As interest rates have risen over the last two years, cash products have grown in popularity, especially Cash ISAs which allow you to receive your interest tax-free. But it?s actually perfectly possible to benefit from higher interest rates within a Stocks and Shares ISA too, as it?s not just cash accounts at the bank which pay interest.As with a Cash ISA, your interest in a Stocks and Shares ISA

Retailer Marks & Spencer (MKS) is the gift that keeps on giving. Its share price is up 162% since October 2022, dividends are back after a four-year absence, and analysts keep finding reasons to upgrade earnings forecasts. In fact, the analyst consensus earnings estimate has increased 11 times this year, according to Stockopedia data.Earnings growth is a key driver for share price growth so it mak

Equities in Europe opened in negative territory on Monday, with markets seeing little reason to push higher ahead of inflation data drivers later this week.Inflation readings from the US and China are reported this week, and stock market investors will be hoping for two differing outcomes. In the US, another inflation slowdown is the ideal outcome, as it would take some sting out of Federal Reserv

At the start of 2023, Fundsmith Equity (B41YBW7) boss Terry Smith went to town over the habit of some companies to strip out the impact of share-based compensation (SBC) from reported profits.'I suspect the most pernicious effect of adjusting profits to exclude the cost of share-based compensation occurs when the management start to believe their own shtick and mis-allocate capital based upon it,'

London stocks and the pound both were ending the week positively on Friday, as traders and investors decided that a UK fiscal plan - even one involving tax increases - was better than none at all.The FTSE 100 index was up 59.99 points, 0.8%, at 7,406.53. The FTSE 250 was up 124.03 points, 0.7%, at 19,246.34, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.3 points, 0.3%, at 837.23.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.8% at 74

The surge in online brokers means that more and more people have opened trading accounts. But lots of newcomers to investing have opened the wrong account type that's costing them hundreds (or even thousands) in tax that they could avoid.Many people who use online trading platforms will just opt for the standard account, often called a dealing account or general investment account. Many might thin

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING PROMOTIONThe directors of Union Jack Oil (UJO: AIM), a focused onshore hydrocarbon, production, development and exploration company, see the United Kingdom as being an attractive target for investment in oil and gas investment ventures, considering the relatively low-cost operating environment and a fully transparent licencing regime.The company has adopted a business model,

Experts believe that China will dominate global growth over the next decade as it continues to push ahead with its massive transition into a consumer-based economic superpower.This outlook, together with the fact it is already home to some of the most exciting and innovative growth companies, means investors cannot afford to ignore it.In this feature we will explain why China is a must for investo

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATUREBy Louise Kernohan, Investment Director, Dunedin Income Growth Investment Trust PLC-Brexit is more than just noise, but it is a sideshow in the day-to-day running of our business.-There are steps we can take to navigate some of the more significant problems associated with the current political upheaval.-A focus on quality, balance and looking at what the market may h

In little more than a year Alfa Financial Software (ALFA) has gone from cherished FTSE 250 technology luminary to virtual stock market leper.In a similar vein to Sir Richard Branson's quip about how to become a millionaire (start with a billion, then buy an airline), owning shares in Alfa Financial have, thus far, been a ticket to the poor house.Founded by executive chairman Andrew Page in 1990, A

The advent of robo-advice and DIY investment websites has led to an increased focus on the cost of investing.Fund supermarkets have helped boost transparency around just how much investors are being charged to access funds and trusts. That, along with the rise of tracker funds, has put pressure on many companies to lower their fees.INVESTING IS GETTING CHEAPERAs a result, investors can now access

Middlesex-based Tax Systems (TAX:AIM) plans to concentrate on opportunities within its existing customer base, putting its more ambitious expansion plans to one side.The company supplies corporate tax reporting, planning and forecasting software that automates much of the compliance nitty gritty.Tax Systems listed on the AIM market through a reverse takeover by investment company, Eco City Vehicle

The turmoil in the mining sector could get worse as resource companies struggle with debt repayments. Numerous companies are now trying to renegotiate their borrowing facilities which may result in higher interest rates and a strain on their finances for a longer period.'This is not a normal cyclical downturn, but rather, one we perceive to be unprecedented,' says credit agency Moody's. 'Stress on

FTSE indices are mixed in early deals with larger companies fading but small caps on the rose, modestly. Among the blue-chips, Sage (SGE) rallies 5% to 598.25p as it confirms that it remains on track for full year guidance, with analysts anticipating largely flat earnings of 25.7p per share.The FTSE 100 index nudges close on 40 points lower to 5,878, with Wall Street and Asian markets firm overnig

The turmoil in the mining sector could get worse as resource companies struggle with debt repayments. Numerous companies are now trying to renegotiate their borrowing facilities which may result in higher interest rates and a strain on their finances for a longer period.'This is not a normal cyclical downturn, but rather, one we perceive to be unprecedented,' says credit agency Moody's. 'Stress on

Dubbed 'micro caps' by investors, the London stock market's smallest quoted company fry can be binary bets, as likely to 'turn turtle' as morph into a 'ten-bagger', the latter the holy grail of growth company investing. Yet despite their inherent risks, micro caps should form at least a portion of a well-diversified portfolio, since they offer potential for rapid-paced growth and abundant share pr

Investment funds enable you to hold a mix of assets, spread risk and hand over stock picking to an experienced fund manager, but with over 3,000 funds available on the UK's major investment platforms choosing between them can be mind-boggling.We've come up with a list of the top 10 factors you should consider when deciding which funds are most suitable for you.1. Your risk profileBefore you make a

Exchange traded funds (ETFs) which invest in quality growth stocks seem a good bet for investors who want to grow their money over the long term, but the different methods used to determine quality means choosing between products is far from easy.Quality factor ETFs have emerged as part of the trend towards 'smart beta' products, which are essentially a hybrid between traditional index-tracking ET

Running a business which is heavily impacted by oil price volatility and the British weather is no easy feat but it's one British Polythene Industries (BPI) chief executive John Langlands takes in his stride.The unassuming Scot has led the century-old business since 2003 and is now celebrating its sixth consecutive year of growth with pre-tax profit up 14% to £25.1 million in 2014.Headquartered i

RESULTS > 30 January > THIRD QUARTER - BT (BT.A) 423pInvestors' appetite for the UK telco giant's shares has returned after fading during the holidays, the stock rallying close on 12% since 6 January. Third quarter figures should be positive, just as second quarter numbers were, but the stock's direction may depend on whom gains the upper hand; optimists excited by BT's (BT.A) potential £12.5 b