It is always busy right in the middle of the global quarterly corporate earnings season, but it is good fun too. As I noted earlier this year, Next (NXT) is a very sensible company that continues to move forward so much better than many of its peers. However, life is far from easy for it and, if I am going to add the stock to my pension fund, I still need to see a sub sixty quid share price. Elsewhere, Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) may ramble on about “net new business of £1.6 billion in the period, up 14% on Q3 FY22”, but the shares are still down year-to-date.

As an investor, you have to accept that you will get some calls right and some calls wrong. I am glad that thirteen months ago, I exited my shares in Barclays (BARC) at north of two quid (as its latest set of numbers have not been taken well this morning). By contrast, I should have been braver and bought Dunelm (DNLM) after visiting its stores a few times over the last six months. What do I think then of Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) shares after its latest set of numbers earlier today?

Did you read Tom’s article yesterday titled “Lies, Damned Lies and The Mail's Jeff Prestridge on Neil Woodford as Hargreaves Lansdown faces a class action”? It was a really good read and raises a number of interesting questions. I don’t know about you, but class actions are generally worth a bit of a mention if you, conceptually, are giving a trading update a day or two later. And that brings us onto this morning’s trading update from Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.).

Back in February, I observed that Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) may have been at a six year low but the shares were still a strong avoid. Since then the stock has fallen further but apparently, “against a macroeconomic and geopolitical climate not seen in a generation”, Hargreaves Lansdown still remains optimistic about the future. Surely it is nothing to do with another launch opportunity from a leading fund manager?!

I was reading the other day that 60/40 investors (60% equities and 40% bonds) in the United States have so far this year had their 1937. No surprise then that any investors who have only seen (or remember) the “everything is awesome” views of the last twelve or so years are a bit worried. Of course, those of us who remember the world before 2010 know there are always plenty of periods of volatility in the world’s financial markets. People should try and relax a bit more however. After all putting all your money under your bed or into a new and more expensive house is far from smart either. Anyhow - as far as your pension fund goes - when people are getting fearful (greedy) then you should be getting greedy (fearful).

Back in February I concluded about Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) that it was an “absolutely fine company to use if you are an investor, but in my opinion you do not need to buy its shares…carry on avoiding…”. The share back then was about 1100p and today it is below 850p, i.e. levels last seen back in 2013. Spot the rationale for this with revenue falling in an investment market that is unsurprisingly more and more competitive. I will have another look after its full year results in early August, but would still avoid the shares at least until then. Meanwhile, how am I feeling about BT Group (BT.A) shares after the publishing of its full year numbers earlier today?…

A busy geopolitical Tuesday on the markets, but a far from impossible day for anybody (being very boring) and holding a massive FTSE 100 position. A busy UK earnings day too and, whilst I was amused listening to the thoughts of the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) CEO earlier, its shares are back above the 50 quid level (as seen – but not maintained – in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and now 2022). Still, I am looking forward to staying at a Regent Hotels and Resorts location (if the lottery win ever comes through). Whilst I wait for this, my thoughts turn again to the company which says it aims ‘to give you all the tools, information and support you need to make the most of your money’, Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.).  I am sure many folks stuffed into Woodford funds by Hargreaces as Hargreaves itself sold down its managed fund holdings in the same Woodford funds might not agree with that boast!

Back in early August I observed that there were ‘continuing issues’ at Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) which made me avoid the shares. Obviously I still do not own any today and this morning’s update keeps me of the view that the company’s shares are still stuck in a 1400-1800p range.

Back in May HERE I observed on ‘Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) whose shares have remained stuck in a 1400-1800p share price range over the last year…there is no reason – in my opinion – to own the shares here’. So what do I make of today’s full year to the end of June numbers?

In some ways I feel a little sorry for Mark Dampier, as he sets sail into retirement from fully-listed Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.), his copy book indelibly blotted by exceptionally poor calls over Neil Woodford and, as Tom noted today, value crushing Tom Dobell of M&G. But it is not just Neil Woodford where I would have issues with HL’s recommendations, and that brings me to Gold.

More than a million Americans a month opened a brokerage account with Robinhood in the first quarter of this year, most of them new to trading. The attraction: Robinhood charges no commission at all and you need just $1 to open an account. And now, as you can see below, it is coming to the UK this year. Great news or worrying news? It depends who you are. I start with my long held belief that traditional retail brokers like Hargreaves Lansdown  (HL) and AJ Bell (AJB) rip folks off with execution only charges that are far too high.

In today's podcast I look at the looming General Election, at a pathetic excuse from Hargreaves Lansdowne (HL.) for not commenting on Neil Woodford, at Sound Energy (SOU), the ramp du jour Euraisia Mining (EUA), at the scandals at Tern (TERN) and Big Dish (DISH) and what they say about the institutionally useless FCA and AIM Regulation and at the profits warning from Empressaria (EMR). 

There are  no guests in this  week's show which is sponsored by Open Orphan PLC (ORPH). it is just me, at the end of a momentous day in the world of financial services. First up I discuss Thomas Cook (TCG) and grandstanding by limp dick MPs, executive greed, the failings of NEDs and fund managers and the heroin that is debt. Then the vast bulk of the show is devoted to Neil Woodford. What went right and what went wrong and why? Why the FCA is cuplable and why Woodford should go to jail. What were the warning signs everyone bar this website ignored? Who else is to blame? Why Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) must be broken up. What will happen to each of the 3 vehicles Woodford was fired from or quit yesterday and how much cash investors wil get back.If you like this and can't wait seven days for more of the same  and are tired of being a cheapskate you should listen to my Bearcast every day.

