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Alan Oscroft

Alan is a freelance writer who began writing for The Motley Fool in the late 1990s. He has been a private investor for more 30 years, and has explored a number of strategies, settling on high-yielding blue-chip shares.

Recent Articles

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Investing Articles

Looking for passive income? Here are 3 mistakes I’d avoid

| Alan Oscroft

Building some passive income for later in life's a great idea. But when folks start out, it's easy to fall…

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Businesswoman calculating finances in an office
Investing Articles

My 5 top FTSE 100 stocks to buy in 2023?

| Alan Oscroft

We're more than halfway through 2023, and I still see far more cheap FTSE 100 stocks than I could ever…

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Three signposts pointing in different directions, with 'Buy' 'Sell' and 'Hold' on
Investing Articles

The Pearson share price is down in 2023. Time to buy?

| Alan Oscroft

The Pearson share price has been up and down quite a bit. But the latest H1 results make me think…

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Fans of Warren Buffett taking his photo
Investing Articles

What might Warren Buffett buy in a Stocks and Shares ISA?

| Alan Oscroft

Who's the best investor for us to learn from today? I think it's still Warren Buffett, who's made average annual…

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Three signposts pointing in different directions, with 'Buy' 'Sell' and 'Hold' on
Investing Articles

A once-in-a-decade opportunity to buy dirt-cheap shares

| Alan Oscroft

How often do we have chances to fill our boots with cheap shares? Maybe once a decade? I think this…

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British Pennies on a Pound Note
Investing Articles

3 cheap penny stocks I’d buy and hold for 10 years

| Alan Oscroft

I don't buy penny stocks very often. But when I do, I go for those I think should rise above…

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Three signposts pointing in different directions, with 'Buy' 'Sell' and 'Hold' on
Investing Articles

Are these the 5 best value FTSE stocks to buy in August?

| Alan Oscroft

Results can help us decide on the best stocks to buy, and we have H1 figures coming thick and fast…

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British bank notes and coins
Investing Articles

The 5 best FTSE dividend stocks to buy in August?

| Alan Oscroft

We have results from a number of UK dividend stocks coming our way in August, some with forecast dividend yields…

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Close-up of British bank notes
Investing Articles

5 stocks I’d buy right now to build a second income

| Alan Oscroft

There are many ways to seek a second income and earn some extra cash. A Stocks and Shares ISA, held…

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Midnight is celebrated along the River Thames in London with a spectacular and colourful firework display.
Investing Articles

If I’d invested £11k in this growth stock at IPO, I’d be a millionaire now

| Alan Oscroft

I like a nice growth stock from time to time. But I've turned my nose up at this one a…

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Hand flipping wooden cubes for change wording" Panic" to " Calm".
Investing Articles

With a big H1 profit boost, is the NatWest share price set to climb?

| Alan Oscroft

After a dramatic week for NatWest, H1 results helped calm the share price. The chief executive is down, but the…

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Young Caucasian woman with pink her studying from her laptop screen
Investing Articles

An investing lesson to heed following the RC365 share price rise

| Alan Oscroft

Is it up 500%? Or 1,000%? Can it still soar even higher? The massive climb in the RC365 share price…

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

The super-cheap Barclays share price just got cheaper!

| Alan Oscroft

Can the Barclays share price get any lower? Well, yes, it could. But here's why I think we're looking at…

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

After a 45% fall in 5 years, is the BT share price a no-brainer buy now?

| Alan Oscroft

Since privatisation back in 1984, the BT share price has been through some scary booms and busts. Right now, it's…

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Three signposts pointing in different directions, with 'Buy' 'Sell' and 'Hold' on
Investing Articles

Here’s why British American Tobacco shares could be the FTSE 100’s best buy

| Alan Oscroft

British American Tobacco shares have been in a decline. But the latest first-half results have given them a modest boost.

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Investing Articles

Lloyds profit surges, but will the share price ever follow?

| Alan Oscroft

So profits rise again, but the Lloyds share price falls. Business as usual, then. But banking sector gloom must end…

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A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

Are Games Workshop shares still the FTSE’s best growth buy?

| Alan Oscroft

Games Workshop shares have made a few investors into millionaires, after a superb run. But how much further growth is…

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Close-up of British bank notes
Investing Articles

How to pick the best FTSE dividend shares

| Alan Oscroft

After the UK stock market has had such an awful decade, I'm seeing a lot of attractive dividend shares out…

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Silhouette of a bull standing on top of a landscape with the sun setting behind it
Investing Articles

Down 80% in 5 years, does the Capita share price make it a no-brainer buy?

| Alan Oscroft

We've had some great recovery opportunities since the pandemic crash of 2020. Might the low Capita share price make it…

