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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

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

25% tariffs! Where next for the Diageo share price?

| Ben McPoland

The Diageo share price continues to face a barrage of challenges. Should I just sell this struggling FTSE 100 dividend…

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A Black father and daughter having breakfast at hotel restaurant
Investing Articles

Should I eat some humble pie and buy Tesla stock?

| Ben McPoland

After being wrongly bearish on Tesla stock last year, this investor is left wondering if he should just bite the…

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

Is it game over for Nvidia stock?

| Ben McPoland

Our writer wonders whether Nvidia stock may be doomed or whether now might be an opportune time to invest in…

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Young Caucasian girl showing and pointing up with fingers number three against yellow background
Investing Articles

3 investment trusts from the FTSE 250 to consider in February

| Ben McPoland

The FTSE 250 has an abundance of different trusts to choose from. Here's a trio of very different ones that…

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ISA coins
Investing Articles

1 AI-powered growth share I just had to buy for my Stocks and Shares ISA!

| Ben McPoland

Our writer reveals an exciting new company in his Stocks and Shares ISA portfolio that he thinks is poised for…

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

3 simple steps to target a £20,000 second income from stocks

| Ben McPoland

Our writer outlines three straightforward steps someone can take to target a £20,000 second income, starting with just £750.

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Businessman using pen drawing line for increasing arrow from 2024 to 2025
Investing Articles

2 shares smashing all-time highs as the FTSE 100 peaks

| Ben McPoland

This investor takes a look at a pair of high-quality FTSE 100 stocks that have reached new records since the…

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British Pennies on a Pound Note
Investing Articles

2 penny stocks I’m avoiding like the plague in February

| Ben McPoland

While penny stocks can potentially generate massive returns for a portfolio, I don't think these two will. So I'm staying…

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British bank notes and coins
Investing Articles

How much passive income can an investor make from the stock market?

| Ben McPoland

Our writer explains how it's possible to invest modest sums of money in shares to target passive income in excess…

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Bronze bull and bear figurines
Investing Articles

1 move to avoid at all costs if the S&P 500 crashes in 2025

| Ben McPoland

The S&P 500 has had a volatile week, raising fears that a meltdown might be on the cards. Here's what…

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Elevated view over city of London skyline
Investing Articles

Looking for UK shares to buy? This 19p small-cap down 5% today may be worth considering

| Ben McPoland

For investors searching for shares to buy in February, this small UK firm might be worth considering for inclusion in…

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Business woman creating images with artificial intelligence inside office
Investing Articles

I asked DeepSeek for 3 top S&P 500 growth shares and its last pick made me laugh

| Ben McPoland

There's a new AI chatbot on the block, so this investor asked it for a trio of growth shares for…

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Amazon Go's first store
Investing Articles

£20,000 invested in Amazon shares just 3 months ago would now be worth…

| Ben McPoland

Our writer examines the impressive recent performance of Amazon shares and considers whether he thinks the stock still offers good…

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

2 cheap FTSE 100 shares to consider for an ISA in February

| Ben McPoland

The FTSE 100 might be hitting record highs this year, but there are still a load of cheap shares knocking…

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Light trails from traffic moving down The Mound in central Edinburgh, Scotland during December
Investing Articles

Here’s why the Scottish Mortgage share price is back above £10!

| Ben McPoland

This investor in Scottish Mortgage explores some reasons why the share price has flown back above £10 for the first…

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

Here’s why FTSE investment trusts holding Nvidia and AI stocks got smashed today

| Ben McPoland

FTSE funds with investments in AI stocks like Nvidia faced significant turbulence today, triggered by a little-known Chinese start-up.

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Smiling white woman holding iPhone with Airpods in ear
Investing Articles

Should I buy Apple shares for my ISA in February?

| Ben McPoland

While Apple is undoubtedly a company of the highest quality, this writer has some reservations about buying its shares for…

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A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

If he had $1m today, here’s how this Warren Buffett disciple would build wealth

| Ben McPoland

This Warren Buffett-influenced fund manager reckons small-cap stocks are the way to go for risk-tolerant investors starting out.

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Caerphilly Castle, and reflection in the moat.
Investing Articles

2 incredible growth stocks that crushed it in Q4!

| Ben McPoland

Our writer takes a look at two exceptional growth stocks that blew the barn doors off in their most recent…

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A mature adult sitting by a fireplace in a living room at home. She is wearing a yellow cardigan and spectacles.
Investing Articles

3 SIPP mistakes I’m avoiding like the plague!

| Ben McPoland

This writer has highlighted a trio of mistakes that he wants to avoid at all costs as he aims to…

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piggy bank, searching with binoculars
Investing Articles

1 stock market strategy to target the next millionaire-maker like Nvidia

| Ben McPoland

Our writer explains how he's using valuable company communications to try and find big stock market winners for his portfolio.

