This stock market dip is my chance to buy cheap FTSE shares for 2025!

Harvey Jones was looking forward to a Santa Rally in December, but it looks like we’re not going to get one this year. Instead, we’re getting something even better.

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It looks like the stock market won’t be treating us to a Santa Rally this year. That’s a shame, but it isn’t the end of the world.

The notion that share prices fly in the final month of the year is a little fanciful, but the statistics back it up. The FTSE 100 has climbed 72% of the time in December over the last 40 years, according to Nutmeg. Its average monthly return is an impressive 2.5%.

Typically, the excitement grows in the final week before Christmas but this year we’re seeing a Santa slump instead. The blue-chip index is down 2.89% in the last five trading days.

Should you invest £1,000 in Synthomer Plc right now?

When investing expert Mark Rogers has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for nearly a decade has provided thousands of paying members with top stock recommendations from the UK and US markets. And right now, Mark thinks there are 6 standout stocks that investors should consider buying. Want to see if Synthomer Plc made the list?

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The FTSE 100’s down but I don’t mind

Sadly, this leaves it up just 4.39% year-to-date. Throw in the average yield of 3.58%, and the total return is just shy of 8%. That’s better than cash, but in the short term it’s a disappointment. As ever when investing, it’s the long term that matters.

I don’t buy FTSE trackers, so index performance doesn’t directly reflect how well I’ve done. I buy individual shares, and some have gone great guns. Insurer Just Group‘s up 90% year-to-date. Engineer Costain Group‘s up 68%. Private equity specialist 3i Group chipped in with 50%.

Inevitably, I’ve got my share of losers too. My punt on grocery logistics specialist Ocado Group backfired. It’s down 60% this year. Miner Glencore‘s down 25%, pharmaceutical stock GSK‘s (LSE: GSK) dipped 10%.

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Yet I’m not too worried. While the Ocado share price could go anywhere, I’d expect Glencore and GSK to do better in 2025.

I’m backing GSK to bounce back

The FTSE 100 pharmaceutical giant’s struggles took me by surprise. I saw GSK as a solid defensive portfolio holding for volatile times, but it’s had a rough ride.

First, it was hit by a huge US class action claim over withdrawn cancer treatment Zantac. That was largely settled at the cost of £2.2bn in October, but in November, Donald Trump won power and investors started fretting over his plans to target big pharma.

Yet I’m sorely tempted to top up my stake. The GSK share price looks great value with a price-to-earnings ratio of just 8.52. The dividend yield has crept up to 4.41%. Maybe Trump won’t be as tough on big pharma as he says. We’ll see.

The only thing holding me back is that after the recent dip I can see a whole heap of FTSE 100 stocks I’d love to buy. Cash is tight at Christmas but I’m desperate to go on spree.

I’d cheerfully double my stake in sportswear specialist JD Sports, which is dirt cheap with a P/E of just eight times earnings. Oil giant BP‘s even cheaper at just 5.4 times, while yielding 6%. I’d buy more of that too.

HSBC Holdings trades at 8.3 times, while yielding 6.37%. I don’t hold the Asia-focused bank and would love to put that right.

Everywhere I look, I see bargains. Forget the Santa Rally, this is much more exciting. The Sales are on and I’m ready to buy.

Should you invest £1,000 in Synthomer Plc right now?

When investing expert Mark Rogers has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for nearly a decade has provided thousands of paying members with top stock recommendations from the UK and US markets.

And right now, Mark thinks there are 6 standout stocks that investors should consider buying. Want to see if Synthomer Plc made the list?

See the 6 stocks

Should you invest, the value of your investment may rise or fall and your capital is at risk. Before investing, your individual circumstances should be assessed. Consider taking independent financial advice.

Harvey Jones has positions in 3i Group Plc, Bp P.l.c., Costain Group Plc, GSK, Glencore Plc, JD Sports Fashion, Just Group Plc, and Ocado Group Plc. The Motley Fool UK has recommended GSK and HSBC Holdings. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

Pound coins for sale — 51 pence?

This seems ridiculous, but we almost never see shares looking this cheap. Yet this recent ‘Best Buy Now’ has a price/book ratio of 0.51. In plain English, this means that investors effectively get in on a business that holds £1 of assets for every 51p they invest!

Of course, this is the stock market where money is always at risk — these valuations can change and there are no guarantees. But some risks are a LOT more interesting than others, and at The Motley Fool we believe this company is amongst them.

What’s more, it currently boasts a stellar dividend yield of around 8.5%, and right now it’s possible for investors to jump aboard at near-historic lows. Want to get the name for yourself?

See the full investment case

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