Mark Watson-Mitchell - 06.01.2026 Last night the FTSE100, the UK Equity Market's official barometer of performance, closed at 10,004.57, up 53.43 points on the day. It had broken up to 10,046.30 on Intra Day dealings last Friday, but the close last night is considered the most important marker. Jason Hollands, Managing Director of online investment platform Bestinvest by Evelyn Partners, stated that: “The UK’s FTSE 100 index of blue-chip companies today closed above 10,000 p

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 02.02.2026 This morning, the FTSE100 Index broke convincingly through the 'magical' 10,000 level, rising to 10,046.25, before easing back to the current 9,980.76 on the back of some profit-taking. The FTSE's rise has shown that the performance of the Dow Jones Index has been somewhat laggardly, with suggestions that US players are confused over Trump's recent international moves. Undoubtedly, our market has the 'taste' currently and expectations are tha

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 30.12.2025 As the current year draws to a close, it is more than encouraging to see that the FTSE100 Index, the UK market's official barometer, is edging ever closer to breaking the 'magical' 10,000 goal. Just 95 points in it now, with the FTSE100 standing at 9,905 as I write. It has been up to 9,907.81 at its best this morning, which was 41 points better on the day. It may well slip back from the current level, but it could well be encouraged by a more

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 26.12.2025 I thought that you might like a moment of light relief, as I recall a story told to me some years ago by an amusing old broker friend of mine. Never short of a drink or two while standing at the bar, supporting it, of course, he recalled a tale from his distant past. Financial Planning explained by a very enterprising Irishman. Paddy bought a donkey from a farmer for £100. The farmer agreed to deliver the donkey the next day. In the morning,

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 17.12.2025 The much better than expected fall in the CPI has this morning created quite an impetus in its wake. With the very strong chance of the Base Rate falling down to 3.75% tomorrow, London's equity market barometer - the FTSE100 Index - has risen a convincing 165 points to almost 9850. That reduces the gap to the 'magic' 10,000 Index level to a mere 150 points. While that move could well spur a greater push by the Dow Jones Index, after yesterday

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 17.12.2025 The economic news this morning is that the rate of inflation fell far more quickly than expected last month, that now leads the way for another cut in interest rates tomorrow. Prices rose by just 3.2% in the month, the lowest level since March, and down from 3.6% in October. That now marks the third consecutive month of falling inflation. The expectations of City economists were for a much more modest fall in the CPI, the headline measure of

This morning the UK's FTSE100 Index is just 208 odd points short of reaching a new High, now at 9722.26, while the highest reached to date has been 9930.10. Over in the States, the Dow Jones Index closed at 48,704.01 against its highest of 48,756.34. There is certain to be a push towards the FTSE hitting 10,000, while the 50,000 level for the DJI looks an easier target for achievement. The number of bids happening in the last few weeks is a sure signal of growing corporate co

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 02.12.2025 Saxo, one of the leaders in online trading and investment, announced its annual Outrageous Predictions for 2026 today. The future almost never arrives in straight lines. Whether it’s technology, culture, or politics, changes and evolution often come slowly from year to year. But then, suddenly, there is a lurch. Saxo’s outrageous predictions live in those lurches. They are not a house view or a forecast; they are low-probability, high-impact

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 01.12.2025 Early tomorrow morning, Tuesday 2nd December, will see a very interesting prediction being made - don't miss it.

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 26.11.2025 Taking a bullish stance to get the markets swinging upwards again What a load of fuss and hot air - now we know (not guess) what Rachel has in store for us. The drama in the lead-up to today's announcement became almost hysteric. It is now visible and the country, the market and industry now just have to get on with the job again and cast aside the false rumours that were swirling around ahead of the Chancellor's statement and its content. An

This morning a new report has been published that reveals confusion and misinformation are the biggest barriers to retail investor participation   Mark Watson-Mitchell - 13.11.2025 Britons are being held back from investing by a lack of financial education, according to new research by high-growth retail trading platform, Capital.com .  The research, titled Fear or Fortune? , found that eight in 10 adults feel too nervous to invest, with confusion and misinformation emerging

Mark Watson-Mitchell – 10.11.2025   Perhaps it was the suggestion by Donald Trump that he was thinking about giving everyone in the States the sum of $2,000 as extra spending money. Perhaps it was something else that suddenly charged up the markets today. Whatever it may have been – the effect has been electrifying. The FTSE-100, as I write is up over 98 points on the day, after topping 103.90 points, a very healthy one-day gain in such nervous markets. That peak was at 9786.

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 04.11.2025 Daniela Hathorn, Senior Market Analyst, at Capital.com commented on how the upcoming Budget is likely to impact the markets and what it means for investors. UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered a sober pre-Budget speech this morning, signalling that she is prepared to make “necessary, not popular” decisions to safeguard the British economy. She warned that since her last Budget, the world has thrown “even more challenges our way,” citing s

This morning Chancellor of the Exchequer denied that any of it was her fault, in her Speech To The Nation delivered outside number 11. In a twenty minute delivery she has effectively given the country notice that tax rises are on the way. Commenting upon Rachel Reeves’ speech this morning, Bina Gayadien, partner at law firm Spencer West LLP stated that:,   "Rachel Reeves prepares the ground for a tax rising budget later this month, potentially breaking pledges set in Labour’s

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 29.10.2025 Less than two weeks ago the price of Gold was topping out at $4,358, since when it has fallen back to test the $3,923 level, before reacting today to news of new unrest on the Israel / Gaza front. Now at $4,031 it is beginning to show its lustrous legs once more. As I always say - 'Nothing Goes In A Straight Line For Ever' - not love, sex, bank accounts - they all go up and down. So too we the values of equities and commodities. I feel that G

26.10.2025 I think that I disagree with former PM Rishi Sunak's latest proclamation that the UK should cut its Spend. Decades ago, my economics teacher taught me that 'You have to put in to take out!' So I ask now - is a big change required in which Rachel Reeves looks at the UK Balance Sheet? A Government should use the funds that are raised to spend out in the economy - new and repaired roads, new housing, a well-equipped defence sector, schooling facilities, health service

26.10.2025 Bina Gayadien, Tax partner at law firm Spencer West LLP, has commented that:   With all the speculation around November’s Autumn Statement, one thing feels certain: tax rises are coming. Whether through direct tax rate increases or more structural reforms to the tax system, the Chancellor will need to find billions from somewhere without breaching Labour’s manifesto pledges. A number of possible changes are being suggested but their broad impact means that the Chan

Going to $5,000 an ounce? Mark Watson-Mitchell - 16.10.2025    When Napoleon escaped from Elba in 1815 and returned to France, he began to assemble an army. The price of gold was then equivalent to £4.32p an ounce; however, it leapt to £5.35p overnight on the back of extraordinary demand. The London Bullion House of Mocatta & Goldsmid declared that the big buyer was Nathan Mayer Rothschild, acting on behalf of the British Treasury. His orders were to dispatch the gold quickly

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 14.10.2025 A value investment  is a strategy where investors seek to buy stocks or other assets that appear to be undervalued by the market. The goal is to purchase these investments at a price lower than their intrinsic value —what the investor believes the asset is truly worth based on fundamentals—and then hold them until the market corrects the price. Key Principles of Value Investing: Intrinsic Value : This is the estimated true worth of an asset,

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 14.10.2025 As Trump and China face up to each other with their tariff battles, I thought that it might be well worth identifying an important feature in their struggles - the control of Rare Earth resources. Rare earth elements (REEs) are vital for developing and operating technology we use daily. Despite their name, they are not as rare as one might think in the Earth's crust. The challenge lies in finding them in high enough concentrations for extract