[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images For investors who love buying income stocks, 2025’s been a pretty good year. Across the first nine months, a total of £73.6bn of dividends have been paid out. And according to the latest forecasts, this is expected to reach £87.2bn for the full year. Yet, this could pale in comparison to what’s coming in 2026. Continued profits from the banking sector, a rebound in mining payouts, and ongoing resilience in defensive sectors like food and tobacco all point towards higher shareholder rewards next year. And this is further supported by increasingly favourable currency exchange rates…
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[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images Over recent years, there have been times when the FTSE 100 index of leading UK shares has looked cheap to me. During sudden market turbulence, like we saw in 2020, the leading share index has suddenly looked like potentially great value. Such an opportunity may only come around once a decade, or even less often. This year, the FTSE 100 has put in a strong performance. Indeed the blue-chip index has repeatedly set new all-time highs. So, might the opportunity for some real bargain-hunting have passed? I continue to see opportunities! I do not think…
[ad_1] Click here to donate.Streetsblog provides high-quality journalism and analysis for free — which is something to be celebrated in an era of paywalls. Once a year, we ask for your tax-deductible donations to support our reporters and editors as they advance the movement to end car dependency and strengthen our communities.If you already support our work, thank you! If not, can we ask for your help?Together, we can create a walkable, bikeable, equitable and enjoyable USA for all. Happy holidays from the Streetsblog team!All our coverage of President Trump’s second term are archived here.President Trump’s call for more Japanese-style “tiny…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images Shares in FTSE 250 travel retailer WH Smith (LSE:SMWH) fell 7% on Friday (19 December) after the firm reported its 2025 results. It’s been a bad year for the stock, but is it set to bounce back in 2026? The company has spent the last four months doing a thorough job of tackling its issues and there’s still more to be done. But investors do have reason to be positive in the year ahead. A turnaround story Despite an accounting scandal that sent the stock down 34% in a day, WH Smith has had some…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images I’m all in favour of finding new ways of earning passive income. So I tried asking ChatGPT for its best ideas to try out in the New Year. The answers I got back were really interesting. Spoiler alert: I’m not going to try any of them out myself, but they do give me plenty to think about as 2026 approaches. ChatGPT’s top 3 ideas The three ideas ChatGPT suggested to me were, in order: AI-Powered Micro-SaaS Digital Assets for “Regulation-Heavy” Niches Progammatic Content + Affiliate Flywheels If you’re wondering what any of those things are,…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images What is the point of putting money into a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP)? Different people each have their own goal. Broadly speaking, though, most would agree that they are hoping to make some money. There is much less agreement on exactly how to go about that. Different investors have their own specific goals, investment strategies, and risk appetite. They also have their own blindspots and knowledge gaps. Still, if someone wanted to build a SIPP with 10 different shares in it and try to combine both dividend income potential with growth opportunities, here is how…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images Big Short investor Michael Burry is predicting a stock market crash, driven by artificial intelligence (AI) stocks, and a lot of people are trying to figure out whether or not he’s right. But I’m not one of them. From my perspective, it doesn’t really matter whether share prices fall sharply or not. History suggests that even if Burry’s right, it isn’t going to matter to my investment plans. ‘Sell’ Burry’s an extremely sophisticated and intelligent investor. He says share prices are high quite a lot, but he’s always got a thoughtful reason why. For that reason,…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images When planning to build towards a passive income by investing, it’s critical to formulate a clear strategy from day one. Part of that strategy is calculating what your goals are and knowing what is required to achieve them. The key factors to consider are how much you can afford to invest and the projected timeline. By noting down a clear outline of your plan, you can avoid disappointment and have a better chance of reaching your goal. A good strategy combined with the tax-saving benefits of investing via a Stocks and Shares ISA make the…
[ad_1] Image source: The Motley Fool Few investors have a stellar track record as impressive as billionaire Warren Buffett. The ‘Oracle of Omaha’ has vastly outperformed the S&P 500 since the 1960s using a relatively simple investing strategy: buy and hold shares of wonderful companies trading at a fair price. Throughout his career, he’s handed out a lot of advice about his stock market approach to the wider investing community. And that includes: “The time to get interested is when no one else is. You can’t buy what is popular and do well.” Anyone who followed this lesson with Rolls-Royce…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images The FTSE 100 contains some stunning dividend shares right now. It’s possible to generate a second income of close to 8% a year, taken entirely tax-free inside a Stocks and Shares ISA. That’s far more than a best-buy savings account. Returns on cash are shrinking again following last Thursday’s (18 December) interest rate cut. Dividends aren’t guaranteed, of course, and neither are share prices. But does the ultra-high income justify the added risk? In my view, yes. Done properly. Here, I’m highlighting the three highest-yielding FTSE 100 stocks. But I wouldn’t suggest a new investor built an…