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Cliff D'Arcy

My first loves were Maths and Physics. After studying Maths, Stats and Computer Science in the late 80s, I worked in the financial sector from 1987 to 2002. I then joined The Motley Fool's writing team in January 2003 and left in November 2005. Since then, I have been a freelance financial writer. My primary goal is to help people manage their money better by making sensible financial decisions!

Recent Articles

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Dividend Shares

I love FTSE 100 dividend shares, but do I buy this FTSE 250 loser?

| Cliff D'Arcy

Over the past year, the UK's FTSE 100 has thrashed the once-mighty US S&P 500 index. With value investing back…

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Man thinking about artificial intelligence investing algorithms
Dividend Shares

Which looks better value today, the FTSE 100 or S&P 500?

| Cliff D'Arcy

After strong gains for stock markets in 2023, 2024, and 2025, many shares appear overpriced. In particular, US equities look…

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Asian man looking concerned while studying paperwork at his desk in an office
Investing Articles

3 FTSE 100 super shares I wish I’d bought 5 years ago!

| Cliff D'Arcy

Five years ago, the UK was struggling with Covid-19 face masks and lockdowns. But just imagine if you'd bought these…

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Man thinking about artificial intelligence investing algorithms
Dividend Shares

The Diageo share price leaps after this insider buys big!

| Cliff D'Arcy

The Diageo share price has had a foul four years, crashing by almost three-fifths. But a key insider just bought…

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Happy woman commuting on a train and checking her mobile phone while using headphones
Dividend Shares

Anyone can claim a share of this £86bn of passive income!

| Cliff D'Arcy

This £86bn stream of passive income is open to anyone with spare cash to invest. Of course, it comes with…

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Dividend Shares

The Lloyds share price is now over 100p. So are the shares still cheap?

| Cliff D'Arcy

The Lloyds share price has shot up 90% in 12 months. It's also soared 181% in the last five years.…

Read more »

Two business people sitting at cafe working on new project using laptop. Young businesswoman taking notes and businessman working on laptop computer.
Dividend Shares

So the Lloyds share price made it past £1. Big deal. What next?

| Cliff D'Arcy

Believe it or not, the Lloyds share price is now almost double the lows it hit a year ago. But…

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Asian man looking concerned while studying paperwork at his desk in an office
Dividend Shares

Will the Greggs share price jump or slump on 8 January?

| Cliff D'Arcy

The Greggs share price had a rotten 2025, plunging until November and then rebounding. I expect the shares to have…

Read more »

Businessman with tablet, waiting at the train station platform
Dividend Shares

Forecast: the Vodafone share price will pass £1 very soon!

| Cliff D'Arcy

After a tough few years, the Vodafone share price has soared over the past nine months. It's closing on the…

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pensive bearded business man sitting on chair looking out of the window
Dividend Shares

Prediction: 2026 will be the FTSE 100’s worst year since 2020

| Cliff D'Arcy

The FTSE 100 had a brilliant 2026, easily beating the US S&P 500 index. But after four years of good…

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Portrait of elderly man wearing white denim shirt and glasses looking up with hand on chin. Thoughtful senior entrepreneur, studio shot against grey background.
Dividend Shares

Prediction: the Lloyds share price could hit £1.25 in 2026

| Cliff D'Arcy

The Lloyds share price has had a splendid 2025 and is inching closer to the elusive £1 mark. But what…

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Young Caucasian man making doubtful face at camera
Dividend Shares

Will the Diageo share price crash again in 2026?

| Cliff D'Arcy

The Diageo share price has crashed 35.6% over one year, making it one of the FTSE 100's worst performers in…

Read more »

Two business people sitting at cafe working on new project using laptop. Young businesswoman taking notes and businessman working on laptop computer.
Dividend Shares

Building powerful passive income from just £20 a week!

| Cliff D'Arcy

Starting off with just a few quid a week, one can build potent passive income over time. I've already done…

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Fireworks display in the shape of willow at Newcastle, Co. Down , Northern Ireland at Halloween.
Dividend Shares

Look what happened to Greggs shares after I said they were a bargain!

| Cliff D'Arcy

After a truly terrible year, Greggs shares collapsed to their 2025 low on 25 November. That very day, I said…

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Thoughtful man using his phone while riding on a train and looking through the window
Dividend Shares

Will the Lloyds share price breach £1 in 2026?

| Cliff D'Arcy

After a terrific 2025, the Lloyds share price is trading at levels not seen since the global financial collapse in…

Read more »

Thoughtful man using his phone while riding on a train and looking through the window
Dividend Shares

A 9.2% dividend yield from a FTSE 250 property share? What’s the catch?

| Cliff D'Arcy

This former FTSE 100 stock -- now in the FTSE 250 -- offers a cash yield nearing 10% a year.…

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Investing Articles

Does ChatGPT suggest selling this S&P 500 stock, down 30% in 2025?

| Cliff D'Arcy

The share price of this S&P 500 stalwart has crashed by over 30% in the last 12 months. Yes, I'm…

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Passive income text with pin graph chart on business table
Investing Articles

How to build passive income starting with just £3 a day

| Cliff D'Arcy

Starting with only £3 a day, it's possible to build a pot worth £200,000 over decades. But which investments does…

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UK coloured flags waving above large crowd on a stadium sport match.
Dividend Shares

Shock news: over 1 year, the FTSE 100 is beating the S&P 500!

| Cliff D'Arcy

For most of the last 15 years, the US S&P 500 index has thrashed the UK's FTSE 100. However, this…

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Young mixed-race woman jumping for joy in a park with confetti falling around her
Dividend Shares

