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Alan Oscroft

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

Investing Articles

How much passive income could I make if I buy BT shares today?

| Alan Oscroft

BT Group shares offer a very tempting dividend right now, way above the FTSE 100 average. But it's far from…

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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

With a 10%+ dividend yield, is this overlooked gem the best FTSE 100 stock to buy now?

| Alan Oscroft

Many a FTSE 100 stock offers a good yield now, although that could change as the index rises. This one…

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Investing Articles

£10k in an ISA? I’d use it to aim for an annual £1k second income

| Alan Oscroft

Want a second income without having to take on a second job? With a bit of money up front, and…

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Investing Articles

Barclays’ share price jumps 5% on Q1 news. Will it soon be too late to buy?

| Alan Oscroft

The Barclays share price has been having a great time this year, as a solid Q1 gives it another boost.…

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Investing Articles

Here’s how I’d aim for a ton of passive income from £20k in an ISA

| Alan Oscroft

To get the best passive income from an ISA, I think we need to balance risk with the potential rewards.…

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

This new boost in assets might just get the abrdn share price moving again

| Alan Oscroft

The abrdn share price has lost half its value in the past five years. But with investor confidence returning, are…

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Bus waiting in front of the London Stock Exchange on a sunny day.
Investing Articles

The top 5 investment trusts to buy in a resurgent UK stock market?

| Alan Oscroft

These were the five most popular investment trusts at Hargreaves Lansdown in April. And they're not the ones I'd have…

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woman sitting in wheelchair at the table and looking at computer monitor while talking on mobile phone and drinking coffee at home
Investing Articles

The smartest dividend stocks to consider buying with £500 right now

| Alan Oscroft

In the past few years, the UK stock market’s been a great place to find dividend stocks paying top yields.…

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Investing Articles

As the FTSE 100 hits an all-time high, are the days of cheap shares coming to an end?

| Alan Oscroft

The signs suggest that confidence and optimism are finally getting the FTSE 100 back on track, as the index hits…

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Middle-aged black male working at home desk
Investing Articles

The Anglo American share price dips on Q1 production update. Time to buy?

| Alan Oscroft

The Anglo American share price has fallen hard in the past two years, after a very tough 2023. But I…

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

Is the Lloyds share price high enough now?

| Alan Oscroft

Fundamental measures suggest the Lloyds Banking Group share price is too low. Here are some reasons why it might stay…

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

As the Rolls-Royce share price falls, has a big correction just started?

| Alan Oscroft

Is the Rolls-Royce share price heading for a 20% fall? Or is there a new 20% rise on the cards?…

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Investing Articles

Here’s what dividend forecasts could do for the Aviva share price

| Alan Oscroft

Even after the turnaround of the past few years, the Aviva share price doesn't seem to want to move very…

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Investing Articles

Here’s what dividend forecasts could do for the BP share price in the next three years

| Alan Oscroft

I can understand why the BP share price is low, as oil's increasingly seen as evil. But BP's a cash…

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Investing Articles

Here’s what dividend forecasts could do for the BT share price in the next 3 years

| Alan Oscroft

With the BT share price down so low, the dividend looks very nice indeed. The company's debt is off-putting, though.…

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Young mixed-race woman jumping for joy in a park with confetti falling around her
Investing Articles

Forecasts are down, but I see a bright future for FTSE 100 dividend stocks

| Alan Oscroft

Cash forecasts for UK dividend stocks are falling... time to panic! Actually, no. I reckon the future has never looked…

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Three signposts pointing in different directions, with 'Buy' 'Sell' and 'Hold' on
Investing Articles

As the Rentokil share price dips on Q1 news, I ask if it’s time to buy

| Alan Oscroft

The Rentokil Initial share price has disappointed investors in the past 12 months. Could this be the year we get…

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

Down 50% in 5 years, this is the FTSE 250 stock I want to buy now

| Alan Oscroft

Think the FTSE 100 is the only place to find top value dividend stocks? I think this FTSE 250 stock…

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Investing Articles

Does a 30% price drop make YouGov one of the best AIM shares to buy now?

| Alan Oscroft

The YouGov share price has fallen by nearly a third in two months. So, does it now make it on…

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Middle-aged black male working at home desk
Investing Articles

Is this news just what the Entain share price needs for a fresh boost?

| Alan Oscroft

The Entain share price has fallen in the past few years. But the latest Q1 update suggests the future is…

