tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56775597142288185082026-09-24T13:52:19.183+01:00A diary charting the thoughts, investing strategies, share investments, and stock market experiences (both good and bad), of a private investor.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger490125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-9521760280480142392020-03-26T17:51:00.003+00:002020-03-27T10:20:12.155+00:00

Well, you haven't heard much from me for awhile, but seems a good time to say a few words. Seems a long time now since I started blogging and when I look back now my baseline was the 28 December 2009 when the FTSE100 stood at 5412.88, a little more than a year after the start of the credit crunch during which it ploughed a low of around 3800 in Oct. 08 and ran at this level for much of the

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-19198671748790070422019-07-04T10:37:00.002+01:002019-07-04T10:37:38.232+01:00

Lots to catch up inside my portfolio having spent the last few months financing home improvements etc. But, as we get beyond the traditional May milestone "Sell in May da-de dah...etc. etc." and are still mired in the various trade disputes, and Brexit trials and Tory leadership turmoils there are various sectors under watch as they plough recent lulls and lows due to cyclical and uncertainty

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-63912365838604966822019-05-14T10:14:00.001+01:002019-05-14T10:14:15.785+01:00

Dow - 25,324.99, - 617.38 (-2.38%) NASDAQ - 7,647.02, -269.92 (-3.41%) FTSE (as at 10:03) - 7,211.76, +48.08 (+0.66%) Well I switched on this morning expecting a bloodbath after hearing that the US markets had fallen following further ratcheting up of tariffs on US and Chinese goods. Bizarre then to see the FTSE up in positive territory and most of my watchlist green (what remains of it anyway

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-46614523820801951862019-01-25T14:49:00.003+00:002019-01-25T14:49:51.933+00:00

https://uk.webfg.com/news/news-and-announcements--/treasury-rules-out-online-sales-tax-that-would-save-high-street--3708294.html "as official felt it would have broken European Union rules." "Mel Stride, financial secretary to the Treasury, wrote to Nicky Morgan, chairwoman of the Treasury select committee to warn her there was a high “risk” that the tax would not be compatible with EU

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-89812495472510882582018-11-09T12:51:00.001+00:002018-11-09T12:51:10.898+00:00

Tough time all round waiting for markets to settle after the bears wrest control of markets. Even more disconcerting is the loss of my watchlist and favoured research resource of many years. I'm trying to think of a time I didn't use it but can't recall how long it has been up and running or how long I have been using it, perhaps 15 years or more? Anyway, looks like the new owners have stamped

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-8568896446100224872018-10-01T11:18:00.001+01:002018-10-01T11:18:28.562+01:00

Given the ongoing falls in UK utilities and the inertia effect it seems to having on my own portfolio, its interesting to read Citi's comments that much of the risk is now being discounted and value has appeared (uk.webfg.com: Downside for United Utilities now limited even if nationalised, Citi says). Is this enough to sway investors and begin a fightback for these companies?

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-89527497798662418662018-10-01T11:12:00.002+01:002018-10-01T11:13:25.956+01:00

Given the current low level of global sentiment and its completed takeover of GKN, Melrose has starting to interest me today  (uk.webfg.com: Melrose happy to find 'no black holes' in GKN business). More musings and analysis needed.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-13117770490565472482018-10-01T11:06:00.001+01:002018-10-01T11:06:10.936+01:00

As mentioned, after a bumper couple of months, expected October dividends will be a little scarce on the ground, as will the run to the end of the year. Through August and September, all 4 of my big hitters, Lloyds, National Grid, Aviva, and BP delivered a payout, ably supported by a number of other chunky yielding companies. As things stand though, for the year to date and v. the start of the

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-17988581491065791032018-09-20T15:00:00.003+01:002018-09-20T15:17:36.460+01:00

After a bumper month in July for dividends, can I really expect to see a better August? I can indeed as a positive rush to pay out comes from RDS, SSE, BP, Aviva, Standard Life, Imperial Brands, and Lloyds. In particular, Lloyds, BP, and Aviva, are 3 of my 4 big hitters (the 4th being National Grid which delivered last month). As a newer holding, Standard Life Aberdeen will also make its maiden

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-76013244909827731742018-09-20T13:48:00.000+01:002018-09-21T10:17:32.167+01:00

August brought further swings with my portfolio falling a smaller -0.51% v. a -4.08% fall in the FTSE 100. YTD that leaves my index marginally positive for the year to date at 0.93% v. a -3.32% decline in the FTSE. The big movement and news coming from Apple (in my portfolio at least), which once breaching $207.05 became the first US company with a trillion dollar market capitalisation which was

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-16618310096243113762018-09-20T12:36:00.001+01:002018-09-20T12:36:20.755+01:00

So after a drought in July, where do we sit with dividends in the pipeline at the moment? Well August looks significantly better with National Grid leading the way supported by BAT, Vodafone and Apple. In addition: RDS, BP, Aviva, Standard Life, Lloyds, Imperial Brands, Standard Chartered all go ex dividend in August. Looking ahead: Rate Company c. p. Xd

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-86826759271323370992018-09-20T11:57:00.001+01:002018-09-20T11:59:41.765+01:00

Outpaced by the FTSE in July, which wasn't helped by a no dividend month. However, my portfolio has managed to stay ahead on a YTD basis at 1.44% v. the FTSE's 0.79%. In the month BP's second quarter reported higher replacement cost profits of $2.8bn (uk.webfg.com: bp-profit-surges-on-oil-price-recovery), ahead of analyst estimates ($2.7bn), and its first dividend increase since 2014, mostly

