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Simon Watkins

After graduating from Oxford University with BA (Hons) and MA (Hons) degrees, Simon Watkins worked for several years as a Forex trader and salesman, becoming Head of Forex Institutional Sales for Credit Lyonnais, and then Director of Forex at Bank of Montreal. He then became a financial journalist, including positions as Head of Weekly Publications, Managing Editor and Chief Writer of Business Monitor International, Head of Global Fuel Oil Products for Platts, and Global Managing Editor of Research and Vice President of Renaissance Capital investment bank in Moscow. He has written extensively on the oil market and other commodities markets, Forex, equities, bonds, economics and geopolitics for many publications, including The Financial Times, Euromoney, Financial Times Capital Insights, OilPrice, NewsBase, Risk.net, and FTSE Global Markets. In addition, he has worked as an investment and risk consultant for major hedge funds in London, New York, Moscow, and Dubai, and regularly appears as an oil and financial markets expert on various international television networks, including the BBC, and Al Jazeera. Simon has also written eight best-selling books on the global financial markets and financial markets trading, all of which are available from Amazon, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and Blackwells, among others.

Recent Articles

Passive income text with pin graph chart on business table
Investing Articles

£9,000 in savings? Here’s how I’d target a £14,616 annual passive income with M&G shares!

| Simon Watkins

Big passive income can be generated over time with 9.5%-yielding M&G shares, especially if the dividends paid are used to…

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Happy parents playing with little kids riding in box
Investing Articles

A 9.7%-yielding FTSE 100 dividend gem that could create generational wealth

| Simon Watkins

A sizeable investment pot that can be passed onto the next generation could be built with much smaller investments over…

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Arrow symbol glowing amid black arrow symbols on black background.
Investing Articles

Down 5%, Glencore’s share price looks a serious bargain to me now

| Simon Watkins

Glencore’s share price looks undervalued to me, supported by strong earnings growth prospects and the potential resumption of extra shareholder…

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Exterior of BT head office - One Braham, London
Investing Articles

As it dips to £1.40, BT’s share price looks an exceptional bargain to me

| Simon Watkins

BT’s share price looks extremely undervalued to me, with an infrastructure expansion programme going to plan, and a good dividend…

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Hydrogen testing at DLR Cologne
Investing Articles

Rolls-Royce’s share price has dropped 7%, so is it time for me to buy?

| Simon Watkins

Rolls-Royce’s share price looks very undervalued to me, with strong business growth prospects, and an investment-grade rating adding to the…

Read more »

National Grid engineers at a substation
Investing Articles

How much passive income can I make from 646 National Grid shares?

| Simon Watkins

National Grid shares have a high yield that can generate sizeable passive income over time, especially if the dividends are…

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Satellite on planet background
Investing Articles

As BAE Systems’ share price dips 10%, is it time for me to buy more?

| Simon Watkins

BAE Systems’ share price has dropped since June, but the defence sector still looks robust, and the firm’s shares appear…

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Passive income text with pin graph chart on business table
Investing Articles

£9,000 in savings? Here’s how I’d try to turn that into £916 a month of passive income!

| Simon Watkins

Putting money into high-dividend-paying shares and compounding the returns can transform relatively small investments into big passive income over time.

Read more »

Long-term vs short-term investing concept on a staircase
Investing Articles

Is this undervalued high-yield FTSE stock an unmissable passive income opportunity?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 heavyweight looks very undervalued to me, has strong growth prospects, and pays a high dividend that can…

Read more »

Person holding magnifying glass over important document, reading the small print
Investing Articles

Are Aviva shares a screaming buy right now?

| Simon Watkins

Aviva’s shares look very undervalued to me, with business prospects strong, and the firm paying a high dividend to generate…

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A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

A 9.5% yield but down 14%! Time for me to buy more of this dazzling FTSE 100 gem?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 investment management firm pays one of the highest yields in the index, has strong growth prospects, and…

Read more »

Two white male workmen working on site at an oil rig
Investing Articles

Can BP’s refocus on oil and gas production turbocharge its share price?

| Simon Watkins

BP’s share price has lagged behind its peers that have concentrated fully on oil and gas, but now it too…

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Satellite on planet background
Investing Articles

Is this the best growth share prospect in the FTSE 250?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 250 technology firm has close ties to the Ministry of Defence, has seen huge growth in its order…

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

1,453 HSBC shares could make me £14,832 a year in passive income!

| Simon Watkins

HSBC shares look very undervalued to me, given good growth prospects for the bank, and a projected high yield that…

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Arrow symbol glowing amid black arrow symbols on black background.
Investing Articles

£9,000 in savings? Here’s how I’d aim to turn it into an £11,932 annual passive income with Legal & General shares

| Simon Watkins

Legal & General shares have one of the highest yields in the FTSE 100. They can generate big passive income…

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Passive income text with pin graph chart on business table
Investing Articles

How I’d use £5 a day to start building passive income for life

| Simon Watkins

Investing small amounts regularly in high-yielding, high-quality shares and then reinvesting the dividends can make big passive income over time.