Check out this powerful passive income share for 2026

| Cliff D'Arcy

The great thing about passive income is that I don't have to work to earn it. Making money while I…

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Surprised Black girl holding teddy bear toy on Christmas
Dividend Shares

December is the best month for the FTSE 100 and UK shares!

| Cliff D'Arcy

Since the FTSE 100 was founded in 1984, December has been by far the best month to own UK shares.…

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Photo of a man going through financial problems
Investing Articles

Down 94%, could the Ocado share price go to zero?

| Cliff D'Arcy

In autumn 2020, the Ocado share price leapt above £29. Now it's below £2 after plunging this year. Is there…

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Businessman with tablet, waiting at the train station platform
Dividend Shares

5 potential problems with building passive income

| Cliff D'Arcy

Passive income is my favourite form of earnings, as it doesn't require working for a living. But making extra money…

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Portrait of elderly man wearing white denim shirt and glasses looking up with hand on chin. Thoughtful senior entrepreneur, studio shot against grey background.
Dividend Shares

Down 49% in 2025, when will the Greggs share price stop plunging?

| Cliff D'Arcy

The Greggs share price has almost halved in 2025, with no signs of braking this fall. However, I expect this…

Read more »

Portrait of elderly man wearing white denim shirt and glasses looking up with hand on chin. Thoughtful senior entrepreneur, studio shot against grey background.
Dividend Shares

Can Unilever shares break their 5-year curse?

| Cliff D'Arcy

Bad news for British investors: Unilever shares have gone nowhere for the past five years. However, their dividend yield looks…

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UK financial background: share prices and stock graph overlaid on an image of the Union Jack
Investing Articles

How Diageo shares became the laughing stock of the FTSE 100

| Cliff D'Arcy

Diageo shares have lost 26% of their value in just 12 months. With sales slipping and no permanent CEO, this…

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Businessman with tablet, waiting at the train station platform
Investing Articles

7.5% dividend yield! But is this FTSE 250 share a value trap?

| Cliff D'Arcy

This well-known FTSE 250 share offers a juicy dividend yield of nearly 7.5% a year. But is this stock a…

Read more »

Thoughtful man using his phone while riding on a train and looking through the window
Dividend Shares

I gobbled up Greggs shares. Was I a silly sausage?

| Cliff D'Arcy

Due to slower sales growth and higher costs, Greggs shares have almost halved in 2025. So far, buying this FTSE…

Read more »

British flag, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament and British flag composition
Investing Articles

Up 50% in 2025, this ‘dull’ FTSE 100 share is beating Tesla stock!

| Cliff D'Arcy

While Tesla is the #1 meme stock among many global investors, returns have cooled over the last five years. Even…

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Man thinking about artificial intelligence investing algorithms
Investing Articles

Will Rachel Reeves crash the Lloyds share price on 26 November?

| Cliff D'Arcy

The Lloyds share price has had a fantastic run since 2020, soaring by 213% over five years. However, there may…

Read more »

Close-up of British bank notes
Dividend Shares

These 3 FTSE 100 super-shares pay £18.6bn a year in passive income!

| Cliff D'Arcy

These three mega-cap stocks are set to pay £18.6bn in share dividends for 2025. The only way to collect some…

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Investing Articles

US stocks look bubbly. Will the stock market crash in 2025?

| Cliff D'Arcy

After hitting 30+ new record highs in 2025, the US stock market looks pretty pricey. The risk of a crash…

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Two business people sitting at cafe working on new project using laptop. Young businesswoman taking notes and businessman working on laptop computer.
Investing Articles

Up to £1,711 a year in passive income from £20k and just 3 FTSE 100 shares? It’s possible

| Cliff D'Arcy

These three FTSE 100 shares offer some of the highest dividend yields around. Investing £20k in them produces a passive…

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UK financial background: share prices and stock graph overlaid on an image of the Union Jack
Investing Articles

Here’s why the FTSE 100 is my #1 pick in global markets

| Cliff D'Arcy

Since the financial crisis of 2007/09, US stocks have thrashed UK shares. Though this trend has recently reversed, the FTSE…

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British flag, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament and British flag composition
Investing Articles

Over 5 years, this ‘boring’ FTSE 100 share has thrashed Tesla stock!

| Cliff D'Arcy

In recent years, Tesla stock has been one of the wonders of the US stock market. However, this dull FTSE…

Read more »

Middle-aged white man wearing glasses, staring into space over the top of his laptop in a coffee shop
Dividend Shares

When will the Diageo share price stop diving?

| Cliff D'Arcy

The Diageo share price has been a disaster for shareholders, plunging by 29% over one year and 30% over five…

Read more »

Google office headquarters
Investing Articles

Are the fears about Alphabet stock finally over?

| Cliff D'Arcy

As the US stock market hits fresh all-time highs, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite look pretty pricey. Meanwhile, Alphabet…

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Man thinking about artificial intelligence investing algorithms
Dividend Shares

Is this S&P 500 stock far too cheap to ignore?

| Cliff D'Arcy

After hitting record high after record high in 2025, the S&P 500 looks very pricey indeed. However, there are still…

Read more »

Close-up of British bank notes
Investing Articles

The FTSE 100 is paying out £130bn this year. Where’s your share?

| Cliff D'Arcy

Analysts predict that FTSE 100 shareholders will collect £130.4bn in cash dividends and share buybacks in 2025. Here's how we…

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Thoughtful man using his phone while riding on a train and looking through the window
Investing Articles

Legal & General wasted £500m on its own shares. Or did it?

| Cliff D'Arcy

Legal & General spent £500m of shareholders' money to buy shares now worth just £488m. Was this a big mistake,…

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