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Ben McPoland

Ben is an investment writer who has contributed more than 1,800 articles for The Motley Fool UK. He has been managing his own ISA and SIPP portfolios for over a decade, focusing on high-quality companies benefitting from powerful growth trends. His favourite investing quote comes from Peter Lynch: “The real key to making money in stocks is not to get scared out of them.”

Recent Articles

ISA coins
Investing Articles

How to transform an empty Stocks and Shares ISA into a £15,000 second income

| Ben McPoland

Ben McPoland explains how a UK dividend portfolio can be built from the ground up inside a Stocks and Shares…

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Thoughtful man using his phone while riding on a train and looking through the window
Investing Articles

Is Palantir still a millionaire-maker S&P 500 stock today?

| Ben McPoland

Palantir has skyrocketed in recent years, making savvy investors a fortune. With the S&P 500 stock down 32% since November,…

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UK supporters with flag
Investing Articles

The red-hot FTSE 100 index just did this for the first time ever

| Ben McPoland

The FTSE 100 index has risen in eight out of the past 10 years, and is off to a flying…

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

Here’s why Experian, RELX, and LSEG just crashed up to 16% in the FTSE 100

| Ben McPoland

Software stocks across the FTSE 100 index got absolutely hammered today. What on earth has happened to cause this sudden…

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Investing Articles

How much would an investor need in Aviva shares for a £147 monthly passive income?

| Ben McPoland

Ben McPoland shows how an ISA portfolio could eventually throw off a decent amount of income each year, with help…

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National Grid engineers at a substation
Investing Articles

How many National Grid shares are needed for £1,000 a year in passive income?

| Ben McPoland

National Grid shares have been on a strong rally over the past 12 months. How has this left the forward-looking…

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Portrait of pensive bearded senior looking on screen of laptop sitting at table with coffee cup.
Investing Articles

Might AI cause a massive stock market crash? 

| Ben McPoland

The stock market is rapidly turning away from AI uncertainty and towards surer bets. Here's one 'boring' share to check…

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Night Takeoff Of The American Space Shuttle
Growth Shares

Is SpaceX a stock to buy for my ISA in June?

| Ben McPoland

This writer doesn't normally buy into new IPO stocks. Will he make an exception in 2026 if SpaceX makes its…

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

1 luxury stock I’m doubling down on in my SIPP in February

| Ben McPoland

This stock in my SIPP portfolio has crashed over 30% inside a year. Investors are bearish. So why am I…

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A handsome mature bald bearded black man in a sunglasses and a fashionable blue or teal costume with a tie is standing in front of a wall made of striped wooden timbers and fastening a suit button
Investing Articles

I asked ChatGPT for a penny stock that could make me rich and it said…

| Ben McPoland

Ben McPoland turned to artificial intelligence (AI) to pick out a UK penny stock that might help him quit the…

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Young female analyst working at her desk in the office
Investing Articles

2 FTSE 100 shares tipped to grow 50% (or more) by 2027

| Ben McPoland

The market is extremely bearish on these two high-quality FTSE 100 shares. Yet City analysts reckon they can mount a…

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Front view of aircraft in flight.
Investing Articles

The good, the bad, and the unknown for Rolls-Royce shares

| Ben McPoland

It has been up, up, and away for Rolls-Royce shareholders over the past few years. But what challenges might be…

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Playful senior couple in aprons dancing and smiling while preparing healthy dinner at home
Investing Articles

This UK penny stock could rocket 47%, says 1 broker

| Ben McPoland

According to one analyst team in the City, this unique UK small-cap stock is undervalued today. Is it worth a…

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piggy bank, searching with binoculars
Investing Articles

Is this $3.9bn-cap stock the next Nvidia?

| Ben McPoland

This asset manager identified Nvidia stock early and made amazing returns. Here's a new under-the-radar growth share it's excited about…

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Middle-aged white man pulling an aggrieved face while looking at a screen
Investing Articles

Down 50%, is this growth stock in my ISA doomed?

| Ben McPoland

I was bullish on this growth firm in my ISA, but it's quickly turned into a nightmare. What on earth…

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Female student sitting at the steps and using laptop
Investing Articles

Here’s how to invest £7,000 in an ISA for a £500 passive income

| Ben McPoland

Ben McPoland picks out a cheap dividend stock from the FTSE 250 that could generate chunky passive income in an…

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Man riding the bus alone
Investing Articles

Down 85%, is this famous FTSE 250 stock set for a roaring comeback?

| Ben McPoland

This FTSE 250 company makes iconic boots and is in the early innings of a turnaround attempt. Does the stock…

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The flag of the United States of America flying in front of the Capitol building
Investing Articles

1 top FTSE 250 investment trust to consider in February

| Ben McPoland

Despite solid long-term gains, this FTSE 250 investment trust is trailing the S&P 500. But now it's tweaked its strategy,…

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Portrait Of Senior Couple Climbing Hill On Hike Through Countryside In Lake District UK Together
Investing Articles

2 FTSE 100 stocks to consider for passive income in 2026

| Ben McPoland

Ben McPoland highlights a pair of dividend shares that rarely attract as much attention as other names from the FTSE…

