On top of that, analysts predict a new record for dividends from the top London index this year. They could reach as much as £86bn. And that’s without considering further cash returns from share buybacks.

100% bullish

A look at recommendations for RELX (LSE: REL) shows all 15 out of the 15 brokers I could find with a Buy or Outperform stance on the stock. Those two things essentially mean the same. And their average price target of 3,600p is a full 33% above the price at the time of writing.

RELX went rapidly out of fashion as investors feared the AI revolution could overtake its business, which involves data analytics — specialising in the medical, legal and business sectors.

But at 2025 results time in February, the company reported a 7% rise in revenue, with adjusted operating profit up 9% and earnings per share up 10%. The board lifted the dividend by an inflation-busting 7%.

RELX is in fact using AI to its advantage. CEO Erik Engstrom told us: “The continued evolution of artificial intelligence is enabling us to add more value to our customers, as we embed additional functionality in our products, and to develop and launch products at a faster pace.” He added it “will remain a key driver of customer value and growth in our business for many years to come.“

The AI revolution could also make it easier for competitors to try to steal an edge, so we need to watch for that. But I rate RELX as one to consider for investors looking for real-world profits enhanced by AI.

Earnings growth

AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN) doesn’t inspire quite the same 100% following. But of a list of 24 analysts offering targets, a full 20 of them think we should buy the stock. And only two see it as a Sell.

In this case, we’re looking at a share price that’s had a very solid five years. But that comes on the back of impressive profit growth. Earnings per share (EPS) more than trebled between 2022 and 2025. And analysts predict EPS growth of a further 60% by 2028.

On top of that, they expect net debt to drop from the $23.4bn recorded at the end of 2025, to just $2.4bn over that same timescale.

AstraZeneca has long been on a premium P/E valuation, with a multiple of 26 on the cards for 2026. It could drop to 20 by 2028, which is still above the FTSE 100 long-term average. Would that still be justified? I think a key danger is that the earnings growth cycle might start to fade, and that could drive growth investors away.

Still, we have two stocks here that City analysts think investors should consider buying. I find it impossible to disagree.

The post These are 2 of the hottest FTSE 100 stocks to buy right now, say the experts! appeared first on The Motley Fool UK.

The surge in gold prices over the last few years has been driven by a genuine increase in safe-haven asset demand courtesy of all the geopolitical uncertainty. But there’s also a lot of speculation going on. And it’s why gold prices have become quite volatile in recent weeks, falling by double digits.

And it could be on the verge of falling even further.

If the conflicts in Eastern Europe or the Middle East begin de-escalating, that could be the ultimate catalyst that triggers a commodity sell-off as geopolitical risk drops and investors rush to lock-in their multi-year rally profits.

But that money has to go somewhere. And history shows that the stock market is often the most popular destination. That’s why, with plenty of quality FTSE 100 stocks trading at discounted prices today, I think now’s an excellent time to capitalise on bargains in the pursuit of impressive long-term gains. And with the right moves, it could even pave the way for an earlier retirement.

Why FTSE 100 shares?

In recent years, the UK’s flagship index has delivered far more impressive returns compared to other indices. And a big reason why boils down to the type of companies it contains. Beyond being in primarily defensive sectors, the majority of UK large-cap stocks generate revenue from international markets.

This geographic diversification not only helps reduce risk, but also means that the UK’s notoriously weak economy hasn’t held them back. And this structural advantage is a big reason why the FTSE 100 continues to outpace the FTSE 250 even in 2026.

So which companies should investors be looking at today?

A contrarian April pick

Out of all the FTSE 100 stocks that have taken a tumble recently, RELX (LSE:REL) currently stands out as an interesting potential outlier. Despite the share price getting slashed by almost a third over the last 12 months, the business is actually still delivering impressive results.

AI disruption fears resulted in a lot of panic selling in February. Yet the evidence so far suggests quite the opposite’s happening, with the group’s new AI tools not only attracting new customers, but increasing the spend of existing ones.

Obviously, there’s no guarantee this won’t change. Cheap and cheerful third-party AI data analytics tools are improving. And whether RELX can protect its pricing power against fiercer competition remains to be seen.

Yet with the market shooting first and asking questions later, RELX shares are now trading below even the most pessimistic share price forecasts from institutional analysts.

With that in mind, it’s no surprise that 16 out of 17 analysts now recommend the stock as Buy or Outperform. And it seems even RELX’s management is following this advice with the unveiling of plans to buy back £2.25bn worth of its own shares in 2026 alone.

With the market pricing RELX as if it has already been disrupted despite evidence to the contrary, the risk-to-reward ratio looks quite favourable, in my eyes. And it could even be one of the best shares to buy right now.

So for investors looking for a discounted growth opportunity, RELX could be worth a closer look.

