18 September 2025
Daily market update: central banks, gold, Next, InspecsWhile the rate cut machine has whirred back into action for the US, it’s expected to remain idle in the UK for a bit longer, says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
Central banks have a key focus on two things: inflation and the jobs market. They raise interest rates if inflation or the economy are looking too hot and cut if the economy...
17 September 2025
Daily market update: GSK, AstraZeneca, Barratt Redrow, UnileverIt’s the big day investors have been anticipating all year – the first likely rate cut from the Federal Reserve in 2025. It’s a question of how much, not if, says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
The market expects a quarter percentage point cut in recognition of a cooling jobs market. That result could help financial markets to keep...
16 September 2025
Daily market update: Nvidia, TikTok, Unilever, KierA barrage of US companies are expected to announce big investments in the UK to coincide with Donald Trump’s state visit, says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
They are guaranteed widespread publicity and will likely please Trump by making the US look good.
Google-owner Alphabet is the latest name in the frame, with news it will spend £5...
15 September 2025
Daily market update: Centrica, Aldi, AOThe FTSE 100 was flat at the start of what could be a crunch week for financial markets, says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
Later this week the Bank of England and US Federal Reserve are set to announce their latest decision on interest rates. Most of the recent progress made by US stocks has been founded on an expectation that a US rate...
12 September 2025
Analysts raise year-end targets as markets hit new highs, Oracle storms higherAnother week and another all-time high for US stocks, thanks in large part to Oracle’s new forecast for cloud demand which stunned Wall Street analysts (for more, see below).
Such is the optimism that, despite US shares as a whole trading at their highest ever multiple of earnings and the market representing the largest ever share of the economy...
12 September 2025
Daily market update: GDP figures, FTSE 100, FTSE 250, Ocado“A lacklustre GDP figure is more relevant to the FTSE 250 than the FTSE 100 index given the former has a greater proportion of domestic-focused companies,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“It’s never a good look for a country to be stuck in the mud, and the GDP data will put even more pressure on chancellor Rachel Reeves to find a...
12 September 2025
Russ Mould: What to expect from Next's forthcoming resultsAJ Bell Investment Director, Russ Mould takes a look at the macroeconomic outlook for the coming week, where headlines will be dominated by no fewer than four central bank interest rate decisions. Russ also discusses what analysts will be looking out for when land and property regeneration specialist Harworth, housebuilder Barratt Redrow and omni...
11 September 2025
Daily market update: defence and oil stocks, Trainline, Klarna“Despite a mixed session on Wall Street last night and a small rise in the Vix volatility index, pockets of Europe and Asia moved higher on Thursday,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“The UK’s FTSE 100 led the charge in Europe as defence and energy stocks were at the top of investors’ buy lists. Ongoing geopolitical tensions have...
10 September 2025
Investment returns are being eaten up by exchange rates – is it time to change tack?It’s been hard for investors to turn a blind eye to the US market for the past few decades. The returns from the states’ most popular index, the S&P 500, have averaged over 15% per year over the past 10 years, in terms of sterling. It’s also home to many of the most-discussed stocks on the market, including Nvidia, Microsoft, and Google parent...
10 September 2025
Daily market update: Oracle, Primark, Zara, Apple, Novo Nordisk“European shares pushed ahead on a busy day for corporate news,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“A record-breaking day for Wall Street yesterday helped to calm investor nerves over Poland shooting down Russian drones that violated its airspace. Geopolitical concerns have been front and centre for multiple years, and investors had...
9 September 2025
The US stocks paying generous dividends to investorsThe US holds some of the world’s most popular companies for investors, including Nvidia and Microsoft. However, for those looking to pocket some money as they go, the widely followed big tech companies may disappoint when it comes to dividends.
Most big tech firms offer tiny yields; some don’t pay dividends at all. In contrast, more generous income...
9 September 2025
Daily market update: French equities, Computacenter, Anglo American, Dunelm“A spate of deal-making fired up equities, with many of the main market indices advancing in Europe and Asia. Futures prices also imply a decent start to Wall Street when US markets open later,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“ Anglo American unveiled a deal to gobble up rival copper miner Teck. On a smaller scale, Novartis said...
