UK 03:24 Monday, 5 October 2026
Breaking news and expert analysis on fast-moving AIM and LSE listed shares
Disclosure: I own shares in one or more of the stocks mentioned. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from ShareProphets). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
As everyone except a few delusional souls such as Bernie Madoff in his pomp have noted, this investment game is not easy. Today's ongoing lesson for me is Imperial Brands (IMB), where, if you had asked me yesterday – the day before its first half results, I would have predicted a playbook something akin to (1) the company says life is not easy but sort of workable akin to its revised guidance of a month or two ago (check), (2) it would cut the dividend citing the need to reduce debt but the absolute yield would still be attractive (check) and; (3) the shares would go up as panicky investor types would get the other side of their fears and realise there is an interesting and out-of-favour defensive total return story (hmm)...
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