Russ Mould is AJ Bell's Investment Director. He has a Master's degree in Modern History from the University of Oxford and more than 30 years' experience of the capital markets.
He started out at Scottish Equitable in 1991 as a fund manager, where he had responsibility for the Nordic and Swiss equity markets. In 1993, Russ joined SG Warburg, now part of UBS investment bank, and worked there as an equity analyst covering the technology sectors for 12 years. He has also worked on IPOs and M&A deals. Russ was voted best analyst in the semiconductor sector in 2001 by Institutional Investor and reached the level of Managing Director in 2003 when he became head of UBS' global semiconductor research effort.
A member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (MSCI), Russ is responsible for providing written and video content for customers and clients. He also helps to build the company’s profile in print and broadcast media as part of AJ Bell's wider PR and brand team, working alongside the Investment Committee.
Russ joined Shares Magazine as technology correspondent in 2005 and took on the post of Editor in 2008. He was appointed as AJ Bell's Investment Director in 2013 following the company's acquisition of Shares' parent company, MSM Media. Russ regularly creates content across the AJ Bell website, including the Daily Market Update and Chart of the Week, and he hosts his own 'Breaking the Mould' weekly video series.
Outside of work, Russ is a qualified cricket coach, Italian speaker and avid fan of Doctor Who and NFL.
20 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
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...
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...
17 March 2026
Does the volatility in gold signal the end of the bull market?Ask the experts. Russ Mould is on hand to answer your queries about the financial markets. If you'd like a question considered for a future edition, send it in now .
I’ve been following the move higher in the gold price and the recent slump – is gold likely to remain under pressure from here?
Ken
Russ Mould, AJ Bell Investment Director, says:Wi...
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...
12 March 2026
Daily market update: FTSE 100 falls, Shawbrook, On The BeachOnce again the FTSE 100 was protected from the worst of the falls on Thursday as its higher exposure to the energy sector helped support the UK stock index.
Nonetheless, UK stocks were still in the red as investors reacted to ongoing disruption to energy markets from the Middle East conflict. Oil prices surged through the $100 per barrel mark for...
10 March 2026
Daily market update: Trump, oil, Persimmon, Domino’s, Edinburgh WorldwideThe market is in highly speculative mode thanks to the absence of any certainty about what the next few days, let alone weeks will look like.
In these circumstances, Donald Trump’s comments about the Iran war ending soon have been seized upon like water offered to someone who’s just consumed a full bag of salty crisps.
The levels of volatility in...
6 March 2026
Daily market update: FTSE 100, oil prices, IMIMarkets displayed resilience in the face of events in the Middle East, with the FTSE 100 ticking higher on Friday.
This comes after mixed trading in Asia and with futures pointing to small gains on Wall Street later. Concern about inflation remains elevated with oil prices on course for their largest weekly gains since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine...
4 March 2026
Daily market update: Vistry, Metro Bank, Adidas, motor financeIf yesterday was capitulation, today is investors catching their breath.
Most of the main European stock markets regained their balance and either edged higher or held firm, much to the relief of investors who have witnessed two days of share prices flashing red.
Tuesday was dominated by investors selling assets that had already served them well...
27 February 2026
Daily market update: IAG, Senior, Hays, Warner BrosThe FTSE 100 is now less than 1% away from hitting 11,000, suggesting the milestone is perfectly in reach in a matter of days or hours rather than months.
Two months in, it looks like 2026 could be a second bumper year in a row for investors putting their faith in UK stocks if current performance trends continue.
Rightmove regained its poise after...
