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Ben McPoland

Ben is an investment writer. He's been managing his own pension and ISA portfolios for a number of years. His approach aims to balance growth and income styles of investing.

Recent Articles

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Investing Articles

A company insider has spent over £2m on this FTSE 250 stock!

| Ben McPoland

One renowned manager has been steadily increasing his holding in this FTSE 250 stock over the last few months. Should…

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Hand is turning a dice and changes the direction of an arrow symbolizing that the value of an ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is going up (or vice versa)
Investing Articles

3 ETFs I’d buy for my Stocks and Shares ISA

| Ben McPoland

Low-cost funds can provide instant diversification to a Stocks and Shares ISA. Here are three I'd add to my portfolio…

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The Milky Way at night, over Porthgwarra beach in Cornwall
Investing Articles

I’d follow Warren Buffett and take advantage of the ‘eighth wonder of the world’

| Ben McPoland

Most of the wealth that Warren Buffett has amassed is due to this powerful investing force. Here's how I'd start…

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Close up of a group of friends enjoying a movie in the cinema
Investing Articles

Why the stock market will never be boring

| Ben McPoland

The stock market is a gigantic wealth-making machine if used correctly. But it's also extremely unpredictable and entertaining.

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Young mixed-race couple sat on the beach looking out over the sea
Investing Articles

How much would I need to invest in stocks to give up work and live off passive income?

| Ben McPoland

Quitting the nine-to-five grind to live off passive income from dividends sounds like the ultimate dream to many people. But…

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Frustrated young white male looking disconsolate while sat on his sofa holding a beer
Investing Articles

Why the boohoo share price is falling 10% today

| Ben McPoland

The boohoo share price has been declining for some time now. But today it's down even further. What on earth's…

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Shot of a young Black woman doing some paperwork in a modern office
Investing Articles

Should I buy Lloyds shares or avoid them like the plague?

| Ben McPoland

Lloyds shares are cheap and offer a market-beating dividend yield. But then so do many other FTSE 100 stocks. So…

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The Troat Inn on River Cherwell in Oxford. England
Investing Articles

Why I love Diageo stock

| Ben McPoland

Diageo stock is broadly flat over the last year. Yet there are many things to admire about the spirits giant…

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Investor looking at stock graph on a tablet with their finger hovering over the Buy button
Investing Articles

Why I’ve just invested £1,000 in Scottish Mortgage shares

| Ben McPoland

Scottish Mortgage (LON: SMT) shares looked cheap to me months ago. Then they kept falling. Here's why I finally said…

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Tabletop model of a bear sat on desk in front of monitors showing stock charts
Investing Articles

My ISA is ready for a stock market crash

| Ben McPoland

Our writer has been repositioning his portfolio lately in preparation for a possible stock market meltdown. Here's his thinking.

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Middle-aged white male courier delivering boxes to young black lady
Investing Articles

Should I buy or sell Shopify stock after it blasted 23% higher?

| Ben McPoland

Shopify stock exploded upwards yesterday after the e-commerce giant released its latest quarterly earnings. What caused this huge surge?

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View of Tower Bridge in Autumn
Investing Articles

2 world-class FTSE 100 shares that aren’t banks or mining stocks

| Ben McPoland

The London Stock Exchange is home to many companies with huge global operations. Here are two FTSE 100 shares that…

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Investing Articles

Monster 9.6% yield! Is this one of the best FTSE dividend stocks to buy today?

| Ben McPoland

There's a bewildering choice of quality FTSE shares offering investors a rising income. Here's why this one is catching my…

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Investing Articles

Turning a £20k ISA into a passive income stream of £1,200 a year!

| Ben McPoland

Here's how I'd aim to turn the £20k ISA contribution limit into average passive income of £100 a month by…

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Chalkboard representation of risk versus reward on a pair of scales
Investing Articles

Should I buy Ocado shares at £5? Here’s what the charts say

| Ben McPoland

Ocado shares are the worst performers in the FTSE 100 over the last year. Is this unpopular stock now a…

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Frustrated young white male looking disconsolate while sat on his sofa holding a beer
Investing Articles

Down 94%! Is there any hope for penny share Superdry?

| Ben McPoland

This penny share has lost most of its value over the last few years. But could there now be hidden…

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Young woman holding up three fingers
Investing Articles

3 FTSE 100 shares I’d buy for a £20,000 Stocks and Shares ISA

| Ben McPoland

The Footsie would be my go-to index if I were starting a new Stocks and Shares ISA today. Here are…

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Concept of two young professional men looking at a screen in a technological data centre
Investing Articles

Down 17% to 94%! 3 penny stocks I’m watching like a hawk

| Ben McPoland

These penny stocks have caught my eye recently. Here's why I'll be monitoring them with a view to making a…

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Smart young brown businesswoman working from home on a laptop
Investing Articles

2 unique growth stocks Id buy in May

| Ben McPoland

Some of the best companies to invest in are those that are almost impossible to replicate. Here are two growth…

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Middle-aged white male courier delivering boxes to young black lady
Investing Articles

Can the boohoo share price rise 665% to 395p?