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Close-up as a woman counts out modern British banknotes.
Investing Articles

Here’s how much I need in a Stocks and Shares ISA to earn £50,000 of passive income a year

| Ben McPoland

Is it realistic to one day generate £50k in dividend income from a Stocks and Shares ISA portfolio? This writer…

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Man thinking about artificial intelligence investing algorithms
Investing Articles

I asked ChatGPT if I should buy Nvidia stock in 2025 and it said this…

| Ben McPoland

This Fool sold Nvidia stock in 2024 but is now wondering whether to bring the leader in artificial intelligence computing…

Read more »

Young Asian man drinking coffee at home and looking at his phone
Investing Articles

A boohoo director just bought £99k worth of shares! Time to buy this UK stock?

| Ben McPoland

With company insiders actively investing their money in this bombed-out UK stock, I'm wondering if I should now be doing…

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

2 FTSE 250 shares that could soar while Donald Trump is US President

| Ben McPoland

Ben McPoland thinks these FTSE 250 shares look well-positioned to benefit under a Trump administration due to tax cuts and…

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Friends at the bay near the village of Diabaig on the side of Loch Torridon in Wester Ross, Scotland. They are taking a break from their bike ride to relax and chat. They are laughing together.
Investing Articles

£20,000 in an ISA? Here’s how an investor could target £550 of passive income a month

| Ben McPoland

This writer shows how a respectable passive income stream can accumulate from pretty modest beginnings inside a Stocks and Shares…

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piggy bank, searching with binoculars
Investing Articles

Is the S&P 500 heading for a correction in 2025?

| Ben McPoland

This writer wonders whether the blue-chip US index is ready for a stumble, with one popular S&P 500 share up…

Read more »

Female Tesco employee holding produce crate
Investing Articles

£15,000 invested in Tesco shares at the start of 2024 is now worth…

| Ben McPoland

This writer takes a look at the performance of Tesco shares since the start of last year and considers whether…

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Night Takeoff Of The American Space Shuttle
Investing Articles

SpaceX is booming! Here are other space stocks to consider buying for an ISA

| Ben McPoland

Our writer highlights a few investment options in the growing global space economy that might be worth considering for a…

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Road 2025 to 2032 new year direction concept
Investing Articles

Prediction: this FTSE 250 trust will beat Rolls-Royce shares over the next 5 years

| Ben McPoland

Our writer reckons this tech-driven FTSE 250 investment trust has what it takes to outperform Rolls-Royce shares between now and…

Read more »

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

Moderna’s meant to be a red-hot growth stock. What on earth’s gone wrong? 

| Ben McPoland

Moderna's been anything but a high-flying growth stock in this investor's portfolio. So is it high time he gave up…

Read more »

Dominos delivery man on skateboard holding pizza boxes
Investing Articles

I’m ready to buy more shares of this 10p penny stock!

| Ben McPoland

This penny stock in my portfolio looks more attractive after the company just released a promising trading update covering last…

Read more »

Frustrated young white male looking disconsolate while sat on his sofa holding a beer
Investing Articles

What on earth is going on with the Diageo share price in 2025?

| Ben McPoland

With Diageo's share price getting off to a poor start in 2025, this Fool wonders if now's the time for…

Read more »

Black woman using smartphone at home, watching stock charts.
Investing Articles

2 bold stock market ideas to consider for a Stocks and Shares ISA

| Ben McPoland

Our writer thinks these two speculative shares offer high long-term growth potential from where they currently sit in the stock…

Read more »

British union jack flag and Parliament house at city of Westminster in the background
Investing Articles

Kier Starmer aims to make the UK an AI superpower! 2 FTSE stocks are poised to benefit

| Ben McPoland

This pair of FTSE stocks look set to benefit long term as the UK government plans to tap into the…

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ISA Individual Savings Account
Investing Articles

2 beaten-down shares to consider for a Stocks and Shares ISA in 2025

| Ben McPoland

These high-quality businesses have suffered recent share price setbacks. This writer thinks they're now worth considering for a Stocks and…

Read more »

British flag, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament and British flag composition
Investing Articles

The only FTSE 100 shares I own at the start of 2025

| Ben McPoland

This writer currently owns 14 different FTSE 100 shares in his portfolio. Here's a quick look at what they are…

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

Here’s why Oxford Nanopore Technologies stock is up 15% in the FTSE 250

| Ben McPoland

This innovative FTSE 250 stock has had a solid start to the year, rising 15% in just two days. Is…

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Night Takeoff Of The American Space Shuttle
Investing Articles

Could former penny share Filtronic be a millionaire-maker at 101p?

| Ben McPoland

Filtronic (LON:FTC) stock has rocketed 359% in a year and burst past the 100p mark! Does the ex-penny share interest…

Read more »

Road trip. Father and son travelling together by car
Investing Articles

£20,000 invested in Tesla shares just 3 months ago is now worth…

| Ben McPoland

Tesla shares have been on an absolute tear in recent months. Is it time for this Fool to just hold…

Read more »