Image source: Getty Images After a tough couple of years, the UK stock market finally looks to be shifting into a more sustainable growth phase. The FTSE 100 recently hit record highs, and many global markets seem to be following suit. While short-term volatility persists, I believe there are three clear signs that a new bull market phase may be underway. Interest rate cuts are coming Markets are most likely pricing in rate cuts from the Bank of England and the European Central Bank, with the US Federal Reserve not far behind. This matters because lower interest rates reduce the…
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Image source: Getty Images When evaluating UK shares, I tend to look beyond sensational headlines and instead focus on fundamentals and valuation metrics. Examples include the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, which shows how much investors are paying for each pound of earnings, and the price-to-sales (P/S) ratio, which reflects how a company’s revenue compares to its market valuation. As an income investor, I also check dividends and historical performance to assess both value and stability. Lately, I’ve noticed several well-known companies that, despite their brand strength or operational history, currently trade on metrics that raise red flags for me. With that…
Image source: Getty Images Over the past six months, the FTSE 100 index is up 7.9%. That’s pretty good, given the sudden market crash in April. But looking at the Footsie’s top performers over six months, I count 19 shares up by more than 25%. Indeed, the top gainer has soared by 120.5% in half a year. At the other end of the scale lie the FTSE 100‘s biggest losers. I count five shares down 20% or more in six months. Here are two that are part of my family portfolio. 1. Diageo’s disaster The Footsie’s third-worst performer over six…
Image source: Getty Images I’m not afraid to admit that I sold my BAE Systems (LSE:BA.) stock before Russia invaded Ukraine. The stock was up 20% and the Russians (state employees) who I worked with at the time were convinced that there wouldn’t be a war. They were wrong. The BAE Systems share price surged. And it’s never looked back. It’s a bit of a shame for me. But conversely, I’m not too upset as I essentially would have been a net beneficiary of the three years of conflict and the associated increased defence spending. I’m not overly moralistic when…
Image source: Getty Images Turning an initial £8,800 in savings into a £20,000 annual second income is an ambitious but achievable goal. Like anything in life, it requires commitment, learning, and a level-headed approach. So, let’s find out how it can be done. There’s a formula for success There are several parts to the formula, and central to it is harnessing the power of compounding effectively over time. Compounding occurs when investment returns generate their own returns, creating a snowball effect that accelerates portfolio growth. This process is fundamental for building wealth, especially when combined with regular contributions and a…
The Federal Open Market Committee’s (FOMC) latest dot plot indicates that interest rates will average 3.9% by the end of 2025, matching the March projection. If this forecast comes true, the Federal Reserve (Fed) could implement two 25 basis point (bps) rate cuts or a single 50 bps cut in 2025. In 2026, rates are projected to rise to 3.6% from the previous 3.4% and to 3.4% in 2027, above the 3.1% projected in the March dot plot. The longer-term forecast remains at 3%. The Fed also revised its economic projections. US Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is now projected at…
Image source: Meta Platforms For whatever reason, I’ve never owned shares of Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) in my Stocks and Shares ISA. They’re up 750% in a decade, so this has been a massive missed opportunity. Meta used to be known as Facebook, of course, and also owns Instagram. These two platforms are the advertisement cash cows, but it hasn’t done anything revolutionary with WhatsApp since it bought the messaging app 11 years ago. That might be about to change, though. On 16 June, Meta announced that ads will finally be coming to the world’s most popular messaging app, which…
Yet another anti-congestion pricing lawsuit was thrown out today, after a state Supreme Court justice spiked a lawsuit brought by the Town of Hempstead.Town of Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin suit argued that when Gov. Kathy Hochul announced in November that she was “unpausing” congestion pricing and instituting the toll with a phased-in pricing scheme starting at $9, she illegally usurped the MTA’s power to decide how to implement the toll. Clavin also argued that the tolling schedule did not go through the proper notification and study process as laid out by the State Administrative Procedure Act when the MTA Board approved the $9 toll.Lawyers…
“Most of those credits came to Europe and were about to kill the ETS market,” he added. “It dampened the prices, and so along with a market stability reserve, we designed a policy to close the door to all credits coming from the CDM.” Yet times have changed, Delbeke insisted. A new global framework regulating credits under the Paris climate accord was finalized in November with the EU’s support. But the bloc has also “learned its lesson” not to accept any and all projects included in an international system, and should instead set its own standards, he said. Delbeke also…
Jun 19, 2025 07:52 AM IST The initiative allows farmers to earn additional income by planting trees that absorb carbon dioxide, generating tradable carbon credits, district officials said. In a major push for sustainable farming and climate action, farmers in Prayagraj have been included in the third phase of Uttar Pradesh’s Carbon Credit Scheme. A farmer planting trees on his field (For representation only) The initiative allows farmers to earn additional income by planting trees that absorb carbon dioxide, generating tradable carbon credits, district officials said. Already operational across 13 forest divisions in the state, the scheme has now been…