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…
As a UK investor I am mostly interested in UK stocks. However, Master Investor’s focus last month on the US prompted me to look across the pond. Specifically, I wanted to see how some of the biggest and safest dividend payers in the US stacked up as long-term dividend investments. To be honest, I wasn’t…
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…
The rise of bitcoin this year has taken all but its most ardent supporters by surprise. The virtual currency has risen by as much as 17x since the start of the year, with it passing $17,000 for the first time this week. While it could move higher in the short term, ultimately it appears to…
There is one sub-class of small cap stocks which offer the potential for substantial long-term gains – perhaps more than any other asset class in existence. Not just 100% or 200% gains but up to 100,000% or even 200,000%. The stocks I am talking about are microcaps, companies which have a very low market capitalisation…
While the FTSE 100 has gained 4% since the start of the year, a number of stocks typically viewed as ‘defensive’ have slumped. For example, utility companies SSE (LON:SSE) and National Grid (LON:NG.) have both fallen around 15% this year. Both companies could offer turnaround opportunities – particularly for those investors who believe some valuations…
If the United States of America did not exist, it would be necessary to create it. For without America, the world would not be what it is. America remains the unashamedly capitalist dynamo of the world economy. It is the chrysalis of newly emergent technologies that will continue to change the way we live. It…
The FTSE 100 may have reached an all-time high this year, but there are still companies which have underperformed. For instance, Burberry (LON:BRBY) and Whitbread (LON:WTB) have declined by 7% and 10% respectively in the last month. While there is scope for further share price declines in the short run, the two companies seem to…
