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Alan Oscroft

Alan is a freelance writer who began writing for The Motley Fool in the late 1990s. He has been a private investor for more 30 years, and has explored a number of strategies, settling on high-yielding blue-chip shares.

Recent Articles

Departure & Arrival sign, representing selling and buying in a portfolio
Investing Articles

What next for International Consolidated Airlines (IAG) shares after record 2025 results?

| Alan Oscroft

A strong set of 2025 figures has helped cement an impressive recovery for IAG shares. But we had a worrying…

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DIVIDEND YIELD text written on a notebook with chart
Investing Articles

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to snap up this 11% UK dividend yield?

| Alan Oscroft

Like the idea of a double-digit dividend? Reliable ones don't show up too often, but this one comes with a…

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British pound data
Investing Articles

Falling further on results day, surely WPP shares can’t go much lower?

| Alan Oscroft

It was once the world's biggest advertising agency, but WPP has since been kicked out of the FTSE 100 after…

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

The Rolls-Royce share price has just done it again on results day

| Alan Oscroft

Rolls-Royce has a habit of under-promising and over-delivering on results, and the share price has skyrocketed over five years.

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UK financial background: share prices and stock graph overlaid on an image of the Union Jack
Investing Articles

Could this really be the turning point for Aston Martin shares?

| Alan Oscroft

Investors holding Aston Martin shares have been waiting for a key financial goal. It's only a modest one, and it…

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Close-up of British bank notes
Investing Articles

What next for HSBC shares after expectations-busting results?

| Alan Oscroft

Investors have piled into HSBC shares over the past few years, and the bank has rewarded them with growing profits.…

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Calendar showing the date of 5th April on desk in a house
Investing Articles

Attention! these FTSE 100 shares are growing in Stocks and Shares ISA popularity

| Alan Oscroft

Is AI the friend or enemy of the UK's Stocks and Shares ISA favourites? Here are two that have suffered,…

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Businessman hand stacking money coins with virtual percentage icons
Investing Articles

Standard Chartered shares are tops in FTSE 100 bank growth. These results show why

| Alan Oscroft

After a storming five-year performance, is there still any long-term value left in Standard Chartered shares? Here's why I think…

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Investing Articles

Is the mother of all stock market crashes coming in 2026?

| Alan Oscroft

The headlines are focusing on stock market crash fears again, and after a few years of huge gains some analysts…

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Investing Articles

Why 26 February could be crucial for this UK share trading near 10-year lows

| Alan Oscroft

After a decade of underperformance from this UK share, the company has grasped the painful task and is working hard…

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piggy bank, searching with binoculars
Investing Articles

Why 26 February could be critical for Rolls-Royce shares

| Alan Oscroft

Rolls-Royce shares have certainly not disappointed investors bold enough to buy when they were down. But what does the future…

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

Is this one of the hottest UK stocks to buy for an ISA in March?

| Alan Oscroft

Looking for good-value stocks to buy, this favourite -- with results due in early March -- looks like it could…

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Close-up of children holding a planet at the beach
Investing Articles

Is the only way up for Anglo American shares, after potentially pivotal results?

| Alan Oscroft

Anglo American shares have had a storming 12 months, in anticipation of transformation plans bearing fruit. So what do FY…

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ISA Individual Savings Account
Investing Articles

How much do I need in an ISA for a £1,000 monthly passive income?

| Alan Oscroft

Investing in dividend-paying UK shares can help investors build up a healthy passive income stream in less time than we…

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Array of piggy banks in saturated colours on high colour contrast background
Investing Articles

Here’s how much £5,000 invested in Lloyds shares two years ago is now worth

| Alan Oscroft

Lloyds' shares got a lift from profit gains in 2025, boosted by healthy net interest income. And forecasts suggest there's…

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

Centrica shares plunge on results morning. What should investors do now?

| Alan Oscroft

A fall in UK energy profits gave Centrica shares a bit of a kicking after 2025 results, though the company…

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UK financial background: share prices and stock graph overlaid on an image of the Union Jack
Investing Articles

Can Rio Tinto shares climb further after top-end cash payout for 2025?

| Alan Oscroft

After a storming price rise since last summer, Rio Tinto shares just wobbled a bit now 2025 results are out.…

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Investing Articles

Here’s how much £5,000 invested in NatWest shares 2 years ago is now worth

| Alan Oscroft

What does the future look like for NatWest shares after the high street bank beat expectations with its 2025 results…

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piggy bank, searching with binoculars
Investing Articles

What next for the NatWest share price after a stunning 2025 performance?

