UK 20:35 Saturday, 3 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.
Early August: whilst most think about upcoming or just passed holidays, the last couple of Ashes tests or – for the real geeks amongst you – the finer points of the Bank of England’s big data dump, my mind muses about the 2015 tips I published at the turn of the year. Amusingly enough – as often these things fall – both my main tips reported yesterday: Aviva (AV/) and Randgold Resources (RRS). I will come back on the world’s leading larger cap gold miner later after their conference call but first…the dull world of insurance.
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Comments
cjm
It was a takeover of friends life not friends provident. Friends provident is a small component of a much larger friends life group company. It’s a very important distinction as friends life also includes friends life international allowing aviva to greatly expand their foreign investments with new licences.
Chris Bailey
Well spotted – will get Ben to tweak the text (in my original turn of the year article I correctly made reference to Friends Life). I would not get too excited by the international opportunity (see VNB observation above) but it will help at the margin and, combined with the cost cuts, I hope should push the shares to 600p+.