UK 00:41 Thursday, 8 October 2026
Breaking news and expert analysis on fast-moving AIM and LSE listed shares
Hello, Share Pickers. This old punter is a big believer in the Santa Rally, that fabled big share boost up to Christmas. Nearly always stock values creep up during November and December. Though you have to be ready with the sell button in January. There was no rally last year due to covid, but can we expect a yule surge this time? You bet we can.
It is far from being a quiet Friday in August. And whilst there is plenty of scope to chat about the commodity sector given the excitements in China, once again I find myself wanting to comment on the UK grocery and related sector.
Almost as embarrassing to admit that I spent six hours of time gawping at the BBC's American election coverage overnight (I did eventually switch to a financial TV channel), is that the smallest position in my SIPP is Marks & Spencer (MKS) upon which I am currently sitting on a stonking loss (i.e. a small starter position has got even smaller). They cannot all be Barrick Gold (NYSE – GOLD) or GVC Holdings (GVC) I guess...
Confession time first. I do own some Marks & Spencer (MKS) shares…they are though right at the bottom of my SIPP and equate to approximately 0.2% of portfolio value. Clearly I should get rid or stick to my own rules of having no position smaller than 1% nor greater than 10% (hello Barrick Gold!). If truth be told, I have been considering whether I should quintuple (or more) my holding. Today's full year (to the end of March) results seem like a good chance to consider when I pull the trigger…to buy or sell...
I had a feeling that the Marks & Spencer (MKS) regulatory news update was something to do with a new CFO appointment. Longer-term readers may recall back in September last year I mused about the resignation of the wonderfully named Humphrey Singer, concluding that 'my guess is that Humphrey despite a big old salary and historic reputation just cannot quite cut it'. Today's news that in June this year 'Eoin Tonge will be joining the Board of Marks and Spencer Group PLC as Chief Financial Officer' looks positive…
You all know I am a Marks & Spencer (MKS) shareholder and - as I described here a couple of months ago - my basic view that the recent harsher and focused management style of Archie Norman and Steve Rowe has given the company the most viable future potential backdrop for a generation. I still think this despite being down on my two quid odd average in price and the recent resignation (or push out?) of the CFO, who I do not think was up to that sort of a job. Today's half-year update ('far reaching change - delivered at pace') is a classic interim statement…
Hello Share Takers. Gosh, it’s a heck of a long time since I sold all my Marks & Spencer (MKS) shares because they were static. I bought them for £3 a throw and what are they now, many, many years on? About 188p, that’s what...
So the weekend press story that the Marks & Spencer (MKS) chief financial officer Humphrey Singer was set to resign has been confirmed this morning. Naturally it is all nice words ('I feel privileged to be a part of the challenging but hugely rewarding turnaround at Marks & Spencer') but let's face it, no CFO exits into the night if something is about to go hugely right – especially after some well-publicised tough times…
