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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

£10,000 in savings? Here’s how I’d try to turn that into £503 a month of passive income!

| Simon Watkins

Reinvesting the dividends paid from high-yielding stocks into more of those shares can generate significant passive income over time.

Read more »

Satellite on planet background
Investing Articles

Will I lose out if I don’t buy more of this superstar FTSE 100 growth stock?

| Simon Watkins

Despite tripling in value in 10 years, this FTSE 100 stock is still undervalued against its peers and is a…

Read more »

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

With Shell’s share price down 12%, is now the time for me to buy more?

| Simon Watkins

Shell’s share price is undervalued against its peers, and it remains very well-positioned to benefit from the gradual transition to…

Read more »

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

A 9.7% yield but down 28%! Time for me to buy this hidden FTSE gem?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 heavyweight yields 9.7%, is very undervalued against its peers, and made a reported operating profit of £5.9bn…

Read more »

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

£9,500 in savings? Here’s how I’d try to turn that into £535 a month of passive income

| Simon Watkins

Relatively small investments in high-yielding stocks can grow exponentially through the power of dividend compounding into significant passive income.

Read more »

A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

Is this dividend giant the best bargain in the FTSE 100?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 investment manager is very undervalued against its peers, has high growth potential, and pays a stunning 8.7%…

Read more »

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

This 8.5%-yielding FTSE 250 dividend giant looks like a hidden gem to me

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 250 investment firm yields 8.5% and having been recently demoted from the FTSE 100 also looks undervalued compared…

Read more »

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

A 9.6% yield but down 18%! Time for me to buy more of this FTSE gem?

| Simon Watkins

This insurance firm pays one of the highest dividends in the FTSE 100 and recently upgraded its cash generation targets…

Read more »

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 £531 a month of passive income

| Simon Watkins

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

Read more »

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

With BP’s share price down 18%, is now the time for me to buy more?

| Simon Watkins

BP’s share price doesn't appear to reflect its earnings potential and balanced energy transition strategy, leaving it very undervalued against…

Read more »

Chalkboard representation of risk versus reward on a pair of scales
Investing Articles

A 6.9% yield but down 15%! Should I buy this FTSE 100 stock for 2024?

| Simon Watkins

This heavyweight FTSE 100 stock looks set for major earnings growth, pays high dividends and appears very undervalued compared to…

Read more »

Aviva logo on glass meeting room door
Investing Articles

Is the Aviva share price still too cheap to ignore?

| Simon Watkins

Aviva’s share price is still down 8% from its year high but the firm offers high growth prospects for the…

Read more »

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

£8,000 of savings? Here’s how I’d try to turn that into £565 a month of passive income

| Simon Watkins

Reinvesting the dividends paid from high-yielding stocks into more of those shares can generate significant passive income over time.

Read more »

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

Is this the best bargain in the FTSE 100 right now?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 company has bounced back to profit after four tough years and now looks very undervalued compared to…

Read more »

2024 year number handwritten on a sandy beach at sunrise
Investing Articles

1 dividend giant I’d buy over Lloyds shares for 2024

| Simon Watkins

Looking ahead to 2024, Lloyds shares still look like a good buy to me, but I think another high-yielding dividend…

Read more »

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

A 10% yield but down 32%! Is this FTSE stock now too cheap to ignore?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 stock pays some of the highest dividends in the index and is very undervalued compared to its…

Read more »

2024 year number handwritten on a sandy beach at sunrise
Investing Articles

One dividend giant I’d buy over Aviva shares for 2024

| Simon Watkins

Heading into 2024, Aviva shares still look like a good buy to me, but I think right now another high-yielding…

Read more »

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

Time for me to buy more as Shell’s share price dips 10% on oil prices?

| Simon Watkins

Shell’s share price looks very undervalued compared to its peers, and it remains well-positioned in both the fossil fuel and…

Read more »

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

Is FTSE 100 firm Legal & General a no-brainer stock for dividend investors in 2024?

| Simon Watkins

Down 11% this year, but with a high yield, and undervalued compared to its peers, this FTSE 100 stock looks…

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

An 8.4% yield but down 27%! This FTSE 250 hidden gem looks cheap to me

| Simon Watkins

Recently demoted to the FTSE 250, this high-quality business has good growth prospects, pays big dividends, and is undervalued compared…

Read more »

2024 year number handwritten on a sandy beach at sunrise
Investing Articles

Better FTSE bank buy for 2024: NatWest or Lloyds?

| Simon Watkins

Both of these heavyweight FTSE shares look like good potential buys to me, but one looks like an especially attractive…

Read more »

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

£6,000 of savings? Here’s how I’d try to turn that into £515 a month of passive income

| Simon Watkins

Reinvesting the dividends paid from high-yielding stocks into more high-paying shares can generate significant passive income over time.

