A look at what might be causing the divergence in performance between the FTSE Small Cap (SMX) index -8%, which has outperformed FTSE AIM (AXX) -44% since Sept 2021. Companies covered CAV, WYN and TET. The FTSE 100 was down -0.75% to 8,244 last week. The Nasdaq100 and S&P500 were both up just over +1%.
Canadian 200-bagger Constellation Software has inspired Software Circle to become a serial acquirer of ‘vertical market’ software businesses. Maynard Paton studies the promising early progress of AIM-traded emulator. Mark Leonard has been described as the “best capital allocator you have never heard of“. According to Forbes, Mr Leonard is now worth $5 billion after he
Michael looks at the benefits of a sharper mind and how to cultivate an edge in trading. The difference between winners and losers is almost always the mindset. And yes, there are lots of other things that go into successful trading, such as knowledge, hard work, and the ability to learn quickly. But you can
Richard looks at one of his least favourite kinds of business – asset managers. Love them or loathe them, many London-listed asset managers are profitable and financially sound. Investors, aka asset managers, are not my favourite category of share. The financial world is precarious to me, which is why long ago I decided to take
Phil asks whether the latest profit warning from Aston Martin is the final straw for investors or whether a turnaround in its fortunes is still possible. Since its flotation five years ago, shares in Aston Martin Lagonda have been a disastrous investment. They have lost more than 90% of their value since then. Last year
In this month’s funds overview, we revisit the exciting world of gold and especially gold trackers which provide a regular income via options writing strategies. We also look at a very adventurous way of generating a big regular income, all through a well-established and successful investment trust. We also quickly glance at a new exchange-traded
A look at stimulus coming from the People’s Bank of China and deficit spending by Western governments, both of which seem expansionary. Companies covered: IPO, OMG and ABDP. The FTSE 100 was flat last week, bouncing around 8,270. In the USA, the Nasdaq100 and S&P500 were both up less than +1%. China on the other
In this article, Michael looks at flipping direction and two trade ideas. It’s been a big week for volatility. China’s stimulus plan jumpstarted the resources sector and helped the luxury sector too. China’s slowdown in consumer spending has been responsible for a big part of the luxury slump, and sales collapsed in Mainland China for
There is very little 5 Strikes action, so Richard takes the opportunity to slide Inchcape onto the front burner. Over the last eight years, the company has sharpened its focus on motor vehicle distribution. Deciding what to focus on is the basis of good strategy. Since my last article only two shares have published annual
Many investors like to buy shares that are popular or those of companies that are doing well. Phil takes a look at why sometimes buying shares that professional investors are betting against can generate big gains. Finding unpopular shares Most investors make money by buying shares that eventually go up in price. However, it is
A liking for ‘value bargains’ prompts Maynard Paton to search again for asset-rich shares with depressed ratings. Screening for low price to books and net cash positions leads to engineer Castings. I always love a traditional ‘value bargain’. Hence this revisit to an old screen that pinpoints companies trading at less than book value. Importantly,
Bruce looks at the reversal in the copper price, and what this might signal about global growth and interest rate expectations. Companies covered WOSG, HVO and FEVR. The FTSE 100 rose +1% to 8,273. US markets were much stronger, with the Nasdaq100 up +6.% and the S&P500 up +4%. That seems to be driven by