| Ben McPoland

The boohoo (LON:BOO) share price remains in the doldrums in 2023. But could a new company growth plan be about…

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Young Asian man drinking coffee at home and looking at his phone
Investing Articles

Here’s how many ITV shares I’d need for £1,000 a year in passive income

| Ben McPoland

ITV is the UK's oldest commercial TV network. Here Ben McPoland considers whether he should invest in this media stock…

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Young Asian woman with head in hands at her desk
Investing Articles

Down 57%! Will Scottish Mortgage shares ever be loved again?

| Ben McPoland

Scottish Mortgage (LON:SMT) shares have reached 52-week lows recently. So should I be buying or selling this FTSE 100 stock…

Read more »

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Investing Articles

Get ready for a stock market crash, says this elite investor

| Ben McPoland

One experienced investor reckons a dramatic stock market crash could due soon. Here's what I'm doing to prepare in case…

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Black father and two young daughters dancing at home
Investing Articles

3 top investment trusts I’d buy for a new £20,000 Stocks and Shares ISA

| Ben McPoland

Investment trusts can play an important and lucrative part in a portfolio. Here's three that are exposed to massive global…

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Smiling family of four enjoying breakfast at sunrise while camping
Investing Articles

For a shot at a £1,000 annual second income, I’d buy 16,000 shares of this UK property stock

| Ben McPoland

Our writer looks at one REIT that has struggled over the past year. However, this high-yield stock could still generate…

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Young female couple boarding their plane at the airport to go on holiday.
Investing Articles

3 things about Rolls-Royce shares that smart investors know

| Ben McPoland

Rolls-Royce shares are up 109% in six months. Clearly many astute investors spotted a few key reasons to buy a…

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The Troat Inn on River Cherwell in Oxford. England
Investing Articles

Warren Buffett upped his Diageo shares by 100%! Time to buy?

| Ben McPoland

The Oracle of Omaha's company is now the 10th largest shareholder of the UK drinks giant. Should I load up…

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Investor looking at stock graph on a tablet with their finger hovering over the Buy button
Investing Articles

If I’d invested £2,000 in Alibaba shares 6 months ago, here’s what I’d have now

| Ben McPoland

Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) shares have been gaining in popularity recently. But does this rise warrant me adding the e-commerce giant…

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Electric charging station symbol and inscription on a street
Investing Articles

What happened to the Tesla share price correction?

| Ben McPoland

After plunging 65% in 2022, the Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) share price has rocketed around 73% so far this year. What…

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Young mixed-race couple sat on the beach looking out over the sea
Investing Articles

I’d buy 1,830 shares of National Grid for £1,000 a year in passive income

| Ben McPoland

Investing in stocks is a simple but powerful way of generating extra passive income. Here’s what I’d buy to aim…

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Abstract bull climbing indicators on stock chart
Investing Articles

2 top growth stocks to buy for the next bull market!

| Ben McPoland

Rising indexes are leading this Fool to believe that a sustained rally may be building. Here are two stock he'll…

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Mature friends at a dinner party
Investing Articles

Could investing £500 a month in the stock market make me rich?

| Ben McPoland

The stock market has created vast wealth over long periods. But could it still deliver life-changing returns if I invest…

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British Isles on nautical map
Investing Articles

Are BAE Systems shares still cheap at £10? Here’s what the charts say

| Ben McPoland

There's been a near doubling in the price of BAE Systems shares over the past two years. Do they offer…

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Black woman using loudspeaker to be heard
Investing Articles

Why is everyone talking about Glencore stock?

| Ben McPoland

Glencore stock has bounced higher recently as the Swiss miner continues to make headlines. What's going on here and should…

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The Mall in Westminster, leading to Buckingham Palace
Investing Articles

Should I invest in the FTSE 100 or the S&P 500?

| Ben McPoland

Both the FTSE 100 and its US counterpart offer investors a quick and easy way to diversify their portfolios. But…

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Back view of blue NIO EP9 electric vehicle
Investing Articles

Could buying NIO shares at $9 be like investing in Tesla in 2010?

| Ben McPoland

NIO shares are now back where they started in September 2018. So is this a golden opportunity to buy the…

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Young Caucasian woman at the street withdrawing money at the ATM
Investing Articles

If I’d put £1,000 into Santander shares 6 months ago, here’s how much I’d have now

| Ben McPoland

Santander shares have performed extremely strongly lately. But how much would I have today if I'd invested a grand in…

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Stacks of coins
Investing Articles

2 penny stocks under 99p that I’d buy in April

| Ben McPoland

Penny stocks have the potential to deliver exceptional returns. Here are two that I think could outperform the market over…

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Young Asian man shopping in a supermarket
Investing Articles

Should I buy Tesco shares for rising passive income?

| Ben McPoland

The UK's number-one supermarket has reigned supreme for nearly three decades. But can its shares provide me with a rising…

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Young Asian woman holding a cup of takeaway coffee and folders containing paperwork, on her way into the office
Investing Articles

Could FTSE 100 banks supercharge a £20,000 Stocks and Shares ISA?

| Ben McPoland

Bank stocks are much cheaper than they were a month ago. Could they deliver superior returns to a Stocks and…

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