8 September 2025
Daily market update: Japanese stocks, Domino's, Vistry, Grainger“The FTSE 100 ticked higher on Monday as investors shrugged off the weak US jobs numbers which affected sentiment at the end of last week,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Investors were hoping for a Goldilocks number – which was not hot enough to prevent the Federal Reserve from cutting rates when it meets next week but not so tepid...
5 September 2025
Daily market update: housebuilders, Lululemon, Broadcom, Gear4Music“Equity markets were quiet at the end of the week, albeit there is still a chance for a last-minute wobble if US jobs data delivers a shock,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“Non-farm payrolls are expected to have grown by 75,000 in August, slightly above July’s 73,000 figure. Investors are looking to see if the jobs market is hot...
5 September 2025
US shares tick higher on rate cut hopes, competition ruling boosts AlphabetAfter a difficult start US stocks recovered through the course of the week as hopes of a rate cut later this month solidified.
This followed jobless claims data for the week to 30 August which showed an increase to 237,000. This was above expectations and meant for the first time since April 2021 the world’s largest economy has more unemployed...
5 September 2025
How retail investor choices have evolved before and after Trump’s return to powerThe return of Donald Trump to the White House in January has fuelled big changes to ISA and pension portfolios for retail investors.
Analysis of buying and selling patterns on AJ Bell’s DIY investment platforms* over three distinct periods since the start of 2024 suggests that certain investors are falling into different camps.
Many of those happy...
4 September 2025
Russ Mould - A look at Dunelm, Associated British Foods & Pan African Resources ahead of their forthcoming resultsAJ Bell Investment Director, Russ Mould discusses what market analysts will likely look for when Ashtead, M&G and Ashmore report next week.
4 September 2025
Why financial markets have been front page news this weekIt’s been an eventful week across financial markets amid a sell-off in government bonds, a decline in the value of the pound against the US dollar, and billions of pounds wiped off the value of UK medium-sized companies.
While this all sounds quite dramatic, there is no need to panic. There is a logical reason why we saw these movements, and it is...
4 September 2025
Daily market update: Eurocell, Jet2, Currys“The FTSE 100 pushed ahead as bond markets calmed down and the focus shifted to US jobs data,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Ahead of non-farm payrolls on Friday, sharply lower job openings across the Atlantic suggested a weakening in the labour market which could push the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates more aggressively.
“Ma...
3 September 2025
What kind of returns can I expect on my investments?This is the million pound question. Unfortunately, it comes with the answer that it’s impossible to know how your money will perform in the future.
Regardless of what you invest in, there’s simply no guarantee you will profit. However, we can look at what has happened in the past and learn some lessons from earlier investors. Just remember that...
3 September 2025
Daily market update: Alphabet, Hilton Food, Canal+, Watches of Switzerland“It’s another uneven day for financial markets as the worry list gets even longer,” says Russ Mould, Investment Director at AJ Bell.
“Having been troubled by a jump in long-dated government bond yields yesterday, equities got off to a wobbly start again as investors woke up to leaders of China, Russia and North Korea coming together in public for...
2 September 2025
Daily market update: Centrica, Nestle, Tesla, gold and silver“The FTSE 100 slipped in early trading on Tuesday as investors await the resumption of trading on Wall Street after yesterday’s Labor Day holiday,” says AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould.
“Tobacco, utilities and banks acted as a drag on the UK index, failing to offset strength in energy and healthcare.
“Oil stocks and precious metals miners...
1 September 2025
Daily market update: defence stocks, Rolls-Royce, BYD, Domino’s Pizza“European markets enjoyed a decent start to the week, grabbing investors’ attention as US markets will be closed later for the Labor Day holiday,” says AJ Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
“Wall Street was weak last Friday as a key measure of inflation came in higher than expected. That negativity weighed on Japan where the Nikkei saw a big drop...
29 August 2025
Russ Mould: What analysts will be looking for when Ashtead, M&G and Ashmore report next weekAJ Bell Investment Director, Russ Mould discusses what market analysts will likely look for when Ashtead, M&G and Ashmore report next week.
29 August 2025
US stocks reach new records despite mixed Nvidia earnings and Fed turmoilInvestors will be relieved that US stocks managed to consolidate the big gains they chalked up on 22 August when Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell opened the door to a near-term interest rate cut.
Major indices hitting new record levels was an impressive show of resilience given the disquiet around the Trump administration’s effort to fire Fed...
