Image source: Getty Images While they can be volatile in the short term, stock market indexes like the FTSE 100, FTSE 250 and the S&P 500 tend to rise over the long run. As a result, they can help investors build wealth and save for retirement. This was highlighted in a recent presentation by UK money guru Martin Lewis on his Martin Lewis Money Show. Here, he showed how much an investor would have now if they’d stuck £1,000 in several different indexes 10 years ago. Stocks have smashed savings accounts over the last decade Before I show the figures,…
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Image source: Getty Images Some people buy and sell UK shares like they are allergic to owning them for more than a few days at a time! By contrast, I am a long-term investor. Having learned by watching the stock market success of billionaires like Warren Buffett, I aim to buy shares in British companies that I would gladly own for years or even decades, as long as the investment case did not unexpectedly change along the way (as happened to Buffett some years ago when he owned Tesco shares). Here are three UK shares I think investors should consider…
Image source: Getty Images Setting up a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) is a brilliant first step to securing a tax-efficient second income for retirement. Tax relief alone gives contributions a lift from day one and over decades, that can make a serious difference to long-term wealth. Please note that tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in future. The content in this article is provided for information purposes only. It is not intended to be, neither does it constitute, any form of tax advice. Readers are responsible for carrying out their…
Image source: Getty Images As a long-term investor, I am looking to buy shares that I can hold for the long term. Sometimes, the businesses concerned may hopefully grow big enough to be promoted to the FTSE 250 – and later even the FTSE 100. One FTSE 250 share I think merits long-term investors’ consideration at the moment is Hollywood Bowl (LSE: BOWL). Why I like the business model Is 10-pin bowling cool, with the cachet of a buzzy leisure activity like padel or pickleball? No – and for as long as I can remember, it never has been. But…
A new report released by Streets Are For Everyone (SAFE) highlights that speed safety cameras — authorized for a handful of cities Assembly Bill 645 in 2023 — are already producing big safety gains in Bay Area cities, while cities in Los Angeles County have yet to get a system up and running. The report grades seven pilot cities as of October 2025, based on how far along they are in fully implementing their speed camera programs. Malibu was added to the pilot program late last year after a horrific crash in 2023 highlighted dangerous speeding along its part of Pacific…
Image source: Getty Images I’ve been looking for the best share to buy for 2026, and now I’m wondering if I already own it! The company in question is FTSE 100 pharmaceutical giant GSK (LSE: GSK), which I bought 18 months ago. Funnily enough, I wasn’t that enthused at the time. I certainly didn’t think it was the best UK stock to buy then, because it had been struggling for years. So what’s changed? Why I chose GSK shares I originally bought GSK to plug a hole in my Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP), which I’d just set up by consolidating a number of old…
Image source: Getty Images The UK stock market offers a wealth of dividend shares that haven’t missed a payment in over two decades. In many cases, these reliable income heroes have not only paid consistently but actually increased each payout. As of 5 December, I can find as many as 22 stocks across the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 that have raised dividends for 20+ years in a row. From those, I’ve picked the top five that I feel offer the best combination of high yields and long-term reliability. They are: StockYieldPayout ratioBritish America Tobacco 5.5% 170%Bunzl 3.5% 50%Croda International…
Image source: Getty Images I think passive income is great, because I don’t have to work for it. It just comes rolling in, even as I sleep. Take these two comments from acclaimed billionaires: 1. Legendary investor and philanthropist Warren Buffett, warned, “If you don’t find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die”. 2. American business tycoon JD Rockefeller quipped, “Do you know the only thing that gives me pleasure? It’s to see my dividends coming in”. The first quote — from my investment hero, the 95-year-old ‘Oracle of Omaha’ — has guided…
Image source: Getty Images Tesco (LSE:TSCO) shares were already on the march as we entered the New Year, gaining roughly 48% in the previous 18 months. Yet they’ve kept on going up this year, jumping another 21.5% to sit just under a 12-year high. This means anyone who invested £5,000 in the UK’s leading supermarket on 1 January would now have almost £6,100. On top of this, Tesco has paid two dividends — in June and November — which would have added almost £200 to the return. So the total value would be £6,275 (excluding any trading fees). Solid stuff. The…
In both public and private markets, AI’s rise has been extraordinary: fewer than a dozen technology stocks now account for roughly 40% of the S&P 500, while AI-driven startups dominate venture inflows and valuations (see Figures 1 and 2). Assessing fund quality now means distinguishing not only among managers but also among emerging technologies at varying stages of maturity. The central challenge remains: How can investors separate a signal from noise, and identify real, lasting value in AI-focused venture portfolios? Figure 1 Figure 2 The following framework can help LPs and advisors cut through the noise and evaluate AI venture…