goals.

    Before considering your investments, it is probably worth taking stock of your personal situation to consider any material changes. Things like getting married...

    9 min read
    Shares magazine
    car being worked on in a professional garage
  • 11 December 2025

    Revealed: a great way to find stocks at a discount

    In this article we’re on the hunt for shares which are trading at valuations which are significantly lower than they have historically traded on.

    To do this we have screened for companies trading at a discount to their average 10-year forward PE or price to earnings ratio.

    The forward PE ratio is a stock valuation measure that uses a company’s...

    6 min read
    Shares magazine
    Man at laptop
  • 11 December 2025

    The how and why of investing in the pharmaceutical sector

    Could investing in pharmaceutical companies get your portfolio in better shape? The pharma sector is, at the very least, difficult to ignore given it represents around a fifth of the MSCI World index. It has also outperformed this global benchmark index over the last 30 years.

    In the last three and five years though, pharma stocks have...

    14 min read
    Shares magazine
    Question mark image of pharmaceutical pills
  • 5 December 2025

    Netflix acquires Warner Bros Discovery in $83 billion deal

    Following exclusive talks, Netflix announced the purchase of Warner Bros Discovery on 5 December in a stock and cash transaction valued at $27.75 per share for a total value including debts of $82.7 billion.

    The agreement was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies.

    The initial market reaction saw Netflix shares falling 3%...

    2 min read
    Woman watching Netflix on TV