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Storytelling image of a multiethnic senior couple in love - Elderly married couple dating outdoors, love emotions and feelings
Investing Articles

Turning a brand new ISA into a passive income of £20k a year

| Alan Oscroft

We all invest in the hope of one day being able to put our feet up and enjoy a bit…

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Investing Articles

Forget a Cash ISA, it’s the stock market for me every time

| Alan Oscroft

When the stock market is weak, and Cash ISAs are offering their best interest rates in years, then it's surely…

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

Which is better value, the Aviva or Legal & General share price?

| Alan Oscroft

We've seen a big fall in the Aviva share price in the past five years, and Legal & General isn't…

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Long-term vs short-term investing concept on a staircase
Investing Articles

A once-in-a-decade opportunity to aim for a million in a Stocks and Shares ISA!

| Alan Oscroft

What's the secret to building Stocks and Shares ISA wealth? Invest the most we can each year, and start early.…

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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

Here are the 10 top FTSE 100 shares I’d buy right now

| Alan Oscroft

As valuations keep changing, I keep looking at FTSE 100 shares and thinking "What if I could start all over…

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Businesswoman calculating finances in an office
Investing Articles

The 10 stocks on the FTSE with the biggest dividend forecasts

| Alan Oscroft

Whether we go for growth stocks, or income, I don't think we've ever had so much choice of cheap FTSE…

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Abstract 3d arrows with rocket
Investing Articles

Is the Persimmon share price set to soar from here?

| Alan Oscroft

The Persimmon share price has responded well to lower-than-expected June inflation figures. But the pain might not be over yet.

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Close-up of British bank notes
Investing Articles

Why buying dividend stocks could be a no-brainer for passive income

| Alan Oscroft

We all have our own ideas on how to invest to generate some long-term income. Here, I explain why I…

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Investing Articles

Is this a once-in-a-decade opportunity for FTSE 100 investors?

| Alan Oscroft

Dividends and share buybacks look strong, and inflation has slowed more than expected. That's got to be good for the…

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

The Scottish Mortgage share price looks like a no-brainer buy for me

| Alan Oscroft

The Scottish Mortgage share price is on the up a bit now, but the discount is still huge. I probably…

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Three signposts pointing in different directions, with 'Buy' 'Sell' and 'Hold' on
Investing Articles

Are Rolls-Royce shares a steal at 150p?

| Alan Oscroft

Rolls-Royce shares have been stuck for months, but could they be poised to take off again when we get August's…

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Businesswoman calculating finances in an office
Investing Articles

Which is better value, the Persimmon or Barratt share price?

| Alan Oscroft

Barratt Developments has fallen, and the Persimmon share price has suffered even more. I put the two head to head…

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

The Darktrace share price just surged 20%. Time to buy?

| Alan Oscroft

The Darktrace share price is way down from its early soaring peaks, as the cybersecurity firm has faced plenty of…

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

The BAE share price is down 11% in 3 months. Time to buy?

| Alan Oscroft

I kicked myself when I saw the BAE share price soar in 2022, having watched the stock for years. Is…

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Young Black man sat in front of laptop while wearing headphones
Investing Articles

Which is better value, the BT or Vodafone share price?

| Alan Oscroft

I've found the both the Vodafone and the BT share price to be frustrating over the years. Today, I put…

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Close-up of British bank notes
Investing Articles

Are National Grid shares a no-brainer buy for dividend investors?

| Alan Oscroft

Investors often rate National Grid shares very highly for building up a long-term passive income portfolio. Are they right to…

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Three signposts pointing in different directions, with 'Buy' 'Sell' and 'Hold' on
Investing Articles

A once-in-a-decade opportunity to buy dirt cheap LSE shares?

| Alan Oscroft

Since investors dumped LSE shares in the wake of the Covid crisis, the London stock market has looked very sick…

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Engineer Project Manager Talks With Scientist working on Computer
Investing Articles

Are Oxford Nanopore shares set to soar?

| Alan Oscroft

Oxford Nanopore shares have fallen since IPO just a couple of years ago. But this medical tech pioneer might have…

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

5 reasons why dividend shares can be good for our wealth

| Alan Oscroft

Does it matter whether we invest in dividend shares or growth shares? I buy both, but I've come to like…

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

Are Tullow Oil shares a no-brainer buy at 30p?

| Alan Oscroft

Tullow Oil shares have crashed heavily since late 2019, but oil prices, profits and cash flow have been rising. Is…

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Three signposts pointing in different directions, with 'Buy' 'Sell' and 'Hold' on
Investing Articles

Is Barratt Developments still my top UK stock for 2023?

| Alan Oscroft

How have the past six months affected the choice of my favourite UK stock in 2023? Halfway through the year,…

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