Image source: The Motley Fool As chairman and chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett’s been the driving force behind the company’s remarkable growth over the past six decades. But in 2021, 2022 and 2024, the company’s performance failed to beat that of the S&P 500. Could this be a sign that the American billionaire’s lost his way? I don’t think so. Patience is a virtue That’s because an investment horizon of four years is insufficient to make a sensible judgement. It’s the long term that counts. Personally, I think a 10-year period is reasonable when assessing a particular investment…
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Image source: Vodafone Group plc Vodafone (LSE:VOD) shares have had a bit of a rough ride lately. Over the last five years, the stock’s tumbled by over 40%. And while dividends were maintained at nine cents between its 2019 and 2024 fiscal years (ending in March), they were ultimately slashed in half during its FY 2025. The decision to cut dividends came as a result of management trying to steer the company back on track. Don’t forget dividend payouts are supposed to be a way of returning excess cash generation to shareholders. But new CEO Margherita Della Valle has instead…
Image source: British American Tobacco Despite the lack of popularity of tobacco stocks among ESG investors, the British American Tobacco (LSE:BATS) share price has enjoyed a solid rally so far in 2025. At the same time, the company has proven to be a remarkable source of passive income over the years. Even with constant pressure from regulators as well as higher health awareness from consumers, strong pricing power has enabled tobacco businesses to continue being exceptionally cash-generative enterprises. This lack of demand from ESG investors, paired with chunky financial flexibility, has translated into an impressive dividend yield that’s typically hovered…
Image source: Getty Images Recently, I had a chat with a well-off acquaintance who’d never, ever bought any shares. His reasoning was simple and elegant: he regarded UK shares as lottery tickets. Feeling that stocks were unlikely to make him rich, he chose to invest in property and his business instead. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard this argument. I usually counter with this quote from renowned US investor Peter Lynch, brilliant manager of the Fidelity Magellan fund for 13 years: “Although it’s easy to forget sometimes, a share is not a lottery ticket…it’s part-ownership of a business.” Why…
Tesco (LSE:TSCO) shares are among some of the most popular investments in the UK. And looking at its recent performance, it’s not hard to understand why. Britain’s largest grocery retailer has been steadily taking market share over the last 12 months, boosting sales and earnings in the process. Subsequently, the share price is up a whopping 27% since June last year. By comparison, the FTSE 100 has only delivered a nearly 9% gain over the same period. But it’s not just the potential for capital gains that entices British investors. The stock also offers a robust 3.6% dividend yield. At…
GBP/JPY faces pressure near 196.00, with investors awaiting the BoJ-BoE monetary policy outcome.Both the BoJ and the BoE are expected to leave interest rates at their current levels.Investors will also focus on the UK CPI data for May, which will be released on Wednesday.The GBP/JPY pair struggles to extend its upside above 196.00 from the last three trading sessions. During Asian trading hours on Monday, the cross has faced pressure near 196.00 again and has ticked down to near 195.50.It seems that the cross will take a decisive break on either side after monetary policy announcements by the Bank of…
Image source: Getty Images It’s been a rocky 12 months for the S&P 500, with the US stock market going on a bit of a rollercoaster ride in April following tariff announcements. Despite this volatility, America’s flagship index has continued to head upwards, reaching new all-time highs. And subsequently, passive index investors, as well as some stock pickers, have been reaping the rewards. So how much money have investors been making? And is it time to consider buying US stocks in June? Crunching the numbers For those who prefer to put their portfolios on autopilot with index funds, the last…
Image source: Getty Images The FTSE 100 reached a new record high this month, surpassing the previous record set in March. Despite some tariff-induced volatility in April, UK shares have been performing well as businesses adapt to the shifting macroeconomic landscape. And overall, any investor who put money to work at the start of the year with a low-cost index fund has already reaped an impressive 10.7% total return. That means a £10,000 initial investment is now worth around £11,070. Considering the long-term average return of the FTSE 100 has historically sat at around 8%, 2025 is definitely shaping up…
Image source: Getty Images Much as in in sport, momentum can be a powerful force in investing. Often, stocks that are trending up are able to continue rising for an extended period. Now, one FTSE 100 stock I hold in my ISA has a great deal of upward momentum at present. Here’s the name of the company and a look at why I believe the stock has the potential to keep rising. A top-performing insurance stock The Footsie company in focus today is Prudential (LSE:PRU). It’s a well-established insurance company that’s focused on the high-growth markets of Asia and Africa.…
This post is sponsored by Boulevard Bikes.By Ellen SteinkeEllen Steinke is a Chicago-based writer focused on transit, civic engagement, and systemic reform, with a background in science, comedy, and theology.After months of negotiations, hearings, and community organizing, the most ambitious transit funding and reform bill Illinois has seen in decades was quietly killed. Not by voters, not by public outcry, but by notifications from Uber and Lyft.It happened like this. Local 150 — the powerful private construction union that benefits from Illinois’ road-building contracts — which said it had “partnered” with the transit unions on funding, insisted that no toll revenue…