Image source: Getty Images I’m looking to build a portfolio of shares to generate a passive income in retirement, and I’ve mostly chosen FTSE 100 stocks so far. I’d like to give the FTSE 250 a shot and decided to start by asking ChatGPT to lay the groundwork. The chatbot isn’t designed to be a stock picker or a portfolio planner, but it’s fun to use and I asked it for five names with a target yield of 5%. Trusts and property picks Its first suggestion was City of London Investment Trust. This didn’t surprise me. ChatGPT doesn’t think for…
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Image source: Getty Images Rolls-Royce (LSE:RR) shares have fallen 7% in the past few days, despite the FTSE 100 engine maker delivering reassuring Q3 numbers on 13 November. Even so, RBC Capital Markets hasn’t been put off. The broker initiated coverage on Rolls-Royce yesterday (18 November) with an Outperform rating. It also slapped a 1,275p price target on the stock, which is nearly 20% above the current level of 1,066p. After a troubled prior decade, Rolls has moved in the last few years into a steadier delivery phase, as operating performance has been more consistent, and engine durability impacts have been…
Image source: Getty Images BP (LSE: BP) shares are a bit of a conundrum. Once a FTSE 100 portfolio no-brainer, they’ve been volatile for around 15 years. The first big blow came with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, which hung over the business for a decade. The BP share price has also been battered by weaker oil prices, apart from the occasional spike such as in 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine. Climate policy is another challenge. Go green or stick with fossil fuels? BP toyed with the first, then flew back to the second. Investors cheered the return to oil…
Image source: Getty Images In 2025, the UK stock market remains a happy hunting ground for investors seeking huge dividend yields. With many share prices tumbling, it’s possible to pick up top passive income stocks offering double-digit payouts. Greencoat UK Wind (LSE:UKW) is a great example of one such share. The renewable energy stock has endured some challenges more recently, slashing its share price by around a quarter. Yet the FTSE 250 company has kept delivering strong dividends, and today its forward yield is an impressive 10.4%. The question I must ask now is, can the business recover and continue…
Image source: Getty Images On 21 August, the share price of WH Smith (LSE:SMWH), the FTSE 250 travel retailer, tanked 42% after it uncovered a problem with its US finance team. Instead of recognising income from its suppliers as it was earned, the division had been booking rebates and discounts in its accounts too early. As a consequence, it was overstating earnings. Understandably, head office immediately launched an investigation. Today (19 November), it updated investors on the findings. In short, £20m of income in its current financial year (31 August) has now been deferred to later periods and £12m has…
Image source: Getty Images Lloyds (LSE: LLOY) shares have been on a tear, rising 58% over the last year and 155% across five, with dividends on top. My own holding has more than doubled with dividends reinvested, and I’ve often kicked myself for not buying more. Now the FTSE 100 is sliding and I’m wondering if the market might be giving me a second chance. I like snapping up more of my favourite holdings when the stock market gets rough. Picking up shares after a company drops a surprise profit warning can be risky, as those issues can take time to fix,…
Image source: Getty Images The dividend cut at FTSE 100 insurer Aviva (LSE: AV) in 2020 seems a long time ago already. It was not the first time that Aviva had cut its dividend. However, since then the firm has been steadily growing its dividend per share. In 2021, that stood at 22.1p. By last year it had grown to 35.7p. That is already impressive growth. But since then, we have seen this year’s interim dividend grow 10% compared to last year’s interim payout. Aviva also plans to keep growing its dividend per share, although of course no dividend is…
Generating a second income from stocks is far easier than many people imagine. The key ingredients are research, consistency, and patience. Through these, even someone starting with no savings at 35 can build towards a substantial passive income over time. Here’s how. Consistency Before even thinking about which investments to buy, it’s wise to consider opening a Stock and Shares ISA. These wonderful accounts shield any returns from tax obligations, making it far easier to build wealth. However, with the annual ISA contribution limit currently at £20,000, it’s unlikely most people starting from scratch can invest that much every year.…
Image source: Getty Images Never mind the tech stars of the US stock market. The FTSE 250 is also a great place to find wealth-boosting growth shares, in my opinion. Take the following high-performing UK shares: Chemring Group (LSE:CHG), Baillie Gifford US Growth Trust (LSE:USA) and Lion Finance (LSE:BGEO). These mid-cap growth stocks have produced an average annual return of 14.8% during the past decade. The question is, can these FTSE 250 heroes keep delivering stunning returns? I think they can, and believe they demand serious consideration right now. Defence star Global defence spending has rocketed since early 2022, lifting…
Image source: Getty Images I’m looking to buy some shares for my Stocks and Shares ISA and decided to call in a bit of artificial intelligence (AI) to supplement my own. ChatGPT has its virtues, but it also has its limits. Even so, it’s fun to experiment, so I asked it to build a balanced portfolio for a long-term investor targeting a blend of income and growth. One virtue of ChatGPT is its speed. I had a reply in seconds. It suggested starting with a spread of FTSE 100 blue-chips, led by Legal & General Group as an insurer with an attractive…