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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

Investing Articles

Is 2023 the best ever year to start a Stocks and Shares ISA?

| Alan Oscroft

When the FTSE 100 was over 8,000 points, I thought the golden Stocks and Shares ISA years might be over.…

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Investing Articles

How to prepare for the great FTSE 100 crash of 2023

| Alan Oscroft

Fears are growing of a new stock market crash in 2023, as the FTSE 100 falls back from its recent…

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Investing Articles

3 dirt cheap FTSE 100 shares to buy today?

| Alan Oscroft

With financial fears spooking the markets, FTSE 100 shares have been falling. Doesn't that make the cheapest shares even cheaper?

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Investing Articles

Why the FTSE 100 is my number one choice for passive income

| Alan Oscroft

When I see share prices falling, my thoughts turn to the boosted dividend yields than can help me secure higher…

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Investing Articles

Here’s why I think Lloyds shares are the best buy in the FTSE 100 now

| Alan Oscroft

So the UK stock market is falling, is it? I reckon that's making Lloyds shares look like better long-term buys…

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Investing Articles

Can the Rolls-Royce share price hit 200p in 2023?

| Alan Oscroft

The Rolls-Royce share price has been climbing fast enough to put a jet engine to shame. It might still be…

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Investing Articles

1 under-the-radar growth stock to buy in March

| Alan Oscroft

Investors are turning their attention back to growth stocks in 2023. Some are already gaining, but others are still unloved…

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Investing Articles

Are Scottish Mortgage shares no-brainer growth buys now?

| Alan Oscroft

Growth share investing can be risky. But a diversified portfolio of stocks through buying Scottish Mortgage shares could bring some…

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Investing Articles

2 dividend stocks that are dirt cheap right now

| Alan Oscroft

Many dividend stocks appear very good value to me in 2023, with high yields. And some of them look super…

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One English pound placed on a graph to represent an economic down turn
Investing Articles

My 3 biggest stock market predictions for March

| Alan Oscroft

Predicting the stock market isn't an easy task. But with some key company updates out in March, here are a…

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Warren Buffett at a Berkshire Hathaway AGM
Investing Articles

Could Warren Buffett buy out Rolls-Royce?

| Alan Oscroft

Whenever I think of investing in a stock like Rolls-Royce, I think it helps to consider what Warren Buffett might…

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Middle-aged black male working at home desk
Investing Articles

One top reason to buy cheap Lloyds shares right now

| Alan Oscroft

When it comes to investing for the long term, there's one underlying thing that makes me want to keep buying…

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Investing Articles

How to target £5,000 per year in passive income from shares

| Alan Oscroft

Aiming for passive income to help fund retirement? I want to share my secret for achieving exactly that. And it's…

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

How to target a million in a Stocks and Shares ISA

| Alan Oscroft

How many of us dream of becoming millionaires from our Stocks and Shares ISAs? You might be surprised how many…

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Investing Articles

How to target a million from UK dividend shares

| Alan Oscroft

Fancy the idea of making a million from stock market investing? Here's why I think going for dividend shares is…

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Investing Articles

3 stocks to buy with dividends yielding more than 3%

| Alan Oscroft

Looking for stocks to buy now for long-term income? I always start with a search for the FTSE 100's most…

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Warren Buffett at a Berkshire Hathaway AGM
Investing Articles

The latest pearls of wisdom from ace investor Warren Buffett

| Alan Oscroft

Warren Buffett's latest, and eagerly-awaited, letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders is out. What does the sage have to say this…

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

Will the Rolls-Royce share price crash in 2023?

| Alan Oscroft

The Rolls-Royce share price might have soared on the back of FY22 results, but that doesn't mean its problems are…

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Young Black woman looking concerned while in front of her laptop
Investing Articles

Will the Lloyds share price crash in 2023?

| Alan Oscroft

The market reacted unenthusiastically to the latest full-year results. Might that tip the Lloyds share price downwards this year?

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One English pound placed on a graph to represent an economic down turn
Investing Articles

Will FTSE 100 shares crash in 2023?

| Alan Oscroft

FTSE 100 shares pushed through the 8,000 points mark in February. But it's not holding, as investors shy away from…

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2023 concept with upwards-facing arrows overlaid on a hand with one finger raised, pointing up
Investing Articles

Here’s what Stocks and Shares ISA millionaires are buying in 2023

| Alan Oscroft

Want to join the UK Stocks and Shares ISA millionaires club? What better way to learn than to examine what…

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

3 no-brainer growth shares to buy in March?

| Alan Oscroft

It looks increasingly like growth shares could be regaining their popularity in 2023, after investors shunned them in 2022.

