Image source: Getty Images When looking to increase passive income, investors often turn to old trusted friends like Lloyds. However, investment trusts can also be a great source of dividends, particularly due to the risk of a dividend cut being offset by dozens of other companies. Here are two from the FTSE 250 index that might be of interest. Blue-chip holdings Merchants Trust (LSE:MRCH) aims to deliver a “high and rising income together with capital growth“. Founded in 1889 and managed by Allianz Global Investors, it invests mainly in high-yield FTSE 100 dividend stocks. So we’re talking Lloyds, Shell, BP,…
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Many if not most Americans simply assume that their bank deposits and brokerage accounts are backed up by the government. This presumption is supported by the fact that no depositor in a federally insured commercial bank has lost a penny since the inception of bank deposit insurance in 1933.Similar coverage extends to members of federally insured credit unions and, with some exceptions, to holders of most brokerage accounts. Such has not always been the case. Depressions (“panics” as they were then called) occurred in 1819, 1837, 1873 and 1907 that wiped out banks and depositors’ fortunes. It was only in…
US stocks retreated from record highs on Friday as Wall Street digested an update on consumer inflation that showed prices firming higher above the Fed’s target in July. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) fell around 0.2%, and the S&P 500 (^GSPC) lost 0.6%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) led the retreat, down over 1.1%. Big Tech slumped, with Nvidia (NVDA) declining over 3% to end the week after releasing its highly anticipated earnings report. After hitting record highs in August, the S&P 500 and Dow ended the month with gains of 1.4% and 2%, respectively, marking the fourth straight…
Image source: Britvic (copyright Evan Doherty) In some ways, little has changed lately for JD Sports (LSE: JD). A series of profit warnings over the past several years badly hurt investor confidence and the JD Sports share price – above £2 in 2021 – has fallen as low as 61p over the past 12 months. It is still selling for pennies, although close to the £1 level. On the other hand, I think things may be changing when it comes to valuing the company. A trading update over the past week was pretty well received, despite including like-for-like sales declines…
Image source: Getty Images It’s incredibly simple to start investing today. A few clicks on a smartphone and you’re away. However, this blessing can turn into a curse without preparation. Here are three questions that are worth thinking about when starting out. 1. Are my finances sorted? One mistake some eager newbie investors make is investing every spare penny into the stock market. This becomes problematic when a crisis hits. For example, the car engine might break, necessitating a replacement and immediate £3,000 outlay (or more!). In this situation, someone might be forced to sell their shares to raise cash.…
Image source: Getty Images The share price chart for FTSE 100 drinks giant Diageo (LSE: DGE) makes for interesting viewing. Does it offer a potentially brilliant opportunity – or an alarming signal? Since the start of 2022, the Diageo share price has tumbled 48%. Ouch. Some potential opportunities That has, however, thrown up a couple of possible opportunities. One is a higher yield. Diageo has raised its dividend each year for decades, but until recently its yield was nothing to write home about. A falling share price, however, has pushed the Diageo dividend yield up to a level of 3.7%…
Image source: Getty Images Does it take a lot of money and effort to start buying shares? The answer is no — and no! It is possible to start buying shares even on a modest budget – in this example, I use £300. As for effort, smart investing certainly takes some effort. But, I do not see that as a necessary barrier to investing. Step one: learning the basics and building a plan What sort of effort might be involved, then? It seems rash (and potentially costly) to start buying shares without even understanding the basics of how the stock…
The S&P 500‘s up only 9.5% so far this year, compared to 25% in both 2023 and 2024. Some stocks, like Palantir and GE Aerospace, have been driving growth. But two household names are stumbling. Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) â often seen as poster children for innovation â are down nearly 10% each this year. Apple: strong fundamentals, weaker sentiment Apple remains one of the most recognisable brands on the planet. Yet its share price has slipped 7.9% this year. At first glance, this seems puzzling. At $408.6bn, it has the fourth-highest revenue in the US and…
Image source: Getty Images All things considered, the FTSE 100 index is having a great year — up 11% as I type this. But some of its members aren’t faring quite so well. And there’s one stock in particular that could be in for a rough ride next month. Not looking good B&Q and Screwfix owner Kingfisher (LSE: KGF) is down to report its latest set of half-year numbers on 23 September. Personally, I’m a bit cautious about what the market might make of them. Shares in the £5bn cap business have been pretty volatile of late. Positive momentum in…