Minding the London Stock Exchange’s Business
Independent and Fearless Financial Journalism Funded by Readers
Even a few of our detractors have now come around
Hello Share Pickers. This old punter has just become a customer of the broker AJ Bell (AJB). I know nothing about its competence in being an ordinary self-select share broker, so I’ll stick with my present providers, but my financial advisor Alice rates the company highly as a customer-friendly and efficient platform for bonds and similar financial products.
Hello Share Trudgers. There’s a feeling in the city that shares will soon rally. A few well-known analysts have said that British equities are cheap compared to the world. And indeed the Footsie has been creeping up. But this old punter believes that - apart form a few lucky sectors - British shares will stall again. Here’s why I’m staying in cash.
Hello Share Wallowers. If you’ve never read Liar’s Poker and The Big Short may I seriously recommend you do so. We all have a tendency to think that every financial company employee knows their subject backwards and keeps on top of trends. But these two books don’t agree. However, one of the many financial outfits that does seem to keep on top of things is Just Group (JUST).
Hello Share Mates. A perky outfit that sounds a bit like something from Lord of the Rings is worth a peek. Rainbow Rare Earths (RBW) deals in some pretty unusual commodities. More about them later, but we’re talking about a pretty exciting mining operation here.
Hello Share Gatherers. Next year, the UK economy will do the worst of all the G7 economies. So says the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The OECD expects the UK's economy to shrink by 0.4% in 2023 to be followed by minute growth of just 0.2% a year later. Meanwhile, there is strength in many emerging countries.
Hello Share Bunnies. When I was a little boy in the middle of the last century (eek!), there were a lot of classmates with bright yellow knees and elbows. The school nurse used iodine as a healing lotion. Iodine is still an important chemical today and with some analysts predicting a return to a bull market in 2023, a company which might jump the gun and see a share rise specialises in iodine, it’s called Iofina (IOF).
Hello Share Collectors. Like all oil producing combos, Tullow Oil (TLW) will do well out of the lofty price of oil. Even if it has just reduced its production aim of 60,000-64,000 barrels of oil a day to 60,000-62,000 barrels. It’s not much of a reduction and, given the sturdy current values for the black stuff, I don’t think the share price has risen as far as it should do, when compared to its larger rivals Shell (SHEL) and BP (BP.).
Hello, Share Twiddlers. We’re now in recession. So how can share-shifters like us negotiate these alligator-infested waters? To save being bitten and even make some dough along the way?
Hello, Share Tumblers. I’d started to research a promising company for you, till I discovered it includes making bits for defense. Being a pacifist who strives to respect his enemies rather than kill them, I chose instead to bring before you a firm that deals in supplying information and fostering business contacts.