I have written recently about St James's Place (STJ) and its toxic culture but it is time to think about a company with potentially even bigger problems...and that is Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.)...

The accusations of lying, misleading ande of deception are flying thick and fast. I look at Peter Hargreaves of Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) and his attempted hit job on Neil Woodford and at claims made by Chris Frazer. Frankly, he cannot be Sirius (SXX).

Tick-tock, tick-tock….another day and another day of redemptions at Neil Woodfords lesser dog fund. I calculated yesterday morning that his Income Focus fund (WIFF) had closed at £313.8 million on Wednesday and according to Morningstar yesterday the NAV per unit increased by 0.47%. So that should have raised WIFF to £315.3 million before redemptions.

Last weekend I started a series of articles asking the question as to whether Hargreaves Lansdwon (HL.) was encouraging its users to buy Neil Woodford’s now stricken flagship fund, the Equity Income fund (WEIF), whilst dumping it from its own house funds.

We have speculated about how much cash Neil Woodford needs to raise within his sunken flagship fund, the suspended Woodford Equity Income Fund (WEIF), in order to get the current gating lifted. Of course, because it wasn’t really an equity income fund at all due to the massive exposure to unlisted and illiquid holdings in companies that not only offered no dividend but actually need feeding so that will be quite an ask. We know that it had been suffering redemptions at a rate of about £10 million a day until the shutters came down when Kent County Council asked for its £238 million back on June 3rd. So that’s about £250 million (Kent plus that day’s redemption requests) already.

Yesterday we learnt that Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) had run for the hills with Neil Woodford following the gating of his Equity Income Fund (WEIF), dumping the whole of the £45 million stake held by its house funds in his smaller dog fund, the Income Focus Fund (WIFF) since last Monday. So the redemptions have stopped? Er, no.

Citywire has reported this afternoon that Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) has exited its position in Neil Woodford’s smaller dog fund, the Income Focus fund with regard to its house Multi-Manager funds. This, after dropping the fund from its Wealth 50 last week and telling investors there that if the income was not important to them they should consider their position.

Over the last five articles looking at the Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) multi-manager funds I have found two cases where they were selling Neil Woodford’s flagship fund, the Woodford Equity Income fund, whilst retaining it on the recommended Wealth 50 list, one where the jury is out and two where there is no case to answer. I now move on to the Hargreaves Lansdown Multi-Manager Balanced Managed trust (HL MM BM).

Over the past three articles it has become obvious that two out of the three Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) multi-manager funds I have looked at were dumping Neil Woodford’s Equity Income Fund (WEIF) even though the funds themselves were growing, whilst HL was still promoting WEIF to its private clients. The third I felt was too close to call. In part four I look at the Hargreaves Lansdown Multi-Manager Special Situations Trust (HL MM SS).

This morning’s data from Neil Woodford’s Income Focus Fund (IFF) must be a worry as redemptions are still piling in. How long can it be before liquidity dries up and the fund is gated, like its bigger brother the Woodford Equity Income Fund.

A recording glitch. The hot rumour is at 20 minutes, ignore the gap beforehand. Elsewhere, I look at Neil Woodford, Woodford Patient Capital Trust (WPCT), Eve Group (EVE), Xeros (XSG), RM2 (RM2), Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.), BlueJay (JAY), Thomas Cook (TCG) Agronomics (ANIC) and the sodomising of Mail on Sunday reader;s portfolios by prize shit Ben Harrington and at Avereso (ASO).

In part one of this series I showed that the HL Multi-Manager Income and Growth fund had been dumping Woodford Equity Income fund since the end of January whilst HL was still recommending Woodford via its Wealth 50 list. Part two – the HL MM Equity and Bond fund was inconclusive, although I did show that its % allocation had fallen. In part three I look at the HL Multi-Manager UK Equity fund (HL MM UK Eq).

In today's bearcast I look at the 5.6 million questions Mark Dampier has to answer in the wake of the collapse of the Neil Woodford empire. I also look at how the contagion could swamp one of Hargreaves Lansdown's (HL.) own fund of funds unit trusts and at the massive COIs at Hargreaves which the Woodfiord scandal reveals. I look at Redde (REDD), Surgical Innovations (SUN) and  give a direct answer to Roger Lawson as to why I will continue to call out the corrupt and useless deadwood press even if it means no coverage of the achievements of this website. It is called feeling comfortable with yourself, Roger, for telling it as it is. Postscript: Late tonight it has been announced that shamed Dampier is to "retire".

In today's podcast I look in detail at Managenent Resource Solutions (MRS), Yourgene (YGEN), First Derivatives (FDP) and hapless Neil Woodford and the crashing yield on his Equity Income Fund. How soon will that force Hargeaves Lansdown (HL.) to drop him? And I discuss my plans for weekend training walks as I urge you to become a hero as we surge through 25% of our Rogue Bloggers for Woodlarks target HERE

Exciting general times in the market...and I am thinking about my assertion a month or two ago in my write-up on Dunelm (DNLM) that I would buy some frilly curtains from my local store if the shares pushed up to the six quid odd level I mused upon...

Entries ranging from a rather optimistic zero up to a more sorrowful 19 was the range set by ShareProphets readers, but what answer did the global shorting conspiracy come to?