7 November 2025
Russ Mould: A look at SSE & United Utilities ahead of their first-half resultsAJ Bell's Investment Director, Russ Mould, discusses the impact of recent interest rate cuts on financial markets, and also previews upcoming company results, focusing on SSE and United Utilities.
6 November 2025
Using passive funds to invest in bondsIt is easier than you might think to invest in bonds via passive investment products such as tracker funds and ETFs (exchange-traded funds).
Bonds are popular with individuals looking to generate income. They are lower-risk investments and can either be bought as individual products or bundled together inside funds.
There are a few reasons why...
6 November 2025
Why we’ve taken two UK names off our Favourite funds listFollowing a review of our UK active fund selections, we’ve decided to remove both the BlackRock UK Special Situations and BlackRock UK Income funds to consolidate our number of UK picks and to ensure we’re only selecting our highest conviction ideas.
We’ve removed the BlackRock UK Special Situations fund due to a decline in our conviction in the...
6 November 2025
Daily market update: Diageo, BT, Auto Trader, Hikma, Smith & NephewThe FTSE 100 slipped on a negative reaction to corporate updates despite gains in Asia and the US overnight.
Could there be fireworks a day late at the Bank of England? The interest rate decision is hard to call ahead of today’s vote, with several observers expecting a rate cut even if the market is pricing in no change.
Recent signs of easing...
5 November 2025
Why a famous investor is betting against Nvidia and PalantirThe investor who inspired The Big Short film in 2015 has hit the headlines after betting that tech stocks Nvidia and Palantir will fall in value. Hedge fund trader Michael Burry has bought financial products called ‘put options’ on these stocks and will profit if they decline in value.
The Big Short focused on traders who made millions from...
5 November 2025
Daily market update: Novo Nordisk, Barratt Redrow, WetherspoonMarket jitters around US tech stocks might have put investors on the edge of their seats, but yesterday’s sell-off wasn’t severe enough to cause widespread panic.
A 2% decline in the Nasdaq index and a 10.7% jump in the Vix fear gauge were like a sharp bout of turbulence on a flight – unpleasant, but just for a moment. The fact a major sell-off...
4 November 2025
Daily market update: Palantir, Tesla, BP, Domino’s Pizza, PrimarkRachel Reeves’ unusual stance of giving a big speech on the eve of the Budget has left investors with more questions than answers, and done nothing to remove uncertainty around taxes.
The bond market would be happy if the chancellor raises taxes as it would help to improve public finances and make the UK less risky from an investment perspective...
3 November 2025
Daily market update: FTSE 100, Berkshire Hathaway, RyanairThe FTSE 100 got off to a solid start with oil helping to grease the wheels of the index.
The decision by producers’ cartel OPEC+ to pause further output hikes at the start of next year, amid concerns about a glut of supply, helped give oil prices a lift and, in turn, boosted UK market heavyweights BP and Shell.
Prudential was among the top FTSE...
31 October 2025
US stocks shrug off Fed uncertainty to make progress, Amazon stands outOverall, it was a positive week for most US indices despite the latest decision from the Federal Reserve injecting a dose of uncertainty into the markets.
The one big exception to a story of steady progress for stocks across the Atlantic was the small- and mid-cap Russell 2000 which retreated amid some evidence of pressure on the US economy.
Fed...
31 October 2025
Daily market update: FTSE 100, Fresnillo, Amazon, AppleWeakness on Wall Street haunted European markets on the morning of Halloween and saw the FTSE 100 retreat from its latest record high.
The main culprit was uncertainty about the future policy of the Federal Reserve after its chair Jerome Powell suggested a cut in December, to follow this week’s, was not a foregone conclusion.
The negative response...
30 October 2025
What is the FTSE 100, FTSE 250 and FTSE 350?Join Dan Coatsworth, Head of Markets, as he breaks down what makes up the three most popular indices in the UK stock market.
30 October 2025
Daily market update: AI, Mag Seven, TT Electronics, WPPNo-one likes a party pooper, especially when they’re standing in front of the punch bowl. That’s the role taken on by Jay Powell, who poured cold water on the prospect of a December rate cut. That’s put markets on the back foot when it looked like the music was just about to ramp up.
The Fed did announce an interest rate cut, but short-term...
29 October 2025
Daily market update: FTSE 100, US indices, Next, GSK, GlencoreA positive mood on Wall Street extended into European markets on Wednesday on increased hopes for a US-China trade deal.
