Image source: Getty Images WH Smith (LSE: SMWH) shareholders got a nasty surprise yesterday (21 August) when the share price crashed 40% to 660p. That puts the FTSE 250 stock at a 12-year low. Ouch! I was bullish In recent months, I had started to warm up to the WH Smith investment case. It was selling its high street stores, which were in structural decline, to focus on outlets in airports, hospitals, train and service stations. I found the idea of WH Smith becoming a pureplay global travel retailer quite attractive. That’s because there’s a captive audience in airports, where…
Author: user
Image source: Getty Images I’m always hunting for the best dividend shares to add to my passive income portfolio, but I can’t buy them all. It’s an ongoing balancing act trying to find the right mix of attractive yields and long-term reliability. For me, the most reliable dividend payers tend to be companies with consistent industry demand, strong leadership, and a proven track record of payouts. Add to that a healthy balance sheet and manageable debt levels, and it often makes for a compelling investment case. One company that has been on my radar for some time is Admiral Group…
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Asian shares were mixed on Friday after Wall Street fell to a fifth straight loss, hurt by losses for Walmart and worries over coming cuts to interest rates.Traders remain cautious, looking for cues about U.S. monetary policy from a meeting of central bankers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell is due to speak on FridayIn Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 shed early gains, slipping 0.1% to 42,597.94 after Japan’s core inflation rate slowed to 3.1% in July, from 3.3% in June.ING Economics, in a commentary, said the rate was broadly in line with…
Image source: Getty Images Oh dear, I’m going to need my ISA to start generating even more passive income. That’s because — due to artificial intelligence (AI) — the end is nigh. No, not because a rogue state might use it for dubious purposes. Instead, I’ve just read that accountants are currently in what’s predicted to be the seventh fastest-declining job role over the next five years. And I’m one. Thankfully, Derek Blair, the new president of the Institute of Chartered Accounts in England and Wales, disagrees. He says: “Rather than killing the profession, AI is likely to make it…
FOX 2ReElement Technologies and Vulcan Elements Finalize Long-Term Supply Agreement for Rare Earth Oxides to Enable Domestic Magnet ProductionReElement to supply Vulcan with high-purity rare earth oxides (Nd, NdPr, Dy) under a multi-year contract to power domestic rare earth magnet production..2 days ago Source link
Image source: Getty Images Barclays‘ (LSE: BARC) shares have been on a storming run, as have those for NatWest Group and Lloyds Banking Group. It’s been a great time to hold the FTSE 100 banks, although investors needed to be patient after years of struggle. Over the past 12 months, Barclays is up 65% and almost 250% over five years. NatWest isn’t far behind, gaining 60% in one year and an incredible 360% over five. Lloyds is the laggard but is still up 43% and 197% across the same timeframes. Throw reinvested dividends into the mix and their total returns are even…
Image source: Getty Images UK investors looking for a second income should take a look at the property market. In particular, real estate investment trusts (REITs) could offer good opportunities. Right now, shares in a number of REITs come with dividend yields above 7.5%. And the returns could go up – rather than down – for the foreseeable future, although that’s not guaranteed. From £10,000 to £1,500 a year Investing £10,000 at 7.5% generates £750 a year. But by reinvesting the income at the same rate – into the same business or a different one – the annual returns can…
The recent leadership transition at Baoshan Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. (Baosteel) has sparked renewed interest in the company’s governance stability and strategic direction. As China’s steel industry grapples with overcapacity, weak domestic demand, and global decarbonization pressures, Baosteel’s ability to align its leadership with long-term sustainability goals will be critical to its growth prospects. With Zou Jixin confirmed as the new chairman in August 2024, investors must assess whether this transition reinforces—or disrupts—the company’s trajectory toward net-zero emissions and operational resilience. Governance Stability: A Mixed PictureBaosteel’s leadership changes in 2024 initially appeared conflicting, with reports citing Dai Zhihao and…
Image source: Getty Images Most UK investors have probably never heard of Reach (LSE: RCH) — a £226m media company on the FTSE All-Share with a 10% dividend yield. Yet many Britons have likely made use of its products. Reach is one of the UK’s largest newspaper groups, publishing 240 regional papers including the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star and the magazine OK! It has also branched out overseas, becoming the UAE’s most influential marketing and talent agency. Founded back in 1903, it’s been around for 122 years and despite a turbulent history, remains an…
This week we’re joined by Ryan Russo, a former city transportation official in New York and Oakland who nows serves as the executive director of the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO). Ryan shares with us more wisdom from the revised Urban Bikeway Design Guide and discusses the transformation of street systems and managing space for people and deliveries.Scroll past the audio player below for a partial edited transcript of the episode — or click here for a full, AI-generated (and typo-ridden) readout.Jeff Wood: What’s interesting to me to think about is also you have a lot of good plans for thinking about networks, right?…