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Businesswoman calculating finances in an office
Investing Articles

Could Rolls-Royce become the FTSE 100 dividend share to beat?

| Alan Oscroft

Right now, investors don't really see the aero engine maker as a top dividend share. But after positive FY results,…

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Young black woman in a wheelchair working online from home
Investing Articles

Scottish Mortgage shares: a once-in-a-decade opportunity to get rich?

| Alan Oscroft

Scottish Mortgage shares are on a hefty discount right now. Does that make them a no-brainer buy for long-term growth…

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A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

Is Cineworld the best UK penny stock to buy right now?

| Alan Oscroft

Investing in a penny stock like Cineworld can can be risky business. But sometimes, the gamble pays off and pennies…

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

I’d buy these cheap shares right now, to target an ISA million

| Alan Oscroft

I'm always on the lookout for cheap shares that I hope might one day get me on to the ever-growing…

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Mature couple in a discussion while eating a meal in a restaurant.
Investing Articles

How I’d invest in FTSE 100 shares to target £5,000 in passive income

| Alan Oscroft

To generate long-term passive income, I can't think of anything better than buying shares in the UK's best dividend-paying companies.

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2023 concept with upwards-facing arrows overlaid on a hand with one finger raised, pointing up
Investing Articles

FTSE 100 stocks: a once-in-a-decade opportunity to get rich

| Alan Oscroft

Here's why 2023 might turn out to be the best year to buy FTSE 100 stocks, in a Stocks and…

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

3 reasons to buy Rolls-Royce shares (and why I won’t)

| Alan Oscroft

With the price recovering sharply since October, I can see some good reasons for investors to finally buy Rolls-Royce shares…

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Man putting his card into an ATM machine while his son sits in a stroller beside him.
Investing Articles

3 reasons to sell Lloyds shares (and why I won’t)

| Alan Oscroft

Lloyds shares were off to a good start in 2023. But a weakening outlook for the banking sector is taking…

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Investing Articles

How soon can the FTSE 100 hit 10,000 points?

| Alan Oscroft

The FTSE 100 finally reached 8,000 points this week, and the pundits are wondering when 9,000 will come. I'm even…

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Close-up of British bank notes
Investing Articles

5 discounted investment trusts to buy while they’re cheap?

| Alan Oscroft

Growth stocks have fallen, but some investment trusts have fallen further. Are they a way into some out-of-favour sectors on…

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

Earnings: is the NatWest share price cheap, after bumper profits?

| Alan Oscroft

Following higher profits than at any time since the banking crisis, I wonder if the NatWest share price is among…

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White female supervisor working at an oil rig
Investing Articles

Earnings: time to buy Centrica shares after bumper profits?

| Alan Oscroft

After a few years of falling profits, Centrica shares have been on an upwards run. That's now been cemented by…

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Young black woman walking in Central London for shopping
Investing Articles

Are boohoo shares a screaming buy right now?

| Alan Oscroft

boohoo shares have turned from booming growth to near wipeout in just two years. Might buying now be throwing good…

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Stack of British pound coins falling on list of share prices
Investing Articles

Earnings: why Hargreaves Lansdown shares are falling

| Alan Oscroft

Hargreaves Lansdown shares reached overheated valuations in the past. But after a fall, and on H1 results, they just might…

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Young Black woman using a debit card at an ATM to withdraw money
Investing Articles

Earnings: why the Barclays share price just fell 10%

| Alan Oscroft

The Barclays share price had been recovering, as the FTSE 100 keeps setting new records. But it's just suffered a…

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

3 reasons to buy Glencore shares today

| Alan Oscroft

Glencore shares have been one of the FTSE 100's success stories over the last year. But they're still on a…

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Close-up of British bank notes
Investing Articles

3 reasons to buy Legal & General shares today

| Alan Oscroft

Here's why I think Legal & General shares could turn out to be a profitable buy for contrarian investors seeking…

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

Earnings: here’s what’s happening to TUI shares

| Alan Oscroft

TUI shares were hammered during the pandemic. But Q1 figures show passenger numbers growing, and we could see profit this…

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