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-68452056426747449542018-07-23T15:33:00.000+01:002018-07-23T15:33:36.947+01:00

At best June was a stand still month in what has been a fairly stagnant year when looking at the actual performance numbers of -0.25% in the month and just 1.65% for the year as a whole. In reality, the year has set off like a runaway horse before being hauled back in by the dominant political theme of international trade, with international trade itself being under assault by the two dominant

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-36368377385236407622018-07-13T15:48:00.000+01:002018-07-13T18:12:45.410+01:00

So where do we sit with dividends in the pipeline at the moment? Looking ahead:                                               xD               Paid National Grid @ 15.49p       23 Nov         10 Jan

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-6163502493392508532018-07-13T15:30:00.001+01:002018-07-13T18:25:02.058+01:00

May proved a month of musings and indecision before finally taking the plunge and offloading my stake in Berkeley Group in order to facilitate some new additions although these were also delayed as a widening choice proved a delaying factor. As it was in the month, my portfolio improved by 4.04% ahead of the FTSE's 2.25% aided by a significant dividend contribution from Lloyd's, Aviva, BAT,

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-17872271841347092282018-05-18T11:14:00.001+01:002018-05-18T11:14:21.909+01:00

National Grid @ 864.10, +31.60 (+3.80%) as at close 17 May 18. After months of drip drip deterioration, its nice to see a notable rise in National Grid shares following full year results. After adjusting for the Ofgem driven change, which saw a £13bn sale and the establishment of Cadent, formerly (National Grid Gas Distribution), the company, National Grid, reported (https://uk.webfg.com/news/

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-85944747913936612642018-05-14T10:57:00.002+01:002018-05-14T10:57:24.519+01:00

Intriguing to hear that HSBC has performed the first trade finance transaction using blockchain technology: https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-hsbc-blockchain/hsbc-says-performs-first-trade-finance-transaction-using-blockchain-idUKKCN1IF01X . In many narratives it has been suggested that the blockchain technology is the real potential behind the crypto-currency smokescreen so it

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-37019074075026131652018-05-13T13:49:00.000+01:002018-05-13T13:49:18.369+01:00

OK, so where do we go from here, in bringing things up to date, it feels like my portfolio has stagnated a little to the point where I seem to be tracking the FTSE's performance. But, this is probably more a case of patience required and continuing to play the same long game that I have tried to follow this last 9 years. That being said, some changes have been required and that step has made me a

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-85855230039840569032018-05-11T14:47:00.000+01:002018-05-12T19:25:48.121+01:00

So where do we sit with dividends in the pipeline at the moment? Looking ahead:                                               xD               Paid National Grid @ 15.49p       23 Nov         10 Jan

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-10459005892125948202018-05-11T14:16:00.000+01:002018-05-11T14:19:43.228+01:00

Markets bounced back in April with the FTSE putting on a useful 6.42% in the month ahead of my own portfolio's 4.5%. YTD remains close (both are negative), between these 2 metrics with my own portfolio still marginally ahead with -2.05%. With the oil price rising and steady reports back to the market from Shell and more impressive one from BP, the 2 oil majors led the risers for me with gains

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-33499755414974739332018-04-10T15:24:00.000+01:002018-04-10T15:24:08.182+01:00

March proved to be a decent month for dividends but not enough to turn the tide of market sentiment which pushed the FTSE and my portfolio down by -2.42% and -1.63% respectively. Year to date, the pullback has now recorded -8.21% for the FTSE and -6.27% for my portfolio with more global political disruption to come from international trade wars, and political sanctions amid further breakdowns in

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-54382433319709177542018-04-07T10:41:00.000+01:002018-04-07T10:41:47.299+01:00

So where do we sit with dividends in the pipeline at the moment? Looking ahead:                                               xD               Paid SSE @ 28.4p                      &

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-26330847901775219332018-03-19T16:40:00.002+00:002018-03-20T10:40:07.620+00:00

Vodafone @ 199.62p as at 16:00 19/03/18 Direct Line @ 385p as at 16:00 19/03/18 Not sure why, but just considering a swap out of Vodafone for Direct Line, the general insurer.  Vodafone has been a good investment for me delivering around half of its original investment, more than 49%, back in dividends alone which with all of the capital restructuring and spin-offs helps balance

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-3475969545040521592018-03-13T18:50:00.003+00:002018-03-13T20:13:09.684+00:00

Interesting to read the views of Morgan Stanley on part of the oil sector:  - uk.webfg.com: morgan-stanley-downgrades-bp-cuts-target-for-shell,  particularly given that 2, BP and Royal Dutch Shell, hold places in my portfolio and a weighting of around 13.66%. In their latest release Morgan Stanley have downgraded BP to equal weight from overweight instigated by a couple of things:

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5677559714228818508.post-2328778951201505902018-03-12T12:00:00.003+00:002018-03-12T12:17:56.291+00:00

Galliford Try @ 955.50p, +75.50p (+8.58%), as at 11:36 Monday 12 March. Not really sure what is going on here, but from the off, the price has shot up this morning. It looks to have peaked at 968.5p as at 9:26, before falling back and pushing on again to a lower peak of 959.5p at 11:26. Falling again as I write though but could be showing a narrowing trading range on the day between

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0