Stock markets have been extremely volatile throughout most of 2022. Yet I’ve tried to keep the buy-and-hold mindset that is the hallmark of long-term investing. These are the 12 stocks (in no particular order) that I’ve bought in my Stocks and Shares ISA so far in 2022.
1. Ferrari
Ferrari is a 75-year-old company still in growth mode. It’s one of the premier luxury brands in the world. Selling to ultra-rich customers, it’s a firm with seemingly limitless pricing power. Despite the risks Ferrari faces during its transition to electric vehicles, I’m glad I finally added this inflation-proof stock to my portfolio this year.
2. Experian
I’ve been wanting more exposure to the ongoing data revolution in my portfolio for a while now. So when credit data giant Experian lost 35% of its market value this year, I pounced on the shares. There’s been concern about a potential slowdown in demand for credit checks during a recession. However, I think such credit data will remain as relevant as ever.
3. BlackRock World Mining Trust
The decarbonisation of the global economy is going to take many decades and will require the mining of a lot of raw materials. I wanted to be invested in this mega-trend without having to worry about the fluctuating prices and risky cycles of commodities. The BlackRock World Mining Trust owns most of the big miners and carries a nice 6% dividend yield.
4. Creo Medical
Creo Medical is a medical device company operating in the emerging field of endoscopic surgery. It’s been estimated that Speedboat, its lead product, saves the NHS between £5,000 and £10,000 per procedure compared with existing methods. This is a penny stock, so I’m expecting volatility.
5. Roblox
The market has turned viciously against growth stocks this year. Gaming platform Roblox is unprofitable, so has been one such victim. The stock is down 68% in 2022. This is a small skin-in-the-game position that I’m using to learn about developments in the metaverse.
6. National Grid
I’ve also been buying stable (dare I say, boring) dividend stocks too, such as utility giant National Grid. This company owns and manages essential gas and electricity transmission infrastructure across the UK. I’m bracing for the shares to be volatile if there are winter blackouts. The stock pays a very respectable 5% dividend yield.
7. Legal & General
Another dividend stock I bought was Legal & General. As steady as they come, this financial services stock is there to add diversity to my portfolio. There’s been uncertainty with the shares due to the looming recession. But I intend to hold my position well beyond any economic downturn.
8. Agronomics
Agronomics is a biotech venture capital firm that invests in start-ups involved in lab-grown meat. Or cellular agriculture, more formally. It’s backed by British billionaire Jim Mellon. The Agronomics portfolio contains over 20 companies, minimising the risk that every one will fail commercially.
All of these eight buys were new positions for me, while the following four were existing holdings I’ve added to. These included figurine-maker Games Workshop, lithography giant ASML, synthetic biology firm Ginkgo Bioworks, and robotics leader Intuitive Surgical.
