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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

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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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 FTSE stock that could help me quit the 9-to-5. It said…

| Ben McPoland

Our writer turned to AI to help him filter through all the options on the London Stock Exchange. Which FTSE…

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

2 top fintech stocks to consider buying for an ISA

| Ben McPoland

There are dozens of financial technology stocks to consider buying for a portfolio today. Why does this writer like these…

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A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

Forget Rolls-Royce shares! This UK growth stock is tipped to rise 47% by 2027

| Ben McPoland

Ben McPoland highlights a fast-growing stock that City analysts are universally bullish on. Might it be a hidden gem today…

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Investing Articles

Forget Rolls-Royce shares! This top growth stock looks more attractive in 2026

| Ben McPoland

Our writer thinks this growing sportswear disruptor could potentially deliver higher returns than Rolls-Royce shares moving forward.

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A rear view of a female in a bright yellow coat walking along the historic street known as The Shambles in York, UK which is a popular tourist destination in this Yorkshire city.
Investing Articles

How big does an ISA need to be to generate a £100k second income?

| Ben McPoland

Ben McPoland highlights how it's possible for a Stocks and Shares ISA portfolio to one day throw off life-enhancing sums…

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Caerphilly Castle, and reflection in the moat.
Investing Articles

After 100 years, is this FTSE 250 trust about to disappear?

| Ben McPoland

A century-old investment trust from the FTSE 250 index is facing a crucial vote tomorrow. What's going on -- and…

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Passive and Active: text from letters of the wooden alphabet on a green chalk board
Investing Articles

Should I buy Fundsmith Equity for my Stocks and Shares ISA in 2026?

| Ben McPoland

Fundsmith has just reported its 2025 results. Is now the perfect time for me to add this giant fund to…

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Investing Articles

My ISA is ready for a stock market crash in 2026

| Ben McPoland

Has AI created a stock market bubble -- or are we still in the early innings of a fourth industrial…

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Young Asian man shopping in a supermarket
Investing Articles

Prediction: £5,000 invested in Tesco shares could be worth this much by 2027…

| Ben McPoland

Tesco shares are down 12.5% since November. After this pullback, is the FTSE 100 dividend stock worth checking out for…

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A GlaxoSmithKline scientist uses a microscope
Investing Articles

Up 9.9%! Here’s why Oxford Nanopore stock topped the FTSE 250 today

| Ben McPoland

This innovative company's stock price marched higher today in the FTSE 250 index. Might this be my first Stocks and…

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

UK shares: a once-in-a-decade passive income opportunity hiding in plain sight?

| Ben McPoland

Ben McPoland think the income opportunity in UK shares remains substantial, especially when FTSE 250 and small-caps are thrown into…

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Investing Articles

£5,000 invested in Aston Martin shares at the start of 2025 is now worth…

| Ben McPoland

Our writer has been rooting for Aston Martin shares for years without investing. Is 2026 the year when he takes…

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Businessman hand stacking money coins with virtual percentage icons
Investing Articles

3 top FTSE 100 stocks taking market share

| Ben McPoland

These three FTSE 100 firms have been strengthening their competitive positions in recent years. So which of them do I…

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Workers at Whiting refinery, US
Investing Articles

5 energy shares to consider buying, according to this billionaire investor

| Ben McPoland

Searching for cheap shares to buy that pay dividends? A master investor reckons the following energy stocks are worth a…

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Man thinking about artificial intelligence investing algorithms
Investing Articles

My ISA and SIPP stocks are off to a flyer in 2026!

| Ben McPoland

This writer's portfolio's had a great start to the year but which FTSE 100 stock in his SIPP portfolio is…

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

£20,000 in an ISA? Here’s how that could become £12,300 a year in passive income

| Ben McPoland

Ben McPoland sees this 6.9%-yielding FTSE 250 stock as an excellent candidate for inclusion in a passive income ISA portfolio.

