The housebuilding sector has enjoyed a period of stunning growth since the financial crisis. It has been supported by demand-side policies from the government, as well as a continued lack of supply. This has meant that profitability and cash flow across the sector has soared. It has also allowed dividend payments to increase, with the…
The last decade has been a rollercoaster ride for investors in the oil and gas industry. Just under ten years ago, the oil price peaked at $158 per barrel before falling sharply to trade at less than one-third of that level. A recovery in the period 2009-2014 was undone by a glut of supply. This…
It may sound strange to talk about housebuilders such as Barratt (LON:BDEV) and Bellway (LON:BWY) as turnaround opportunities. After all, the two stocks are up 136% and 163% respectively in the last five years. However, in the last month their shares are 11%+ lower after the government announced potential plans to crack down on land…
This week has been dominated by falls in share prices across the globe caused by raised inflation expectations. It would be unsurprising for there to be more volatility as investors continue to adjust their forecasts for inflation. With Donald Trump’s tax and spending policies yet to have their full impact, coming to terms with higher…
The UK property sector has experienced a mixed couple of years. The EU referendum seems to have caused investor confidence in the sector to decline, with the outlook for the UK economy now being less certain than it was previously. Property prices could come under pressure in the near term. However, the valuations of these…
While a number of UK-focused stocks may be struggling due to the uncertainties created by Brexit, not all global stocks are performing well, either. In general, their valuations may have benefited from weaker sterling since the EU referendum, as well as continued strong economic growth in the developing and developed world. However, there remain a…
Investing in utility shares has been a popular means for investors to generate a high, dependable income which generally rises with inflation. At the moment, it is still possible to obtain two of those aspects from the utility sector, but the ‘dependable’ part may no longer be applicable. The reason for this is the rise…
While the mood among most investors is relatively upbeat at the moment, it is almost inevitable that there will be a stock market crash in future. This may sound pessimistic, but history shows that asset prices have never risen in perpetuity. This means that while a bull market is currently in its pomp, bear markets…
The defence sector has experienced a challenging period since the financial crisis. Cutbacks to military spending have become the norm across the developed world, as governments have sought to reduce budget deficits in an era of austerity. This has caused sales and profit growth to be lacking for many companies in the industry. However, the…
The UK housebuilding sector has enjoyed a stunning run since the financial crisis. Companies such as Persimmon (LON:PSN) and Taylor Wimpey (LON:TW) have made gains of 227% and 207% in the last five years respectively, for example. In future, additional gains could be ahead for both companies. Their low valuations, earnings growth potential and improved…
