There is a huge body of academic work highlighting behavioural biases which consistently trip-up investors' supposedly rational thinking. In this article we look at seven big sins of investing, with some examples and insights on how to avoid them.A lot of the credit for these principles goes to Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky who collaborated in the 1960s to research apparent anomalies and contra

The stock market was hungry for detail on Tesla's (TSLA:NASDAQ) robotaxi launch timelines and regulatory roadblocks, but all it got was a slick film-set demonstration vague on vital information leaving investors barely any the wiser.Elon Musk showcased Tesla's 'Cybercab' during the company's highly anticipated 'We, Robot' presentation (10 Oct), but investors were left underwhelmed and the stock pl

London's FTSE 100 closed in the green on Monday, after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer courted businesses to boost investment in the UK, declaring the nation open for business.It was a glum day for gambling firms, however. Shares in bookmakers were well and truly bashed on UK tax raid fears, which Jefferies warned 'would all but wipe out' sector profit in the nation.The FTSE 100 index closed up 39.

This is the second article in our mini-series covering portfolio construction. It is focused on how to manage and maintain a portfolio.Once a balanced portfolio has been constructed and is up and running, for some investors, there may be a temptation to tinker.It is therefore worth reiterating what we said at the outset, that investing is a marathon and not a sprint. What is most important is to m

Anyone lucky enough to have enjoyed a long summer holiday and focused on the beach rather than their portfolio might not have noticed the recent jolt in global stock markets.While the second half of July was a miserable time markets amid fears of a US recession, the scale of the subsequent rebound has been remarkable.Glance at your portfolio now and you might only see a small dent. There is certai

It seems wise to follow what the most successful investors have been buying and selling. US Investment managers are required to file quarterly 13F reports detailing their holdings which gives investors a small insight into what the gurus have been doing.Second-quarter filings for the end of June were released on 14 August and reveal some intriguing moves.Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-B:NYSE) chairman Wa

Funds can often be in vogue with investors thanks to a big-name manager or a past reputation, but just how well-earned is the popularity of the UK's most popular funds and investment trusts?In this article we've taken a look at the performance of a select group of funds which regularly feature among the most bought and most widely-held in the market to judge whether they are truly delivering the g

European share prices started lower on Tuesday, after a positive close in New York led into a mixed performance for Asian stock markets.On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 0.5% on Monday, the S&P 500 up 0.3%, and the Nasdaq Composite up 0.4%.Positive bank earnings gave the market a boost, and US investors also took confidence from a further indication from the US Federal Res

Stock prices in London were in the green on Friday morning, making tentative gains despite blue-chip equities in mainland Europe starting the day slowly.The FTSE 100 index traded 8.57 points higher, 0.1%, at 8,281.03. The FTSE 250 was up 22.01 points, 0.1%, at 20,520.73, though the AIM All-Share added 1.85 points, 0.2%, at 774.23.The Cboe UK 100 rose 0.1% to 823.76, the Cboe UK 250 added 0.2% at 1

Stocks in Europe ended Thursday lower, struggling for headway after a hawkish hold by the Federal Reserve, but US tech shares were on the up.The FTSE 100 index closed down 51.81 points, 0.6%, at 8,163.67. The FTSE 250 fell 301.45 points, 1.5%, at 20,195.95, and the AIM All-Share fell 6.93 points, 0.9%, at 780.43.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.9% at 812.42, the Cboe UK 250 closed down 1.6% at 17,682.

The FTSE 100 ended higher on Wednesday, while peers in Europe received much-needed respite after a tricky start to the week, as a cooler US inflation reading gave stocks a shot in the arm before the Federal Reserve decision later.Results from European elections hurt equities on the continent, the CAC 40 in Paris in particular, though Wednesday's US data offered stocks some relief.All eyes will be

Stocks in London closed with mixed performances on Wednesday, as investors await an expected interest rate cut from the European Central Bank on Thursday.The FTSE 100 index closed up 14.91 points, 0.2%, at 8,246.95. The FTSE 250 ended down 44.58 points, 0.2%, at 20,673.41, and the AIM All-Share closed up 0.77 of a point, 0.1%, at 798.97.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.2% at 822.65, the Cboe UK 250 clos

Net interest income fallsInvestment bank slipsBuyback target confirmedHigh-street lender Barclays (BARC) reported a drop in first-quarter pre-tax profit due to a combination of weaker net interest income and lower income from its investment bank, but the results were slightly ahead of market expectations.The shares gained as much as 9p or 4.5% to 200p, their highest level in over a year, as the fi

Markets were gripped on Monday by concerns over how Israel might respond to Iran?s recent drone strike, with commodity prices falling.The FTSE 100 index closed down 30.05 points, 0.4%, at 7,965.53. The FTSE 250 ended down 22.35 points, 0.1%, at 19,698.89, and the AIM All-Share closed down 5.63 points, 0.7%, at 750.28.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.5% at 795.31, the Cboe UK 250 closed down 0.1% at 17

While the relentless advances in Nvidia (NVDA:NASDAQ), Bitcoin and US equities continue to grab most of the headlines (and that is not forgetting new all-time highs for headline stock indices in France, Germany, Taiwan, Australia and Japan), one asset is outstripping them all so far in 2024 ? and that is cocoa. Futures prices for the commodity have melted up by almost 150% this year alone, to a ne

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATURE Stephen AnnessHead of Global Equities, Invesco The Magnificent Seven ? the group of supercharged stocks named after the classic Western movie ? that delivered such outstanding returns in 2023 generated so much attention you would think it impossible to have beaten the index without owning them all. The fact that some of us did should be hugely reassuring to investor

Fundsmith founder Terry Smith and head of investment research Julian Robins were in good spirits while chatting with AJ Bell?s editor in chief Dan Coatsworth in a video interview.As usual, Smith was candid and open to discussing various topics from investment strategy to individual stocks and succession planning.VIDEO ? Terry Smith: my future as manager of Fundsmith Equity Fund and thoughts on per

This article discusses the increasing importance of intangible assets over tangible or physical assets and explains how investors can exploit them to uncover great businesses.One of the iron-clad laws of economics is that high returns on capital are eroded over time by the effects of competition. Reversion to the mean or average is almost as inevitable as death and taxes for most companies.Famed i

Many people dream of retiring early to pursue their real passions before they get too old to enjoy them. Is it just a pipedream or could it be a reality for some people?This feature explores the pros, pitfalls and practicalities of the so-called FIRE movement which is gaining increasing traction. A recent AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast discussion on the subject provoked a strong response from lis

Money transfer business raises growth guidance againShares fail to respond, drifting lowerProfits may be unsustainable as interest rates fallOn the face of it, today?s update from Wise (WISE) was all good news. The £9 billion business reported a strong third quarter that produced £276.6 billion of revenue, 30% active customer growth (to 7.5 million) and 18% growth in transaction volumes.With the