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Fireworks display in the shape of willow at Newcastle, Co. Down , Northern Ireland at Halloween.
Investing Articles

£10,000 invested in Rolls-Royce shares just 1 week ago is now worth…

| Ben McPoland

Rolls-Royce shares demolished the FTSE 100 index in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Is the iconic engine maker on course to…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Down 15%, this S&P 500 stock looks like a buying opportunity to me

| Ben McPoland

Robotaxi disruption fears are keeping a lid on this top S&P 500 stock, presenting a long-term buying opportunity to consider…

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Investing Articles

Here’s the number-1 stock in my ISA and SIPP

| Ben McPoland

After some rejigging, this growth stock's now the largest holding across our writer's ISA and SIPP portfolios. What's so special…

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Three generation family are playing football together in a field. There are two boys, their father and their grandfather.
Investing Articles

Should I add Manchester United to my Stocks and Shares ISA?

| Ben McPoland

Manchester United is once again searching for a new manager. Could this create a buying opportunity for my Stocks and…

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Investing Articles

Should I invest in the S&P 500 or FTSE 100 index?

| Ben McPoland

The FTSE 100 index just enjoyed its best year since 2009, while the S&P 500 also rose by double digits.…

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One English pound placed on a graph to represent an economic down turn
Investing Articles

How much passive income could 1,909 Legal & General shares generate in 2026?

| Ben McPoland

I'm happy with the high-yield dividends that I get from Legal & General shares, but I also want more share…

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

£15,000 invested in Scottish Mortgage shares 12 months ago is now worth…

| Ben McPoland

Scottish Mortgage shares have quietly reached a four-year high. But can they continue heading higher in the FTSE 100 in…

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Investing Articles

This near-monopoly FTSE 100 growth stock has crashed 37%! Time to buy?

| Ben McPoland

Ben McPoland looks at a UK growth stock that has collapsed since November. Is this now a potential FTSE 100…

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

£5,000 invested in Greggs shares at the start of 2023 is worth this now…

| Ben McPoland

Greggs shares slumped in 2025, losing more than a third of their value despite rising company sales. What's going on…

Read more »

Rear view image depicting a senior man in his 70s sitting on a bench leading down to the iconic Seven Sisters cliffs on the coastline of East Sussex, UK. The man is wearing casual clothing - blue denim jeans, a red checked shirt, navy blue gilet. The man is having a rest from hiking and his hiking pole is leaning up against the bench.
Investing Articles

2 ideas for a SIPP or ISA in 2026

| Ben McPoland

Looking for stocks for an ISA or SIPP portfolio? Our writer thinks a FTSE 100 defence giant and fallen pharma…

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Midnight is celebrated along the River Thames in London with a spectacular and colourful firework display.
Investing Articles

Could buying this stock at $13 be like investing in Tesla in 2011?

| Ben McPoland

Tesla stock went on to make early investors a literal fortune. Our writer sees some interesting similarities with this eVTOL…

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Investing Articles

2 top-notch growth shares I want in my Stocks and Shares ISA in 2026

| Ben McPoland

What do a world-famous tech giant and a fast-growing rocket maker have in common? This writer wants them both in…

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Happy young female stock-picker in a cafe
Investing Articles

1 top investment trust to consider from the FTSE 250 

| Ben McPoland

This niche FTSE 250 investment trust offers exposure to one of Asia's fastest growing economies, potentially setting it up for…

Read more »

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

Apple CEO Tim Cook just put $3m into this S&P 500 stock! Time to buy?

| Ben McPoland

One household-name S&P 500 stock has crashed 65% inside five years. Yet Apple's billionaire CEO sees value and has been…

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

£5,000 put into Nvidia stock could be worth this much by next Christmas…

| Ben McPoland

Nvidia stock is set to rise significantly for the sixth calendar year in seven. But does Wall Street see Nvidia…

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Investing Articles

Gold has just smashed record highs and these 3 FTSE stocks are riding the wave

| Ben McPoland

After surging an astonishing 400% in 2025, is this high-flying mining stock still worth checking out in 2026 and beyond?

Read more »