| Alan Oscroft

NatWest just ramped up its 2025 dividend and announced a new buyback - but an unimpressed market pushed the share…

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Investing Articles

Attention! These are among the most popular UK passive income stocks right now

| Alan Oscroft

The list of popular passive income stocks is currently well diversified across stock market sectors, but here are a couple…

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Investing Articles

Are high-flying British American Tobacco (BATS) shares still good value on upbeat 2025 results?

| Alan Oscroft

British American (BATS) shares have barely moved despite talk of "full-year delivery at the top end of our guidance" in…

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Lady taking a bottle of Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise from a supermarket shelf
Investing Articles

What next for Unilever shares after positive 2025 results?

| Alan Oscroft

Unilever shares are a popular pick with today's Stocks and Shares ISA investors who are looking for decades-long profit potential.

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Investing Articles

Here’s how much £10,000 invested in Rolls-Royce shares could soon be worth

| Alan Oscroft

Rolls Royce shares are on P/E ratios above 30 for the next couple of years, and that could be good…

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Investing Articles

Attention! Stocks and Shares ISA investors are buying these UK shares right now

| Alan Oscroft

Investors are going for a diverse range for their Stocks and Shares ISA choices as we get close to 5…

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UK financial background: share prices and stock graph overlaid on an image of the Union Jack
Investing Articles

After crashing 65% in a year, is this one of the best UK stocks to buy now?

| Alan Oscroft

Looking for stocks to buy, some investors seek out the pack leaders. But undervalued turnaround stocks can bring home the…

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Businesswoman calculating finances in an office
Investing Articles

What does the Q4 profit surge mean for Barclays shares now?

| Alan Oscroft

Eyes are on Barclays shares as the FTSE 100 bank announces a new £1bn buyback on the back of its…

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Older couple walking in park
Investing Articles

How much do I need in my ISA for a £1,000 monthly passive income?

| Alan Oscroft

Picking high-income stocks in an ISA can be a route to securing long-term passive income. And here's one with a…

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

As the Vodafone share price falls 5% on Q3 update, is it time to buy?

| Alan Oscroft

The latest news from Vodafone has brought the recent share price spike to an end. Here's why it might be…

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

Is the Shell share price still cheap after strong FY results?

| Alan Oscroft

The Shell share price has held up in a year of cheap oil, which brought a progressive dividend rise and…

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Investing Articles

Are these 2 of the best UK stocks to buy in February 2026?

| Alan Oscroft

Investors looking for stocks to buy have a run of important full-year results coming in February. Here are two that…

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Investing Articles

Can this UK growth share really soar 50% or more in 2026? Some experts think so

| Alan Oscroft

Smaller-cap growth shares could be set for a new bull run this year, and analysts have high hopes for this…

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

This FTSE 100 stock could be poised for a whopping 40% growth in 2026, or more

| Alan Oscroft

This potential growth stock has one of the most bullish share price outlooks among analysts out of the entire FTSE…

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

Here’s how much passive income £10,000 in Legal & General shares could generate

| Alan Oscroft

For passive income investors, a well-diversified selection of stocks can even out the risks from individual companies or sectors.

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

Here are 3 signs the stock market might crash in 2026, and what we can do

| Alan Oscroft

How should investors prepare for the chance of a stock market crash in the year ahead? Let's take a look…

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A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

Prediction: analysts think this UK growth stock could soar over 65% in 2026

| Alan Oscroft

We see some impressive growth stock predictions from time to time, but it's rare to find one with a unanimous…

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Stack of British pound coins falling on list of share prices
Investing Articles

Down 7.5% since the peak, has the Rolls-Royce share price collapse started?

| Alan Oscroft

Pundits keep predicting the beginning of the end for the Rolls-Royce share price surge, but they've been wrong every time…

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

Time to buy, as upbeat quarterly results make the easyJet share price rock up and down?

| Alan Oscroft

Can the improving outlook give the easyJet share price a boost in the months ahead, with flight and holiday bookings…

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British coins and bank notes scattered on a surface
Investing Articles

Why no movement for the Lloyds share price after cracking FY results?

| Alan Oscroft

Lloyds Bank beat full-year profit expectations for 2025, raised the annual dividend again, and launched a big new share buyback.

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Investing Articles

Here’s why new profit guidance just gave the Boohoo share price a 7% boost

| Alan Oscroft

The Boohoo Group share price climbed sharply after first-half results, and an upbeat year-end update has given it an extra…

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Investing Articles

Will Tesla be the first stock ever to break the magic $10 trillion barrier?

| Alan Oscroft

Tesla might be the Magnificent 7 stock with the most controversial boss in charge. But can Elon Musk drive a…

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