On the face of it, the way that the FTSE 100 is finally looking comfortable at record highs in the run up to one of the most uncertain General Elections is puzzling. The pork barrel politics that is a feature of what is currently going on in the campaign may go some way to explaining…
The ideal scenario as far as most of our portfolios are concerned is that they were sporting stocks whose charts were in persistent uptrends. On this basis we could simply sit back and enjoy the ride for months – or even years. Indeed, it is very often the case that when one looks at the…
It is something of a regret that I did not spend more than six weeks studying Economics at the London School of Economics, largely on the basis that I had the feeling it was an inferior place to Oxford. This may have been a mistake. But apparently not one that would have made a difference…
Recommendation Summary BG Group has gone from being a part of nationalised British Gas, to being an international oil & gas player – one that is approaching the top tier. However, it has been evident over the past couple of years that the journey has become somewhat rocky – a position not helped by the…
Few would disagree with the idea that the stock market is a place where by definition we are kept guessing. Of course, speculation is a rather more upmarket version of the guessing concept. But it has to be admitted that for most of the market there has been quite a struggle to come to terms…
Like anyone with a degree of pragmatism, I usually wait until the financial press have gathered all the data of the Budget before taking a view on what it has actually served up. Indeed, the usual situation is that unless you are a masochistic drinker or driver, it is best to avoid the whole event.…
The Markets In what may potentially be his final Budget Chancellor George Osborne delivered a generally well received set of tax changes and a raft of boosts for investors. Highlights of the speech included a further relaxation of pension rules from April next year, which will allow up to five million pensioners to swap their…
It seems to be the case that many private investors are drawn towards AIM stocks, perhaps as much to do with the thrills and spills they offer as the returns they might bring. However, if we are rational, most of us would concede that the FTSE 250 is probably the area which has the best…
It would appear that the old cliché of the Gold Rush is also pertinent in terms of the housing market. Those who are involved in the ‘picks ‘n’ shovels’ look to be flourishing. Perhaps it may be argued that the likes of Savills (SVS) or Rightmove (RMV) will actually be less risky when or if…
Having reminded ourselves of the mantra of “small is beautiful” in terms of the stock market yesterday here on the Spreadbet Magazine blog, today we are diving deep within the AIM market looking for possible recovery plays. Clearly, some of their potential will be determined by the overall state of leading stocks and geopolitical concerns,…
