[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images There is no shortage of doom and gloom around the prospects of the British economy. But you would not know that from looking at the performance of UK shares. Last year, for example, the FTSE 100 index of leading UK shares moved up by around a fifth. For a collection of mostly long-established companies in mature industries, that is a fairly exciting performance in my view. So, could 2026 be another vintage year? The economy and the market are not the same Heading into the year, there are a number of ongoing reasons for concern.…
Author: user
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images SEGRO (LSE:SGRO) is a FTSE 100 real estate investment trust (REIT) with a difference. Growth is a structural challenge for REITs, but this firm is finding a way around that. The 4.2% dividend yield is high enough to be interesting without being spectacular. But the firm’s partnership model sets it apart from other similar dividend stocks. REITs REITs are required to distribute 90% of their taxable income to investors as dividends. This makes them attractive passive income investments, but it can limit growth potential. Please note that tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images Three years ago, Greggs (LSE:GRG) shares were chugging along nicely. They had returned almost 70% over the prior five years, before dividends. Even at the start of 2025, Greggs was doing well, trading at almost £28 per share. Then the share price collapsed 40% last year, leaving one Greggs share today costing less than £17. So, anyone who invested five grand into the baked goods firm at the start of 2023 would now have just under £3,600. Dividends would have added about £500, lessening the blow slightly. But rubbing salt into the wounds is the…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images I’ve bought three beaten-down UK growth shares over the last two years, hoping to benefit when they return to form. So far, they’ve only got worse. Can they turn things round in 2026? I’ve always been reluctant to chase momentum, favouring FTSE 100 shares that are out of favour instead. The theory is that by purchasing them at a lower valuation and higher yield, I’ll benefit when they swing back into favour. But what if they don’t? London Stock Exchange Group I added financial data and trading specialist London Stock Exchange Group (LSE: LSEG) to my Self-Invested…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images Over the past year, the best-performing S&P 500 sector was communication services, followed by information technology. This might not surprise some, but with us now in 2026, I don’t think either of those two areas will be the best place to invest. Rather, I think it could be another sector that could steal the limelight this year! An easy pill to swallow My pick for 2026 is healthcare. Last year, it jumped 12.4%. Healthcare demand isn’t tied directly to the economic cycle the way other sectors are. For example, consumer discretionary or industrials are much…
[ad_1] For decades, conservatives have championed straightforward principles for infrastructure policy: correct past mistakes, spend taxpayer dollars wisely, and stop creating liabilities we cannot afford to maintain. The REPAIR Infrastructure Act represents a rare legislative opportunity where these principles align with practical policy to address one of America’s most expensive self-inflicted wounds — communities divided and economically weakened by highways that were built without regard for the neighborhoods they destroyed.What REPAIR Actually DoesREPAIR would reauthorize and expand the Reconnecting Communities program, authorizing $3 billion annually from the Highway Trust Fund between fiscal years 2027 and 2031. The bill authorizes $3…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images The Lloyds (LSE: LLOY) share price had a rip-roaring 2025. It climbed 80% over the year, and is now up 175% over five years. Like the other FTSE 100 banks, it’s finally escaped the shadow of the financial crisis, and loyal investors are reaping the rewards. So what does the next 12 months hold? Lloyds has also resumed its mantle as a brilliant dividend income stock. Yet here the trajectory has been bumpier. During the pandemic it slashed shareholder payouts twice, by 65% in 2019 and 50% in 2020. A 250% hike in 2021 cheered…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images I think 2026 could be a huge year for dividend shares. There are no guarantees, but interest rates are expected to fall, which means that the time to think about buying could be right now. If interest rates do go lower, investors who own dividend stocks are likely to keep their passive income while seeing their investments go up. Those in cash, however, are set to miss out. Inflation and interest rates In December 2025, the Bank of England cut interest rates to 3.75%. And economists seem to think there’s a decent chance there’s more…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images As a way of generating passive income, dividend shares from the FTSE 100 have always been popular. This is particularly the case for those offering above-average yields. But there’s a reason for thinking that demand for these could take off this year. Big hitters A quick check with my data provider reveals that the following top-tier companies currently offer forecast dividend yields over 6%. Legal & General (LSE: LGEN) Phoenix Group Holdings M&G Land Securities Group That might not seem like many. But remember that the FTSE 100 had an excellent 2025. When share prices…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images Recent surveys reveal the average UK adult has just over £16k in savings. This varies hugely depending on age, location, and even gender, but I think we’d all agree we’d like to have more stashed away, even if it’s just for rainy-day purposes. Income stocks can offer a way to boost savings, with a concise strategy available to be copied. Benefits of building a portfolio The strategy’s based on owning a broad enough set of stocks that pay out regular dividends, so that each month, money is coming in. For the first few years, the…