Read more »

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

Should I buy this fallen FTSE 100 passive income star for 2024?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 heavyweight pays high dividends, looks very undervalued, and should benefit from China’s ongoing recovery in 2024.

Read more »

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

One dividend giant I’d buy over Aviva shares

| Simon Watkins

Aviva shares still look a good buy to me, but I think right now another high-yielding dividend stock looks even…

Read more »

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

Is this hidden passive income gem the best bargain in the FTSE now?

| Simon Watkins

This heavyweight FTSE 100 firm is undervalued compared to its peers on three key measures, is strong in the commodities…

Read more »

A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

£12,000 of savings? Here’s how I’d try and turn that into £547 a month of passive income

| Simon Watkins

Reinvesting the dividends paid from high-yielding stocks into more high-paying shares can generate significant passive income over time.

Read more »

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

A 9.6% yield but down 11%! This FTSE 100 stock looks cheap to me

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 financial stock looks poised for growth, is undervalued to its peer group, and pays a whopping yield…

Read more »

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

Is Shell’s share price set to soar on OPEC cuts and new fields?

| Simon Watkins

Shell’s share price is undervalued compared to its peers, but ongoing cuts in oil supply and new oil and gas…

Read more »

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

An 8.5% yield but down 15%! This FTSE 100 gem looks cheap to me

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 firm was hit by a crisis that never was, but its shares are still marked down, despite…

Read more »

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

£10,000 of savings? Here’s how I’d try and turn that into £537 a month of passive income

| Simon Watkins

Reinvesting the dividends paid from high-yielding stocks into more high-paying shares can generate significant passive income over time.

Read more »

Branch of NatWest bank
Investing Articles

Down 34%! Is this FTSE 100 heavyweight now just too cheap to ignore?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 stock was battered on fears of a crisis that never happened and on another of its own…

Read more »

White female supervisor working at an oil rig
Investing Articles

Down 15%! Is the BP share price now too cheap to ignore?

| Simon Watkins

The BP share price now looks very undervalued to its peers, ignoring the fact that the company remains a huge…

Read more »

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

I’d aim for £1m from £446 a month invested in high-yield FTSE shares

| Simon Watkins

With just 20% of the UK average salary invested monthly in high-yield FTSE stocks, a £1m portfolio can be built…

Read more »

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

£7,500 of savings? Here’s how I’d turn that into £594 a month of passive income!

| Simon Watkins

Investing the average UK savings account balance in carefully selected high-yielding FTSE 100 stocks could make me £594 a month…

Read more »

Investor looking at stock graph on a tablet with their finger hovering over the Buy button
Investing Articles

Is this the best bargain in the FTSE 100?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 commodities trading giant looks undervalued to its peers and pays a very healthy dividend to generate high…

Read more »

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

An 8.9% yield but down 31%! This FTSE 250 stock looks cheap to me

| Simon Watkins

FTSE 250 investment manager abrdn saw an automatic devaluation when it was relegated from the FTSE 100 but it looks…

Read more »

Middle-aged white man wearing glasses, staring into space over the top of his laptop in a coffee shop
Investing Articles

A 7.7% yield but down 18%! This FTSE gem looks cheap to me

| Simon Watkins

This high-yielding FTSE heavyweight already looks good value and could surge if China’s economic recovery continues.

Read more »

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

10%+ yield! Should I buy more Phoenix Group shares for passive income?

| Simon Watkins

Phoenix Group belongs to an elite group of FTSE 100 shares that yield over 10% and it's underpinned by a…

Read more »

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

Time for me to buy more of this FTSE 100 star after Q3 results?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 oil and gas giant looks undervalued to me from several perspectives and is still 5% lower than…

Read more »

A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

A 9.9% yield but down 14%! This FTSE hidden gem looks a bargain to me

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE investment manager has high growth potential, is undervalued to its peers, and pays a stunning 9.9% yield.

Read more »