Member Login
  1. Authors
    2. /
  2. Cliff D'Arcy
    3. /

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

Young brown woman delighted with what she sees on her screen
Investing Articles

This good news could boost Rolls-Royce shares

| Cliff D'Arcy

Rolls-Royce shares are up two-thirds since crashing below 65p in September. They are also up 25% over six months, but…

Read more »

Photo of a man going through financial problems
Investing Articles

Ocado shares are looking lively. Do I buy now?

| Cliff D'Arcy

Ocado shares have been riding a roller coaster over the past six months. And after recent price falls, they've popped…

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.
Investing Articles

Was I dumb to sell my GSK shares?

| Cliff D'Arcy

After having a big holding of GSK shares, we sold out big-time in April 2021. Nearly two years later, should…

Read more »

Playful senior couple in aprons dancing and smiling while preparing healthy dinner at home
Investing Articles

I’d buy cheap shares for a £10,000 second income!

| Cliff D'Arcy

Here's how I'd invest a lump sum in order to generate a second income of an extra £10,000 a year…

Read more »

pensive bearded business man sitting on chair looking out of the window
Investing Articles

My Barclays shares are up 21%. Do I buy more?

| Cliff D'Arcy

Barclays shares have been volatile in 2022-23 and hit a one-year low in October. They have since bounced back strongly,…

Read more »

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

I wish I’d never bought these 2 FTSE 250 shares!

| Cliff D'Arcy

I bought these two FTSE 250 shares for their juicy dividend yields. But earnings are being battered at both companies,…

Read more »

Young mixed-race woman looking out of the window with a look of consternation on her face
Investing Articles

At last, my Lloyds shares are up. But will it last?

| Cliff D'Arcy

Lloyds shares have jumped by almost 40% from their October lows. But after such a strong surge in their price,…

Read more »

Young woman working at modern office. Technical price graph and indicator, red and green candlestick chart and stock trading computer screen background.
Investing Articles

3 cheap shares I bought for high passive income

| Cliff D'Arcy

My favourite form of passive income is share dividends. But while not all UK companies pay cash dividends, these three…

Read more »

Entrepreneur on the phone.
Investing Articles

2 UK stocks I own for big dividends

| Cliff D'Arcy

When looking for new stocks to buy, I'm often drawn to shares paying high dividends. These two big UK businesses…

Read more »

Young brown woman delighted with what she sees on her screen
Investing Articles

The FTSE 100 is at a record high. So will I keep buying?

| Cliff D'Arcy

The FTSE 100 hit a record high on Friday, beating the previous peak of May 2018. The index looks cheap,…

Read more »

Young Caucasian man making doubtful face at camera
Investing Articles

When cheap shares go badly wrong!

| Cliff D'Arcy

I bought these two cheap shares for their high dividend yields and recovery potential. Sadly, both share prices slumped, leaving…

Read more »

Middle-aged white man pulling an aggrieved face while looking at a screen
Investing Articles

These were the FTSE 100’s biggest flops in January!

| Cliff D'Arcy

The FTSE 100 index had a good January, rising by 4.3%. While the shares of 86 Footsie firms rose last…

Read more »

Young brown woman delighted with what she sees on her screen
Investing Articles

Lloyds shares are on a roll. Is this a trap?

| Cliff D'Arcy

Lloyds shares are up 12% in January and have jumped 17% in six months. After this recent strength, could the…

Read more »

Petrochemical engineer working at night with digital tablet inside oil and gas refinery plant
Investing Articles

My Rio Tinto shares are soaring, but are still cheap!

| Cliff D'Arcy

Rio Tinto shares have soared by more than 40% since hitting their 2022 low on 31 October. But even after…

Read more »

Young female hand showing five fingers.
Investing Articles

I love these 5 forms of passive income

| Cliff D'Arcy

Passive income is a fantastic thing, because this money rolls in without work or effort. Here are my top forms…

Read more »

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

These 3 bombed-out FTSE 100 shares look grim

| Cliff D'Arcy

These three FTSE 100 shares are the index's worst performers over the past 12 months. I already own one of…

Read more »

Young Caucasian man making doubtful face at camera
Investing Articles

The Darktrace share price dives another 16%. What’s up?

| Cliff D'Arcy

The Darktrace share price has lost another 16% today, leaving it almost 80% below its peak. With the shares below…

Read more »

Burst your bubble thumbtack and balloon background
Investing Articles

Tesla stock is blowing another bubble. But so what?

| Cliff D'Arcy

Tesla stock has soared by 75% in just three weeks, after the group posted upbeat Q4 figures. But I see…

Read more »

Mindful young woman breathing out with closed eyes, calming down in stressful situation, working on computer in modern kitchen.
Investing Articles

888 Holdings shares crash 25% on legal probe

| Cliff D'Arcy

888 Holdings shares crashed by a quarter on Monday morning, following two shock announcements. After falling 70% in a year,…

Read more »

Photo of a man going through financial problems
Investing Articles

I deeply regret buying this FTSE 250 share!

| Cliff D'Arcy

Most of the shares I bought in 2022 have done well, but not this well-known FTSE 250 stock. It tumbled…

Read more »

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

Rolls-Royce shares look toppy to me

| Cliff D'Arcy

Rolls-Royce shares have soared more than 70% since plunging below 65p in late September. But after surging so strongly, have…