Read more »

A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

A 9.9% dividend yield! Is this hidden FTSE passive income gem too good to miss?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 insurance and investment firm has one of the highest yields in the index, looks set for stellar…

Read more »

Side of boat fuelled by gas to liquids, advertising Shell GTL Fuel
Investing Articles

Shell’s share price is still down from its 12-month high, so should I buy more?

| Simon Watkins

Shell’s share price looks cheap compared to its peers, supported as it is by high profits, increased earnings forecasts and…

Read more »

Person holding magnifying glass over important document, reading the small print
Investing Articles

A 9.5% yield but down 11%! Is this overlooked FTSE 100 stock an unmissable bargain?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 heavyweight pays one of the highest dividends in the index, looks extremely undervalued to me, and has…

Read more »

Finger clicking a button marked 'Buy' on a keyboard
Investing Articles

At £28, this FTSE 250 gem still looks 70% undervalued to me

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 250 food retailer overtook McDonald’s as the UK’s top takeaway breakfast provider, is set for strong growth and…

Read more »

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

Is this high-yield FTSE superstar also one of its biggest bargains?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE heavyweight looks very undervalued to me, despite soaring profits last year and paying a high dividend that's forecast…

Read more »

Person holding magnifying glass over important document, reading the small print
Investing Articles

1 dividend star I’d buy over Lloyds shares without hesitation

| Simon Watkins

This high-yielding FTSE 100 star is more undervalued than Lloyds shares, has better growth forecasts, and can make much higher…

Read more »

Passive income text with pin graph chart on business table
Investing Articles

Here’s how I’d aim to turn £20,000 in savings into £29,919 a year of passive income!

| Simon Watkins

A high annual passive income can be made over the long term by making smaller investments in the right shares…

Read more »

Jumbo jet preparing to take off on a runway at sunset
Investing Articles

Down 70%+ since 2020, is IAG’s share price an unmissable bargain?

| Simon Watkins

IAG’s share price is still down around 73% from its pre-Covid level, but with the business performing well last year,…

Read more »

A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

£17,000 of shares in the FTSE 100 dividend giant can make me £18,874 every year in passive income!

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 dividend superstar has an 8.8% yield with dividends projected to rise. It looks very undervalued to me…

Read more »

Female Tesco employee holding produce crate
Investing Articles

Is Tesco’s share price still a bargain after rising 26% over a year?

| Simon Watkins

Recent results show Tesco is still growing its leading market share, and despite its share price gains this year, it…

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Artillery rocket system aimed to the sky and soldiers at sunset.
Investing Articles

Is this FTSE 250 gem the next big thing in defence sector shares?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 250 defence firm was founded by the MoD, has seen its order book and profits swell, and is…

Read more »

Arrow symbol glowing amid black arrow symbols on black background.
Investing Articles

A 10.9% yield but down 14%! £11,000 in this FTSE dividend superstar could make me £26,716 in annual passive income

| Simon Watkins

This insurance giant has one of the highest yields in any FTSE index, looks set for strong growth, and appears…

Read more »

GSK scientist holding lab syringe
Investing Articles

Down 11%, is GSK’s share price an unmissable bargain right now?

| Simon Watkins

GSK’s share price is down on legal uncertainty over its Zantac drug, but this only makes it more of a…

Read more »

Passive income text with pin graph chart on business table
Investing Articles

How much passive income would I make from just £1,000 invested in this FTSE 100 dividend gem?

| Simon Watkins

Investing a relatively small amount in high-yielding stocks and reinvesting the dividends paid can generate significant passive income over time.

Read more »

Abstract bull climbing indicators on stock chart
Investing Articles

Glencore’s share price has dropped 11% in a month, so is it time for me to buy the dip?

| Simon Watkins

Glencore’s share price looks undervalued to me and the business seems set for strong growth as China's commodities demand rebounds…

Read more »

A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

Is this FTSE 100 passive income superstar also its best bargain right now?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 gem still looks to me like one of the best bargains in the index. It appears very…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Investing £5 a day in this dividend giant can make me a £14,067 annual second income!

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 high-yield star can make me a major second income, supported by a strong business outlook and an…

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Arrow symbol glowing amid black arrow symbols on black background.
Investing Articles

As BAE Systems’ share price heads towards £14, is there any value left in it?

| Simon Watkins

BAE Systems’ share price has soared since Russia invaded Ukraine, but it still looks very undervalued and has great growth…

Read more »

Bronze bull and bear figurines
Investing Articles

Which is the better bank buy right now: Lloyds shares or HSBC?

| Simon Watkins

HSBC pays a much higher yield than Lloyds shares, has much more value left in its share price, and doesn't…

Read more »

Long-term vs short-term investing concept on a staircase
Investing Articles

If I invest £17,000 in Aviva shares, how much passive income could I make?

| Simon Watkins

Aviva shares look very undervalued currently and could make me big passive income over time, particularly if the dividends are…

Read more »

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

Can I really make this much passive income from £11,000 invested in this FTSE dividend superstar?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 dividend giant pays big dividends that can make me very high passive income over time, especially if…

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Passive income text with pin graph chart on business table
Investing Articles

£11,000 in savings? Here’s how I’d aim to turn that into a £28,220 annual passive income!

| Simon Watkins

Reinvesting the dividends from high-yielding stocks into more of those shares can generate big passive income over time from much…

Read more »

Rolls-Royce's Pearl 10X engine series
Investing Articles

Even around £4.60, Rolls-Royce shares still look extremely undervalued to me

| Simon Watkins

Despite their stellar price rise, Royce-Royce shares are still undervalued on key metrics and could go much higher on continued…

Read more »

Two white male workmen working on site at an oil rig
Investing Articles

BP’s share price is down 18% since October, so is it time for me to buy the dip?

| Simon Watkins

BP’s share price drop makes it look even more undervalued to me, especially with solid growth forecasts and increased rewards…

Read more »