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.
26 August 2016
Why commodities are trying to forge a comeback in 2016One intriguing trend of note this year is the recovery in the Bloomberg Commodities index, a basket of 22 raw materials, encompassing energy, industrial metals, precious metals, and agricultural commodities, ranging from grains to crops to livestock:
The Bloomberg Commodities index has rallied sharplySource: Thomson Reuters Datastream NOTE: Past...
18 August 2016
Two ways to generate cash returns from equitiesWhile the Bank of England’s three-pronged monetary package launched on 4 August has been welcomed by equity and bond markets (not to mention many commentators and economists), the combination of an interest rate cut, more Quantitative Easing (QE) to lower corporate and Government bond yields and a new funding scheme for banks does not mean all is...
10 August 2016
How to prepare for the success (or failure) of rate cuts and more QEStock and bond markets are welcoming the Bank of England’s three-pronged monetary package, launched last week (4 August) in response to (as yet unfounded) fears the UK may suffer an economic slowdown, or even a recession.
Bond prices are rising (and yields falling) as the cut to interest rates on cash leaves investors looking for alternative...
8 August 2016
What the Bank of England’s new policy package means for investors’ portfoliosThe Bank of England has cut interest rates for the first time in seven years, jacked up its Quantitative Easing programme to £435 billion, flagged a further rate cut is to come and also introduced a new lending mechanism for banks, to try and ensure that the full benefits of this cheap money are passed right through to corporates and consumers.
Giv...
28 July 2016
Five ways to make sure bouncy markets are not becoming bubblyThe old strategy of “Sell in May” has proved a failure thus far in 2016, as stock and bond markets have both continued to make progress, and record-breaking progress at that in some cases, with America’s S&P 500 equity index reaching new all-time highs and bond yields around the world setting new lows.
Gold and silver have advanced to two-year...
25 July 2016
How elections and interest rates could influence the US marketsIt took the best part of 14 months but America’s S&P 500 benchmark equity index finally set a new all-time high this month while US government bonds, or Treasuries, also continue to perform strongly.
That both asset classes are doing so well at the same time may not sit easily with all investors, especially those who are used to seeing them do well...
15 July 2016
How to check the foundations of commercial property fundsIn the past fortnight or so, a number of open-ended commercial property funds available on the AJ Bell Youinvest platform have suspended trading, instituted fair pricing, or significantly varied the terms of trading, to the understandable consternation of investors.
This is in response to widespread redemptions, as some investors have attempted to...
8 July 2016
Time to take a long-term look at stock marketsWhen questioned about the implications of the volatility witnessed in stocks, bonds, commodities, currencies and even property over the past two weeks, this column continues to rely on a quote from Benjamin Graham, the legendary US investor and mentor to Warren Buffett: “In the short run, markets are a voting machine but in the long run it is a...
29 June 2016
The four key portfolio issues to address as the UK prepares to “Leave”The British electorate has spoken and the UK has decided to “Leave” the European Union. The Prime Minister is going, the Leader of the Opposition is under the cosh from his own party and the fate of the Chancellor of the Exchequer is uncertain. Meanwhile, there is no clarity on when (or even whether) the UK will invoke Article 50 of the Treaty of...
24 June 2016
Key stock and sector trends to watch as Britain votes to “Leave”The British electorate has spoken and the UK has decided to “Leave” the European Union. Whether this leads to Prime Minister David Cameron immediately invoking Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon, which is the formal mechanism for any nation wishing to withdraw, is still unclear – not least as the PM has made it clear he is to step down in the...