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

Here’s why the Vodafone share price could be a big FTSE 100 winner in 2024

| Alan Oscroft

What's the best thing about the Vodafone share price being down so low? When pessimism is at its worst, it…

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Businessman use electronic pen writing rising colorful graph from 2023 to 2024 year of business planning and stock investment growth concept.
Investing Articles

Could the FTSE 100 be set to soar in 2024?

| Alan Oscroft

The FTSE 100 keeps threatening to go off on a growth spree. And weak sentiment keeps holding it back. But…

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Investing Articles

£8,000 in savings? I’d use it as a start to aim for £30k a year in passive income

| Alan Oscroft

Here's how regular investing in the UK stock market, over the long term, could help us build up some nice…

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Electric cars charging in station
Investing Articles

Here’s why I wouldn’t touch Tesla stock with a bargepole

| Alan Oscroft

I think Tesla stock could be a good long-term investment right now, especially in this tough year. But here's why…

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

Here’s why the FTSE 100 is still my top choice for dividend income

| Alan Oscroft

If we invest for long-term dividend income, we surely want to buy stocks on markets with lower values and higher…

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Three signposts pointing in different directions, with 'Buy' 'Sell' and 'Hold' on
Investing Articles

NIO stock has crashed! Here’s why I still wouldn’t touch it with a bargepole

| Alan Oscroft

I've been watching NIO stock falling heavily, and wondering when might be a good time to get in cheaply. Here's…

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Young mixed-race woman jumping for joy in a park with confetti falling around her
Investing Articles

Here’s what dividend forecasts could do for the Lloyds share price in the next three years

| Alan Oscroft

The Lloyds Bank share price is picking up, but banking still look like the sick sector of the stock market,…

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Investing Articles

Is the Rolls-Royce share price heading for a fall?

| Alan Oscroft

I love seeing the Rolls-Royce share price keep on climbing up and up... until it stops. Here, I’m examining valuations…

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Investing Articles

The Helium One share price: is the only way up?

| Alan Oscroft

The Helium One share price has had a bit of a boost from news in 2024. But it's barely started…

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

After rising 11% in March, where will the Barclays share price go in April and beyond?

| Alan Oscroft

Is a new bull run for UK bank stocks finally under way, after a good month? And is the Barclays…

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Investing Articles

Cheap FTSE 250 stocks to consider for a new Stocks and Shares ISA

| Alan Oscroft

Millions of UK investors will be thinking about their 2024 ISAs right now. Here are a few FTSE 250 stocks…

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Investing Articles

I’d invest my 2024 Stocks and Shares ISA in these overlooked FTSE 100 stocks

| Alan Oscroft

I'm searching for long-term ISA investments for 2024, and I've been digging through some unloved FTSE 100 shares.

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Investing Articles

Is Premier African Minerals the best penny stock to buy for 2024?

| Alan Oscroft

The Premier African Minerals share price saw a boom and bust in 2023. But it looks like cash generation could…

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Investing Articles

I’d target £1,000 a month in passive income, from this FTSE 100 value stock

| Alan Oscroft

I aim for passive income through buying good value dividend stocks in my Stocks and Shares ISA. Here's one to…

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

After climbing 20% in March, what next for the IAG share price?

| Alan Oscroft

Warren Buffett has bought airline stocks and sold them too. Looking at the IAG share price, should investors consider buying…

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Investing Articles

Here’s why the Aviva share price climbed 10% in March

| Alan Oscroft

The Aviva share price is off to a good 2024 so far, after posting some upbeat 2023 results. I think…

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Investing Articles

ISA millionaires think the share price makes BP a buy. Are they right?

| Alan Oscroft

A few years ago, most investors seemed to think the BP share price was heading for the floor. And they've…

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Investing Articles

Which is better for our wealth, the BT or Vodafone share price?

| Alan Oscroft

The BT Group share price has moved neck-and-neck with Vodafone in the past five years. But which might make more…

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Investing Articles

If I’d put £10k into Marks & Spencer shares in October 2022, here’s what I’d have now

| Alan Oscroft

It took a long time for the Marks & Spencer recovery to happen, but the shares have soared in the…

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Investing Articles

I think these 3 cheap FTSE 250 stocks could start climbing in April

| Alan Oscroft

If 2024 is the year the FTSE 250 storms ahead, can these three stocks lead the way? There's news from…

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