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Investing Articles

$18.9bn! This British billionaire just smashed the S&P 500 with these stocks

| Ben McPoland

This top investor easily beat the S&P 500 index in 2025, recording the largest hedge fund gain in history. How…

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Investing Articles

Diageo shares: a once-in-a-generation chance to get rich?

| Ben McPoland

Diageo shares have shed 59% of their value in just over four years. But might this simply be a chance…

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Young female hand showing five fingers.
Investing Articles

The 5 most popular ETFs on AJ Bell to start 2026

| Ben McPoland

Our writer highlights a handful of ETFs that have been popular among UK investors recently. Will he buy any of…

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Investing Articles

Should I buy Lloyds shares above £1 for passive income?

| Ben McPoland

After a massive surge, Lloyds shares are currently trading at a 17-year high. Should I buy the FTSE 100 bank…

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Investing Articles

The 5 most popular FTSE 100 stocks on AJ Bell to begin 2026

| Ben McPoland

Wondering which FTSE 100 stock has been the most-bought among AJ Bell customers recently? Hint: it's not Rolls-Royce or Lloyds.

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Investing Articles

Here’s how a stock market crash could massively boost your passive income

| Ben McPoland

A market crash is not what any investor wants. But for dividend stock investors, it can be a lucrative chance…

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Illustration of flames over a black background
Investing Articles

Up 73% year to date, this stock in my SIPP is suddenly on fire!

| Ben McPoland

After three years of wealth-destroying losses, this S&P 500 stock's suddenly roared back into life in our writer's SIPP. What's…

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Snowing on Jubilee Gardens in London at dusk
Investing Articles

By January 2027, £1,000 invested in Greggs shares could be worth…

| Ben McPoland

Greggs' shares have lost 47% of their value inside 18 months. Where do City analysts see this FTSE 250 stock…

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photo of Union Jack flags bunting in local street party
Investing Articles

2 under-the-radar UK stocks to consider buying in February

| Ben McPoland

Looking for stocks to buy for an ISA in February? Our writer highlights a couple of potential hidden gems he…

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Group of young friends toasting each other with beers in a pub
Investing Articles

Here’s how a stock market crash could help me retire years earlier

| Ben McPoland

Stock market crashes are both scary and amazing opportunities to create wealth. Which top share would I buy if there…

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Investing Articles

Should I buy Tesla stock for my ISA in 2026?

| Ben McPoland

Tesla now has robotaxis on the road and plans to pump out millions of Optimus robots in future. But does…

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Stacks of coins
Investing Articles

Up 101% already, this penny stock could gain another 23% says one broker

| Ben McPoland

Despite doubling over the past year, this penny stock is still 95% lower than it was a few years ago.…

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Businessman with tablet, waiting at the train station platform
Investing Articles

Down 37%! Is now the time to buy Netflix stock for my ISA?

| Ben McPoland

This S&P 500 blue chip has lost more than a third of its value inside seven months. Should I finally…

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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

2 top FTSE 250 trusts I’m eyeing up for my Stocks and Shares ISA

| Ben McPoland

This writer wants more global diversification in his Stocks and Shares ISA. Why does this pair of FTSE 250 investment…

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UK coloured flags waving above large crowd on a stadium sport match.
Investing Articles

Up 17% today! Is Wise still worth considering for a Stocks and Shares ISA?

| Ben McPoland

Wise put a smile on the face of anyone holding it in a Stocks and Shares ISA today. What news…

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Thoughtful man using his phone while riding on a train and looking through the window
Investing Articles

Can this unloved stock market style still make investors richer?

| Ben McPoland

Quality investing is out of fashion in the stock market today. How might investors consider profiting from this perhaps temporary…

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piggy bank, searching with binoculars
Investing Articles

Down 33%, is there a once-in-a-decade opportunity in this FTSE 100 stock?

| Ben McPoland

This FTSE 100 firm has a potentially very large commercial opportunity emerging in the next couple of years. But does…

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Night Takeoff Of The American Space Shuttle
Investing Articles

Up 23%! What on earth’s going on with the BAE Systems share price?

| Ben McPoland

Despite it only being mid-January, the BAE Systems share price has proven this writer wrong so far in 2026. Why…

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Portrait of elderly man wearing white denim shirt and glasses looking up with hand on chin. Thoughtful senior entrepreneur, studio shot against grey background.
Investing Articles

I sold Diageo and Greggs. Should I dump this FTSE 100 stock too?

| Ben McPoland

Find out why this writer is keeping a close eye on one top-performing FTSE 100 company inside his Stocks and…

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piggy bank, searching with binoculars
Investing Articles

If the stock market crashes in 2026, there’s 1 S&P 500 stock I’ll buy

| Ben McPoland

The S&P 500 index is home to loads of world-class businesses. So why does one healthcare robotics stock stand out…

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A young black man makes the symbol of a peace sign with two fingers
Investing Articles

2 cheap dividend shares to consider for passive income in 2026

| Ben McPoland

Looking for passive income ideas for a Stocks and Shares ISA? Our writer highlights two income opportunities from the FTSE…

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