The post I’m ignoring gold and hunting FTSE 100 shares to buy as I aim for an earlier retirement appeared first on The Motley Fool UK.

So let’s break down exactly how much money a portfolio could generate.

Crunching the numbers

Saving £3 a day for investments works out to an average of £91.25 a month. And in 2026, that’s more than enough to kick-start an investing journey.

On average, FTSE shares typically generate close to 8% a year over the long term. So assuming an investor matches this level of return moving forward, how much could drip feeding £91.25 a month eventually be worth?

Well, for those able to keep up this disciplined investing approach for 30 years, the answer’s £135,995.30. And following the 4% withdrawal rule, that translates into a sustainable passive income of £5,439.81.

Obviously, earning an extra £5.5k isn’t going to open the door to a life of endless luxury. But it’s undeniably going to help cover the bare essentials during retirement, as is having a six-figure portfolio for the lowly price of just £3 a day.

So the question now becomes, which FTSE shares are the ones to consider buying in 2026?

A top FTSE pick from the pros

There are plenty of quality compounders across the FTSE universe. But one business that institutional investors have begun eying in April is RELX (LSE:REL).

For years, this data analytics technology business traded at a premium valuation, generating an average return of 12.5% a year in the decade leading up to 2026. But earlier this year, the shares were sold off on fears of potential artificial intelligence (AI) disruption.

It isn’t hard to understand why investors were spooked. After all, accessing RELX’s tools is very expensive, especially compared to some cheap-and-cheerful AI models that are now floating around. But since then, nerves have started to, well, relax. And the FTSE stock has already bounced back over 20% since its February lows.

Experts believe RELX’s proprietary data remains mission-critical for countless businesses, creating a moat that might be much harder to displace. And with the company having already spent several years building its own suite of AI tools, the ‘disruptive’ technology is currently helping the business, not harming it.

Where’s the risk?

Even if cheaper AI tools can’t match RELX’s quality, for everyday basic tasks, these models may prove more than sufficient. And that could translate into fewer RELX subscriptions, undercutting pricing power, and reducing annual recurring revenue generation.

It’s also worth highlighting that while RELX shares are now still much cheaper, relative to earnings, the stock still carries a bit of a premium. And that does open the door to higher volatility that might test the risk tolerances of more conservative investors.

Yet overall, I believe the FTSE stock has been hit by a panic-driven overreaction this year rather than being truly disrupted. That might change over time. But for now, the moat appears to be intact with the company’s nicely positioned to potentially outperform expectations.

So for investors looking for a quality compounder to help build long-term wealth and passive income, RELX shares could be worth mulling.

The post How to invest £3 a day in FTSE shares to target a passive income of £5,439 a year appeared first on The Motley Fool UK.

And now that the Iran war and other wider macroeconomic volatility have pushed several high-conviction names to even more attractive entry points, investors could have a long list of rare buying opportunities to capitalise on.

With that in mind, here are two of the most popular expert stock picks.

1. A deep-value recovery play

First on the list is Barratt Redrow (LSE:BTRW) – the UK’s largest residential housebuilder.

Of the 19 analysts tracking the business, 16 have rated the FTSE 100 stock as either a Buy or Outperform, with only three recommending holding. And when looking at the share price forecasts, even the most pessimistic outlook suggests the stock’s trading at a discounted valuation.

That seems to directly conflict with the government’s housebuilding mandate and incoming planning reforms – a massive tailwind for the business. And when combining this with the firm’s robust balance sheet and ongoing cost synergies already ahead of schedule, it’s no wonder the consensus is bullish.

Despite this positive sentiment, the stock’s been stuck on a downward trajectory for several years now, due to inflationary margin pressure and slow speed of interest rate cuts – both of which now look likely to persist in 2026 due to the conflict in the Middle East.

A lack of confidence in the government’s ability to deliver on its home-building targets is also understandably giving investors some pause. But while there’s no denying the short-term outlook appears murky, the long-term picture seems to support a gradual recovery. And that’s something worth investigating further.

2. Quality compounder at a massive discount

Another top pick from the experts is RELX (LSE:REL). Just like Barratt Redrow, the overwhelming consensus from analysts is bullish, with 15 Buy or Outperform recommendations and only one Hold and one Sell rating as of April.

It’s the same story with analyst share price forecasts, with even the most pessimistic projection suggesting the stock’s undervalued by double digits. So what’s going on here?

As one of the world’s largest proprietary data & analytics providers, RELX found itself caught in the crossfire of the recent AI-disruption sell-off in early February.

Yet despite these concerns, AI’s so far proven to be a tailwind, not a headwind, for this business. And consequently, with the bottom line being driven higher by its own AI tools, the company now trades at its cheapest valuation not seen in years on a price-to-earnings basis.

