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.
11 September 2024
Will the UK stock market race higher after St Leger Day?The 248th running of the St Leger is due to take place at its traditional home of Town Moor, Doncaster on Saturday and the stable of trainer Aiden O’Brien has a stranglehold on the big race, as the masterful Irishman trains the first three in the betting. Stock market investors will be keeping an eye on the event for different reasons, given the...
11 September 2024
Why Apple’s new iPhone 16 matters to investorsScience-fiction writer Douglas Adams may not have been a massive fan of technology, judging by his jibe that “a mobile phone needs a manual in a way that a teacup doesn’t,” but stock market investors had very high hopes for the launch of Apple’s iPhone 16. Now we’ve got all the information on the new device, some investors might be asking whether...
27 August 2024
Bunzl shares blast to new all-time high“A second increase to sales and profits guidance for the year to March 2025, a higher dividend and a share buyback programme are helping to drive Bunzl’s shares to new all-time highs, thanks in part to select acquisitions,” says AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould.
“Bunzl’s track record with making the most of its purchases is good, not least...
27 August 2024
Why silicon chip sales are a good guide to global economic activityThe Philadelphia Semiconductor Index – known as the SOX – is a useful guide to both global economic activity and equity investors’ risk appetite and it could be worth keeping an eye on the benchmark, especially as Nvidia is one of its biggest constituents and the AI-leader is reporting its latest quarterly results this week.
Nvidia could have a...
22 August 2024
Prudential first-half results: Wednesday 28 AugustPrudential’s shares are down by a third over the past year and languish at 12-year lows, dragged down by markets’ disappointment with how the economies of Hong Kong and China are failing to show markedly improved momentum after the conclusion of their lengthy lockdowns imposed because of covid-19.
After the spin-offs of London-headquartered fund...
14 August 2024
Just Group keeps it simple as it raises earnings guidance again“Higher interest rates might not be to everyone’s taste but a relative normalisation in the headline cost of borrowing, bond yields and returns on cash continues to benefit Just Group, as its bulk annuities business continues to gather momentum and retail annuity sales grow strongly after years in the doldrums,” says AJ Bell investment director...
8 August 2024
Persimmon sees completions at top end of guidance, Warner Bros Discover slashes valuation of cable channels and Deliveroo delivers profit and cash flow“The FTSE 100 gave back a big portion of the gains chalked up on Wednesday as global markets remain jittery after the recent sell-off,” says AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould.
“There will be concern that a positive start to trading on Wall Street on Wednesday faded fast with all eyes now turning to today’s session and whether last night was...
7 August 2024
Why the UK stock market has been less volatile than AmericaThe much-maligned UK stock market is having a less turbulent summer than America, and ultimately that comes down to two factors: valuation and relative levels of expectation.
Investors may view the fact that the headline FTSE 100 index has dropped less than the US S&P 500 as cold comfort, but one possible explanation for the FTSE 100’s greater...
6 August 2024
Three reasons why markets may be creaking - and three trends to watchA market storm is emerging from a seemingly cloudless summer sky. The question now is whether this is just a tempest in a teapot, and the result of thin trading volumes as the big hitters head to the beach and leave deputies and juniors in charge, or whether it is the harbinger of a more serious – and bearish – shift in market sentiment.
Tracking...
1 August 2024
HSBC’s bumper cash returns mean FTSE 100 buyback boom continues“The debate over the rights and wrongs of the bumper profits made by banking giant HSBC will run and run but from the narrow perspective of investment its announcement of a new, $3 billion share buyback scheme means that the FTSE 100 cash return bonanza continues,” says AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould.
“Dividends, takeovers and buybacks...
