A dividend is quite simply a portion of a company's earnings distributed to its investors.In the UK most companies pay two ordinary dividends per year, one at the half-way stage (the interim or first-half dividend) and one at the end of the year (the final dividend). Some UK firms pay quarterly dividends.Sometimes, companies will decide to pay a special dividend on a one-off basis if their earning

Anniversaries are often an opportunity to take stock so the Shares team has had a look at the best performing shares, funds and investment trusts since the magazine's first issue in September 1999.Read on to discover the identity of the top performers and find out names we think will continue to impress in the years to come and those where we think the good times might be over. But first, Ian Conw

On 1 August the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee made a 5-4 decision to kickstart its rate-cutting cycle. A 25 basis point reduction in the base rate to 5% marking The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street's first cut since March 2020.This means cash savings rates are heading in one direction, down. And the lower-than-expected jump in UK inflation reported on 14 August only boosted market exp

With the UK economy seemingly headed for a 'soft landing' and interest rates set to fall at some point this year, more adventurous investors will be looking to add a little more risk to their portfolios.Given the UK market, and the mid-cap space in particular, is widely acknowledged to be cheap, the passive option would be to buy a mid-cap ETF (exchange-traded fund) such as the iShares FTSE 250 (M

On 23 May, power network operator National Grid (NG.) announced a bumper £7 billion fundraise to help finance a five-year £60 billion investment plan.Known as a 'rights issue', the exercise involves shareholders making a decision whether or not to buy discounted shares in the group.As is the case for most major rights issues, National Grid's fundraise is fully underwritten by banks, in this case

£7 billion rights issueInvestment to double2023 earnings lowerMultinational electricity and gas provider National Grid (NG.) surprised the market with the launch of a £7 billion fund-raise to finance investments in its network to the end of the decade.The shares, which had enjoyed a strong run from the £10 level in April up to £11.40 last week, went into reverse falling 103p or 9% to £10.24 a

The end of the tax year is fast approaching and with it the opportunity to maximise your £20,000 ISA allowance for the year.In this article we have identified six names from a list of some of the most consistent funds and fund managers in the UK which could be a good fit for your tax wrapper. While we have aimed for a balance across different investment styles and asset classes this is not intend

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATUREAfter almost 40 years with Aberdeen Asset Management (now abrdn) ? including 28 years founding and running abrdn Asia Focus investment trust (AAS) ? venerable Asia hand Hugh Young is finally to hang up his managerial boots, or at least leave them on the step for his teammate and successor Gabriel Sacks to step into.They?re undoubtedly big boots to fill. Morningstar da

Technology giant Apple (AAPL:NASDAQ) saw its growth credentials fall under the microscope after reporting fourth quarter financial results (2 November) as its sales declined for a fourth straight quarter, the longest slide in more than two decades.The Cupertino colossus may have topped forecasts in the three months to 30 September but that did little to offset growing worries that iPhone 15 simply

Big dividend payers in demand last monthTop tech also popular, although not with everyoneResources firms among most sold sharesIncome hunters were out in force during August with Vodafone (VOD), National Grid (NG.) and Legal & General (LGEN) the three most popular buys among investors on the AJ Bell platform last month.These three stocks trade at an average 12-month forward 8.3% dividend yield, le

Finance director sells company stake to cover tax billRevolution Beauty director snaps up 500,000 sharesNational Grid boss sells over £2 million sharesEoin Tonge, finance director of diversified conglomerate Associated British Foods (ABF), has sold 45,355 shares at £20.07 for a total value of £910,139 on 5 JulyTonge was chief financial officer and chief strategy officer at Marks & Spencer (MKS

Our investor this week is Andy, who is in his early thirties and has been investing since he left university around a decade ago.A history graduate, Andy puts his initial interest in finance and markets down to his father who is an accountant.'I can't remember exactly what the trigger was,' says Andy, 'but around the time I was leaving university the economy was still just coming out of the global

Despite recent record power prices, renewable energy-focused investment trusts are now largely trading at material discounts to net asset value. That's created some good buying opportunities in this space, particularly as many of the trusts have historically traded at a premium.Over the long term there is a clear catalyst for growth in renewable energy given global governments have set ambitious t

If the world is going to make the transition from fossil fuels to renewables, then batteries and battery technology are going to play an important part.Harmony Energy Income Trust (HEIT) is an attractive way to play this long-term theme while also offering a generous income in the here and now.At present just one of the firm's battery assets is operational, the 98 MW (megawatt) Pillswood projec

For years, UK-listed technology and biotechnology companies moaned about how they could get a higher valuation if their shares traded on the US market. Some added a secondary listing, others ditched the UK completely and parked their shares across the Atlantic. It was a trend that bubbled away, but not a mainstream activity.That's now changing after several larger companies across non-tech sectors

- Full-year adjusted earnings expected slightly above expectations- Company says generated 20% of UK renewables at peak demand in 2022- Analyst notes 'high pricing is persisting for longer'Strong demand for renewable power has seen Drax (DRX) lift its full-year adjusted earnings guidance 'slightly' above analysts' expectations - demonstrating the key role the company is playing in addressing the c

Freezing temperatures have sent UK power prices to record highs, with the surge in demand created by the wintry weather accompanied by very still conditions which led to a lack of wind power.This meant higher demand for gas for power generation at the same time as households and businesses were turning up the thermostats.At one stage on 12 December grid operator National Grid (NG.) asked Drax (DRX

The newly announced energy price cap will have provided a big jolt to many households around the country.Contained in the current energy crisis is an important lesson about thinking and investing for the long term - a lesson which can be applied across multiple different spheres.Back in December 2015 we ran a piece in Shares about the UK energy sector.A then recent event in the UK grid provided us

There are genuine fears about keeping the lights on this winter as the threat of Russia shutting off gas exports to Europe looms large.FTSE 100 constituent National Grid (NG.) will have a central role in this story. At £11.70 its shares have handily outperformed the market year-to-date with double-digit gains and it is widely held by investors for its income appeal with a measure of inflation pro

The utilities sector has historically attracted investors for its defensive and reliable revenue streams which in turn funded a decent level of dividend income.More recently, several connected factors have shaken up this industry. These include a transition away from fossil fuels into renewables in the face of a climate emergency, greater appetite for investments in ESG (environmental, social and