magazine archive
magazine archive
Editor's View
Signs of life from the UK market as we end 2024
Thursday 19 Dec 2024The last 10 years have been pretty rough for UK stocks but there could be some signs of life emerging as we head towards 2025. Brexit, Covid and other political and economic shocks as well as a tilt towards ‘old economy’ stocks and a minimal footprint in technology have combined to undermine the...
Not all monopolies are created equal
Thursday 12 Dec 2024Some of the most successful businesses of our time (and all time in fairness) are effective monopolies (or perhaps part of a duopoly or triopoly) with such dominant market positions they are able to enjoy significant pricing power and generate above-average margins and returns on investment. This...
It’s crystal ball gazing time again as 2024 draws to a close
Thursday 05 Dec 2024In next week’s Shares, we face the unenviable task of getting out our crystal ball and attempting to work out what will happen with the markets in 2025. This time last year we were doing the same for 2024 and our resulting hit rate is reasonable looking back. We definitely got some things spot on...
The case for making yourself heard as an investor
Thursday 28 Nov 2024When you purchase shares, you are not just buying numbers on a screen - you are becoming a part-owner of a business. It’s important to remember this fact because, as a part-owner, you have a say in how the business is run and the ability to vote at annual general meetings (AGMs) and extraordinary...
Wood Group woes reveal the importance of discipline on cash flow and acquisitions
Thursday 21 Nov 2024Three tried and tested market principles were reinforced by the latest update from beleaguered energy services firm Wood Group (WG.) . I have followed this business for nearly two decades and it’s hard to remember a time when it was in a worse state than it is today. That’s backed up by the share...
Bitcoin is hard to ignore again after Trump victory and what next for oil?
Thursday 14 Nov 2024In this column a few weeks back I flagged Bitcoin and gold as potential barometers of Donald Trump’s chances in the election. As it turned out, Bitcoin was the better marker and has continued to soar since he prevailed hitting record highs close to $90,000 while gold has been hamstrung by a surging...
What Sainsbury’s convenience price match ploy tells us about the supermarkets
Thursday 07 Nov 2024I can’t be the only person who walks down the aisle of a local convenience-style supermarket and finds their jaw dropping at some of the prices. For anyone without a car and/or uncomfortable with buying online, and therefore reliant on these outlets for their weekly grocery shop rather than just...
Get ready for a wild end to 2024
Thursday 31 Oct 2024As it stands, there are only two months left of 2024 and yet, for investors, the next few weeks could be some of the most consequential of the year. We provide a snapshot of the Budget and the market response to it in our News section this week but you can expect further analysis of the fall-out on...
Gold and bitcoin – your barometers for Trump’s chances next month
Thursday 24 Oct 2024If anyone wants an insight into how the market sees the prospects of Donald Trump returning to the White House after next month’s ultra-tight presidential election they should look no further than gold prices and bitcoin. As we write betting site Oddschecker has the market offering odds of 33/50 on...
The little company with big ambitions in energy storage
Thursday 17 Oct 2024As Martin Gamble discusses in this issue, some businesses are awaiting the upcoming Budget on 30 October with real trepidation. However, an announcement from the Labour Government was cause for celebration with one smaller company when this author had the opportunity to meet with them in early...