While the initial sell-off might have been overblown, the jury’s still out on whether RELX can remain competitive in a world of cheap alternative AI-powered data analytics solutions. And with some of the group’s largest end markets like legal research already being targeted, RELX’s margins could come under pressure.

Nevertheless, with an impressive track record of outmanoeuvring competitors, betting against this industry incumbent could prove to be a costly mistake, making it another stock to consider buying in 2026.

The post 2 superb FTSE 100 stocks to buy before the next bull market, according to experts! appeared first on The Motley Fool UK.

Selling shares in moments like this can easily backfire. We’ve seen three shocks in recent years. The pandemic in 2020, the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and last year’s US tariffs. Each time, markets recovered at speed.

FTSE 100 correction

The latest crisis has triggered a correction, with the FTSE 100 falling more than 10%. Housebuilders Persimmon, Berkeley Group Holdings and Barratt Redrow have all crashed by 25%.

The sell-off looked like a classic buying opportunity but I suspect many investors hesitated, fearing worse to come. Yet history shows that moments like these present the best opportunities to buy shares.

Those who’ve held back may be kicking themselves today. The FTSE 100 climbed a meaty 4.57% in the four trading days to Good Friday (3 April). So has the opportunity gone? I don’t think so.

Markets never move in straight lines. There are good days and bad days, both in bull and bear markets. Trying to pinpoint the perfect moment to buy is well nigh impossible. At today’s reduced valuations, plenty of FTSE 100 stocks still look irresistible to me.

RELX is a different story

One top stock has fallen sharply lately and it’s got nothing to do with Iran. Data and analytics specialist RELX (LSE: REL) supplies subscription-based tools to industries including law, insurance, finance and science, helping professionals assess risk, manage compliance and carry out complex research.

It’s a British success story, combining steady growth with several decades steadily rising dividends. Over the last 15 years, they’ve climbed at an average rate of 8.3% a year. But there’s been a shadow hanging over RELX for some time.

When ChatGPT burst onto the scene in late 2023, investors feared generative AI could reduce demand for expensive specialist databases. Those concerns returned with a vengeance in February, when Anthropic launched AI tool Claude for legal teams. The RELX share price plunged and while it’s recovered a little, it’s still down about 35% over 12 months.

On 12 February, RELX reported a healthy 9% increase in underlying operating profit to £3.3bn. But it’s the future investors are worried about. The valuation has come down sharply. The price-to-earnings ratio is now around 19.35, compared with above 30 not long ago. The dividend yield has nudged up to 2.7%.

We still don’t know how big a threat AI will pose, but it could struggle to replicate the depth of RELX’s data and industry relationships. RELX is also fighting back by adding AI functionality to its platform. I think it’s worth considering. As ever, investors should take their own view.

There are always opportunities in the market, whether it’s rising or falling. Today, plenty of FTSE 100 stocks are now trading near a 10-year lows. Which means there’s already a big opportunity out there now. And I wouldn’t be surprised if we got an even bigger one in the days ahead.

The post Are we looking at a once-in-a-decade chance to buy cut-price FTSE 100 shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool UK.

It’s the latter that I’m interested in finding. And luckily, investors with £5,000 are seemingly spoilt for choice for bargain-buying opportunities in 2026.

Here are two stock picks from the pros.

1. Defensive consumer play

The analyst team at Berenberg Bank have largely focused on potential buying opportunities within the UK’s industrials and construction sectors. However, one exception is Britain’s favourite bakery chain, Greggs (LSE:GRG).

Greggs’ shares have been hit hard in recent years. Slowing organic growth and fears of self-cannibalisation has resulted in the FTSE stock being sold off. And yet, this weak sentiment may have been a bit overblown.

While growth did seemingly grind to a halt in early 2025, the company’s performance has steadily been improving since. And it’s being driven by a combination of improving macroeconomic conditions as well as executing its own self-help initiatives.

Internal cost savings are gaining momentum and helping offset the impact of higher wage inflation and input costs. While the company doesn’t foresee a drastic growth turnaround in 2026, the stage is set for a potentially strong rally in the coming years once market conditions improve.

This is why, just last month, the team at Berenberg not only reiterated its Buy recommendation but also issued a 2,090p share price target – 40% higher than where the stock trades today.

2. A near-monopoly data play

Another UK stock near the top of analyst Buy lists right now is RELX (LSE:REL), a global data analytics specialist.

Like Greggs, RELX has also been hit hard by recent selling, especially in early February, when AI disruption fears reached an apex that saw the entire tech sector get sold off. But so far, the contrarian investors who used this weakness as a buying opportunity have already started enjoying double-digit recovery returns.

By spending the last few years building out its own suite of AI tools, RELX has been actively preparing and defending its business against the risk of AI disruption. And the benefits of these efforts are starting to emerge with revenue growth accelerating on the back of demand for its new AI tools.

