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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

Businesswoman calculating finances in an office
Investing Articles

This top FTSE 100 dividend stock may increase shareholder returns further

| Simon Watkins

Down 20%, but under pressure to increase shareholder returns, with good financials and growth plans, is it time to buy…

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Man putting his card into an ATM machine while his son sits in a stroller beside him.
Investing Articles

The FTSE 100 bank that yielded 11% in 2022 and is set for growth

| Simon Watkins

With a government stake, balance sheet strength, stellar dividends, and exciting growth prospects, this FTSE 100 bank looks a bargain…

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Affectionate Asian senior mother and daughter using smartphone together at home, smiling joyfully
Investing Articles

Down 10% this year, the Aviva share price looks like a FTSE 100 bargain

| Simon Watkins

A non-core business divestment, a new pensions deal and one of the strongest rates of return in its sector make…

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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

This FTSE 100 stock offers dividends and growth and looks a bargain

| Simon Watkins

FTSE 100 stock Rio Tinto has lost over 20%, but operational strength, dividends, and changing commodities markets make me think…

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Engineer Project Manager Talks With Scientist working on Computer
Investing Articles

Is now the time to buy this FTSE 100 outperformer on the dip?

| Simon Watkins

AstraZeneca shares have dipped from their previous high this year, but a new deal highlights that now might be the…

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Businesswoman calculating finances in an office
Investing Articles

After its housing pullback, is this star dividend stock a stronger buy?

| Simon Watkins

Legal & General’s pullback in its housing business is a major positive for me, adding to the appeal of its…

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White female supervisor working at an oil rig
Investing Articles

The Shell share price is down 5%+. Is now the time to buy?

| Simon Watkins

Stellar Q1 results, extended bumper rewards for shareholders and great growth prospects make the Shell share price look like a…

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

Down 10%+ this year, the BP share price looks like a true bargain

| Simon Watkins

Stellar results, big deals in its fossil fuels and clean energy ops, plus great trading capabilities make the BP share…

Read more »

Businesswoman calculating finances in an office
Investing Articles

Down 10%, new deal highlights major Aviva share price upside potential

| Simon Watkins

New pensions deals, a streamlining of its businesses, and a bumper year for shareholder rewards highlight the upside potential of…

Read more »

Young female couple boarding their plane at the airport to go on holiday.
Investing Articles

Down 75% since Covid, is the IAG share price set to soar again?

| Simon Watkins

Lower oil prices, a weaker dollar, strong quarterly results, and possible takeovers may cause the IAG share price to soar…

Read more »

Petrochemical engineer working at night with digital tablet inside oil and gas refinery plant
Investing Articles

The Gulf Keystone Petroleum (GKP) share price is down 40% this year, so is it time to buy?

| Simon Watkins

The Gulf Keystone Petroleum (GKP) share price has fallen as uncertainty rises for independent oil and gas firms in the…

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Man putting his card into an ATM machine while his son sits in a stroller beside him.
Investing Articles

With stellar results but down 5% this year, are HSBC shares cheap?

| Simon Watkins

HSBC shares have rallied 5% on today’s stellar results but they're still down on the year, so are they cheap…

Read more »

A GlaxoSmithKline scientist uses a microscope
Investing Articles

Is this star FTSE 100 stock set for take-off after Q1 results surprise?

| Simon Watkins

GSK is a star FTSE 100 stock whose price has fallen over 15% in the past year, but its Q1…

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Affectionate Asian senior mother and daughter using smartphone together at home, smiling joyfully
Investing Articles

With a 7% dividend but down 15%, the abrdn share price looks cheap

| Simon Watkins

The abrdn share price is down 15%. But it's making great progress on a new development plan, including a deal…

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Investing Articles

10%+ dividend yield! The blue-chip high-yield stock going cheap

| Simon Watkins

High-yield stock M&G is well-regulated, has solid fundamentals, is seeing huge client fund inflows and, down 10% this year, looks…

Read more »

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

After a 5% drop this year, the Shell share price looks very cheap

| Simon Watkins

The Shell share price has fallen over 5% this year, despite record profits in 2022, rising oil and gas prices,…

Read more »

White female supervisor working at an oil rig
Investing Articles

This FTSE 100 dividend star still looks a major bargain

| Simon Watkins

FTSE 100 dividend star BP is down around 5% in 2023, but a bullish oil price outlook and investment in…

Read more »

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

After a 5% price drop, is now the time to buy National Grid shares?

| Simon Watkins

National Grid shares have fallen 5% in 12 months, despite it being the UK’s monopoly electricity transmissions network. Is it…

Read more »

submarine
Investing Articles

Will BAE Systems shares go stratospheric on new orders?

| Simon Watkins

New F-35 jet orders, added to a huge order book, global security uncertainty and rising dividends, make BAE Systems shares…

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Mature friends at a dinner party
Investing Articles

Improving fundamentals makes dividend star Persimmon shares look cheap

| Simon Watkins

An improving economic backdrop in the UK for housebuilders and their enduring high yield make Persimmon shares look cheap for…

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The Milky Way at night, over Porthgwarra beach in Cornwall
Investing Articles

After a 10% drop in price, is this star high-yield stock a bargain now?

| Simon Watkins

A renewed focus on improving core business profitability and delivering increased shareholder returns means for me this high-yield stock may…

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Man putting his card into an ATM machine while his son sits in a stroller beside him.
Investing Articles

UK bank shares still look cheap after SVB and Credit Suisse fallout

| Simon Watkins

UK bank shares are still trading lower after the SVB and Credit Suisse failures, but they are stronger than in…

Read more »

Happy young plus size woman sitting at kitchen table and watching tv series on tablet computer
Investing Articles

Shifting fundamentals and stellar dividend to boost Glencore’s share price

| Simon Watkins

Glencore’s share price should reflect one of the top dividends in the Footsie, and for me business fundamentals are also…

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

Three reasons to buy Lloyds’ shares at a bargain price right now

| Simon Watkins

Lloyds’ shares have fallen on a broad drop in banking stocks but there are three key reasons for me why…

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Front view photo of a woman using digital tablet in London
Investing Articles

This star dividend share still looks a bargain

| Simon Watkins

Legal & General’s stellar 2022 results, its sound fundamentals and its ongoing commitment to shareholders make this a must-buy dividend…

Read more »

Edinburgh Cityscape with fireworks over The Castle and Balmoral Clock Tower
Investing Articles

Time to buy this FTSE 100 high-flier at a bargain price

| Simon Watkins

With a booming US business, megaproject growth outlook, and expectations for higher-than-forecast FY results, it's time for me to buy…

Read more »

Young Caucasian woman with pink her studying from her laptop screen
Investing Articles

Smith+Nephew shares: huge growth stock potential?

| Simon Watkins

Smith+Nephew’s 2022 results showing revenues up and a commitment to margin expansion and product innovation highlight the company's growth stock…

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Happy young plus size woman sitting at kitchen table and watching tv series on tablet computer
Investing Articles

This income stock looks a bargain as profits and dividends soar

| Simon Watkins

The shares in this income stock plunged on its 2022 results, but profits and dividends soared, another buyback is planned…

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2022 new year concept image
Investing Articles

Bad 2022 results batter Barclays share price — but now it may be a bargain

| Simon Watkins

Barclays’ share price tanked on its 2022 results, but much of the bad news was already known and the outlook…

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