[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images With this year almost done, 2026 has been very rewarding for investors. Major stock markets — such as New York, London, and Tokyo — have surged to new heights this year. However, after four highly profitable years, I’m worried 2026 could be a poor year for the UK’s FTSE 100, US S&P 500, and the like. Fabulous FTSE Over the last six years, the outstanding shares to own for global investors have been US mega-cap tech stocks. Shares in the so-called Magnificent Seven have surged to all-time highs, delivering many trillions of dollars of gains.…
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[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images Billionaire Warren Buffett believes most of us should just invest in an index like the S&P 500 and get on with our lives. The reason is that outperforming an index over time is very difficult. I’m not a professional fund manager, but I think there’s a way for investors like me to have a meaningful shot at doing better than the wider stock market in terms of total returns. Investment fees There are a few reasons Buffett thinks that even professional investors struggle to outperform an index like the S&P 500. And a big reason…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images Value investors looking for cheap shares have a challenge on their hands right now. But I think there are still opportunities for buyers to consider – and who doesn’t love a bargain at this time of year? In general, the last 12 months have been a challenging period for footwear companies. But in a few cases, I think share prices look attractive heading into 2026. Beaten-down stocks A weak macroeconomic environment, especially in the US, has been weighing on sales across the board for footwear companies. And this has had a predictable impact on share…
[ad_1] Image source: Domino’s Pizza Group plc It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call the UK market a dividend stock investor’s dream. It’s home to literally hundreds of income shares, many of which are offering yields of 5% or more. Here are two stocks — one from the FTSE 100 and the other the FTSE 250 — that I reckon have the potential to deliver regular income and share price growth on top. They’re both yielding above 6% on a forward-looking basis. Pizza Domino’s Pizza Group (LSE:DOM) has had a terrible 2025, plunging 45%. And this means the FTSE 250…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images A number of key players in the investment space have voiced their concerns regarding a potential stock market crash in 2026. Among them is Michael Burry, famously portrayed by Christian Bale in Adam McKay’s 2015 blockbuster hit ‘The Big Short‘. The hedge fund manager has made comments recently about overinflated AI valuations, accusing firms of “spending money on each other“. He’s also pointed out the crossover of household equity wealth and real estate wealth. This rare event has only occurred twice before — in the late 1960s and late 1990s. Both previous instances were followed…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images It’s been an interesting year for FTSE 100 shares. While the index as a whole has fared well, there have been some big variations at the level of individual stocks. Nobody knows for sure what 2026 will bring. But I’m prepared to predict that a couple of high-quality names that have underperformed in 2025 are about to have a good year. Compass: the strong survive It’s been a tough year for contract catering firm Compass Group (LSE:CPG). The stock’s down more than 10% since January in a year where the FTSE 100’s up 13%. US…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images According to various sources, the average UK monthly salary ranges £2,500-£2,900. I decided to calculate how much an investor would need to put into UK stocks to earn a median £2,700 from dividends? To get the full benefit of dividend returns, it makes sense to invest via a Stocks and Shares ISA. With an allowance of up to £20,000 a year, UK residents can enjoy tax-free dividend and capital returns from an ISA. Please note that tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in future. The…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images Wow, what a good year to own shares of Lloyds Banking Group (LSE: LLOY). Indeed, the Lloyds share price has surged so strongly in 2025 that this stock is one of the FTSE 100 index’s best performers. The next (baby) step is for the shares to clear £1 — considered an important psychological milestone for investors. But what might it take for the price to leap beyond this marker? Lloyds leaps Even investors who bought Lloyds shares around mid-2025 are sitting on good gains. As I write, the stock trades at 97.22p, valuing the Black…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images The FTSE 250‘s performed poorly for what seems like ages now. Even in 2025, when most indexes have surged 15%-20% (including the FTSE 100), the mid-cap index has risen by around 8%, before dividends. Over the past five years, the FTSE 250’s total return has only been around 34%. That’s not great. But with the new year nearly upon us, might 2026 be the FTSE 250’s time to shine? What’s wrong? Unlike the FTSE 100, the FTSE 250 contains a lot of domestically-focused companies. Around half of revenue comes from these shores, making it more…