US indices closed at record levels, with sentiment also supported by reports Nvidia will announce new AI chip supply contracts with major South Korean operators like Samsung and Hyundai. The FTSE 100 built on its own all-time...
28 October 2025
Daily market update: gold, HSBC, Airtel Africa, NovartisSigns of easing inflation in British shops helped further improve the mood of investors and saw the FTSE 100 post a new record level in early trading on Tuesday.
The rapid turnaround in sentiment can be seen most clearly in the performance of gold which having moved to nearly $4,400 is now back below $4,000.
Results from some of the big names which...
27 October 2025
Daily market update: HSBC, Goodwin, Greencore-Bakkavor dealOptimism about the potential for a US-China trade agreement was helping to create a cautiously positive mood in markets at the start of the week.
In the UK market, the mining sector moved higher, bar the precious metal contingent who were hit by lower gold prices, although negative news for index heavyweight HSBC acted as a drag on the FTSE 100.
A...
24 October 2025
Russ Mould: HSBC, Next & Shell are set to report in the coming weekAJ Bell Investment Director, Russ Mould takes a look at what market analysts will be expecting when FTSE heavyweights HSBC, Next and Shell report third-quarter results in the coming week.
24 October 2025
US markets recover, Tesla margins in reverse, Netflix faces Brazilian hitUS markets recovered from a rocky middle of the month on concerns about private credit to make solid progress over the past week.
This progress was somewhat interrupted by concern about renewed tensions between the US and China over trade ahead of a deadline which could see additional tariffs introduced at the beginning of next month.
The tone is...
24 October 2025
Daily market update: The Revel Collective, NatWest, Intel, GSKThe FTSE 100 held firm after last night’s record close, with strength in banks and tech stocks offsetting weakness in the natural resources space.
Trade relations were front of mind for investors ahead of Donald Trump’s visit to Asia and a new fight between the US and Canada.
A lot is riding on Trump’s negotiations with China’s Xi Jinping as...
23 October 2025
Why stock markets are rising despite bubble fears and what investors might considerFears over an AI bubble bursting, a potential banking crisis brewing, and renewed trade jitters between the US and China have served to put investors on the edge of their seat in recent weeks.
We’ve seen several sessions where financial markets have experienced a sharp jolt, but they’ve subsequently resumed an upwards trajectory.
While no-one knows...
23 October 2025
Daily market update: US-China tensions, Lloyds, Unilever, TeslaUS-China relations don’t look to be in the best place ahead of Trump’s visit to Asia.
Talk of new restrictions on goods that either contain or are made with US software being sold to China would suggest the Trump administration is playing hard ball, sending a message to Xi Jinping that the US will not be pushed around.
Trump has form in threatening...
22 October 2025
Netflix results soured by tax issue, but all eyes on potential bid for Warner Bros DiscoveryA complicated tax issue has put a dampener on Netflix’s latest results, causing the share price to fall and ending the company’s strong run of beating forecasts.
The streaming platform had previously beaten earnings expectations for six quarters in a row. A tax matter in Brazil has put a spanner in the works and taken investors by surprise, even...
22 October 2025
Daily market update: Barclays, Reckitt, Halfords, ITVMarkets were patchy in early trading as investors spent time to digest a plethora of corporate announcements.
The FTSE 100 was the strongest market among major European indices. A lower-than-expected reading of UK inflation makes a near-term cut to interest rates more likely and this boosted housebuilders. It also led to weakness in the pound which...
21 October 2025
Daily market update: Unilever, Coca-Cola HBC, Bunzl, Segro, ShawbrookIt’s hard to imagine that markets were in panic mode only four days ago. It’s like all the troubles faded away over the weekend, and investors are back in risk-on mode.
Wall Street enjoyed a particularly strong session on Monday, and that optimism has extended to Asia and Europe on Tuesday. The focus is now on US interest rate cuts, the new...
20 October 2025
Daily market update: UK banking stocks, L’Oréal, Kering, B&MA big recovery in Asian markets helped give the FTSE 100 a lift as investors look to put a difficult week behind them.
Helping the market’s mood were signs that a trade agreement might still be possible between the US and China before the 1 November deadline, and slightly better-than-expected Chinese economic growth.
News the ruling party in Japan...
17 October 2025
Daily market update: Why banking shares are leading markets lowerWhile everyone has been watching the tech sector for signs of a bubble, it’s the banking sector that’s the root cause of a minor market sell-off today..
US banking stocks were notably weak yesterday as investors worried about exposure to bad loans. That spread to Europe on Friday, with Barclays, Standard Chartered, NatWest and HSBC all dragging the...