Read more »

BUY AND HOLD spelled in letters on top of a pile of books. Alongside is a piggy bank in glasses. Buy and hold is a popular long term stock and shares strategy.
Investing Articles

3 cheap shares I bought for high yields

| Cliff D'Arcy

These three cheap shares offer some of the top dividend yields in the London market. Also, all three firms are…

Read more »

Playful senior couple in aprons dancing and smiling while preparing healthy dinner at home
Investing Articles

Here’s how I built a second income (and a third) for life!

| Cliff D'Arcy

After decades of working, I'm looking forward to banking this new second income without effort. I'm also working on building…

Read more »

Shot of a senior man drinking coffee and looking thoughtfully out of a window
Investing Articles

What could cause a stock market crash in 2023?

| Cliff D'Arcy

After a turbulent and volatile stock market in 2022, what might set off a nasty crash in 2023? I reveal…

Read more »

Young woman working at modern office. Technical price graph and indicator, red and green candlestick chart and stock trading computer screen background.
Investing Articles

2 UK shares I’d like to buy for market-beating cash yields!

| Cliff D'Arcy

When looking for shares to buy, I use a value, dividend and income approach. For example, here are two cheap…

Read more »

A young Asian woman holding up her index finger
Investing Articles

This is one of my favourite FTSE 100 value stocks right now

| Cliff D'Arcy

This cheap value share is one of my top FTSE 100 stocks right now. It offers exposure to a global…

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.
Investing Articles

I bought these 3 FTSE shares. They crashed. What now?

| Cliff D'Arcy

We bought these FTSE 350 shares expecting big dividends in 2022-23. Unfortunately, these popular stocks have fallen by up to…

Read more »

Young happy people looking at sparklers in their hands on New Year's Eve
Investing Articles

Here’s why I’m pumped for passive income in 2023

| Cliff D'Arcy

Asset prices took a tumble in 2022, while interest rates surged upwards. This is great news for lovers of passive…

Read more »

Photo of a man going through financial problems
Investing Articles

As the Lloyds share price flirts with 50p, do I buy more?

| Cliff D'Arcy

The Lloyds share price is close to 50p, but it hit a high of 56p a year ago. With it…

Read more »

Mature Caucasian woman sat at a table with coffee and laptop while making notes on paper
Investing Articles

Which would I buy today: Sainsbury’s or Tesco shares?

| Cliff D'Arcy

Tesco shares and Sainsbury's stock have rebounded strongly since crashing to their 2022 lows in October. But which supermarket's shares…

Read more »

Young Caucasian woman holding up four fingers
Investing Articles

I bought these 4 US growth stocks for big gains!

| Cliff D'Arcy

After the worst year for US stocks since 2008, I'm betting on America to bounce back. So I recently bought…

Read more »

Smiling young man sitting in cafe and checking messages, with his laptop in front of him.
Investing Articles

Lloyds shares are up 6% in 2023. Do I buy more?

| Cliff D'Arcy

Lloyds shares have had a positive start to 2023, gaining 5.6% in the first week of the year. But would…

Read more »

Young female hand showing five fingers.
Investing Articles

5 FTSE 100 shares I own for big dividends in 2023

| Cliff D'Arcy

The FTSE 100 is the best-performing major stock index over the past 12 months. But it still looks cheap to…

Read more »

Young brown woman delighted with what she sees on her screen
Investing Articles

Here’s why 2023 will be a huge year for passive income

| Cliff D'Arcy

2022 was a decent year for passive income, but I think 2023 will be a whole lot better. Here's why,…

Read more »

pensive bearded business man sitting on chair looking out of the window
Investing Articles

After the SSE share price’s 20% jump, am I too late to buy?

| Cliff D'Arcy

The SSE share price has surged by a fifth since its 2022 low in early October. But would I buy…

Read more »

Middle-aged white man pulling an aggrieved face while looking at a screen
Investing Articles

Will AMC Entertainment rescue the Cineworld share price?

| Cliff D'Arcy

The Cineworld share price jumped on Tuesday after the group decided to sell its entire estate. Could US rival AMC…

Read more »

Young Caucasian girl showing and pointing up with fingers number three against yellow background
Investing Articles

3 FTSE 250 shares I bought for big dividends in 2023

| Cliff D'Arcy

The FTSE 250 has crashed by almost 20% in 2022 -- its worst year since 2008. But as stocks plunged,…

Read more »

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

Lloyds shares fell 3% in 2022. Time to sell or buy?

| Cliff D'Arcy

Lloyds shares have dipped by 3% in 2022, leaving them at the same level they were 10 years ago. With…

Read more »

Mindful young woman breathing out with closed eyes, calming down in stressful situation, working on computer in modern kitchen.
Investing Articles

Lloyds shares have gone nowhere for a year. Why buy now?

| Cliff D'Arcy

Lloyds shares have been flat over 12 months and have dived 30% in the past five years. So why did…

Read more »

Entrepreneur on the phone.
Investing Articles

3 cheap shares I’d buy now for passive income

| Cliff D'Arcy

These three FTSE 100 shares offer dividend yields of 9.3% to 9.8% a year. Because I love my passive income,…

Read more »