The jury’s still out on whether RELX can continue to deliver quality compounding gains. After all, it’s not the only data & analytics company investing heavily in this technology. And if rivals can produce superior tools, the recent panic selling might indeed be justified.

But with the stock still trading at a discount to its historical premium, a growing list of institutional analyst teams from JP Morgan, Deutsche Bank, and Barclays are adding the firm to their best stocks ‘To Buy’ list.

What’s the verdict?

Out of these two businesses, RELX looks like it’s the more interesting play right now. Greggs undoubtedly holds some solid recovery potential, but it seems to be more dependent on external market conditions.

By comparison, RELX looks far more in charge of its own destiny. And with a long track record of outpacing expectations, betting against this business feels like a mistake. So for investors with a £5,000 lump sum, RELX shares could be worth mulling.

The post With £5,000 to invest right now, what are the top UK stocks to consider buying? appeared first on The Motley Fool UK.

However, there’s another stock that’s risen more over the past four weeks. The two are like chalk and cheese, so how can this non-energy group be doing so well given the current global uncertainty? Let’s take a closer look.

Who?

The RELX (LSE:REL) share price has been rising steadily.

Today (16 March), shares in the FTSE 100 information and data analytics group are changing hands for 17% more than they were a month ago. Over the same period, BP’s share price is up 16%.

It follows a dramatic fall in early February, when investors sent RELX’s stock price 14% lower on the day that Anthropic announced it had developed an add-on for its Claude artificial intelligence (AI) tool. Although not directly replicating any of the services provided by RELX, there was a fear that it could empower legal teams and disrupt the business models of established companies operating in the sector.

Other data and software stocks also suffered. Since then, a number of observers have come to the defence of the group and the sector in general.

Nvidia’s boss, Jensen Huang, recently said: “I think the markets got it wrong.” He reckons AI agents will rely on the data that these companies own rather than make their products and services obsolete.

Finsbury Growth and Income Trust has significant positions in many data companies, including RELX. Its fund manager, Nick Train, claims they all have “a credible opportunity to bring AI-enhanced services to their customers, an opportunity based on their ownership of data assets that are not available to emerging large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT or Anthropic.”

Huge volumes of proprietary data

And when it comes to data, RELX has lots of it. For example, its Scientific, Technical, and Medical division makes available 105m publications to subscribers. Separately, legal professionals have access to over 200bn documents. The group claims to analyse 130bn transactions annually.

Although impressive, this makes it particularly vulnerable to a cyber attack or data privacy breach.

But at the moment, RELX sees AI as an opportunity to enhance customer value and reduce costs. Indeed, it was spending heavily on AI long before it became fashionable. This has helped drive its key financial measures higher during its past five financial years.

In particular, its focus on business customers — where the emphasis is more on quality than price — has helped it increase its EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation) margin.

And I reckon the recent pullback in the group’s share price could make it an excellent buying opportunity to consider.

Over the past five years, the stock’s average (median) price-to-earnings ratio has been approximately 30. Based on its 2025 earnings per share (EPS) of 112p, it’s now under 23.

Hopefully, the war will end soon. And when it does, energy prices are likely to fall back towards pre-conflict levels. In these circumstances, BP’s share price is probably going to suffer but I’m confident that RELX’s will continue to go in the opposite direction.

The post This FTSE 100 stock has outperformed BP’s shares over the past month! appeared first on The Motley Fool UK.

The billionaire investor has always followed some strict rules of engagement when prices start swinging aggressively. And by following in his footsteps, other investors can aim for a far superior long-term performance.

So what is the secret?

Investing during volatility: Buffett-style

Of all the advice that Buffett’s given over the years, the two most relevant during periods of volatility are arguably:

1. “If a business does well, the stock eventually follows”.
2. “Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing”.

Put simply, investors should worry less about what the stock price is doing and focus entirely on what the underlying business is up to. Only then can an informed decision be made and the risks fully understood.

For new investors, heeding this advice is far easier said than done – not due to a lack of skill, but rather a lack of discipline. After all, anyone who’s just suffered a massive double-digit drop in one of their investments might think it’s mad to buy more when prices are seemingly in freefall.

This scenario’s undoubtedly played out for many RELX (LSE:REL) shareholders of late.

Between the start of 2026 and early February, RELX shares went into freefall, crashing by over 30% in just over a month. Novice investors who didn’t follow Buffett’s advice and sold their shares not only locked in a loss but also subsequently missed out on a 25% rebound that shortly followed.

What happened? And why are RELX shares back on the rise?

The opportunity in volatility

RELX found itself being aggressively sold off following a massive spike in fear that advanced AI models could invalidate the business model of countless software-as-a-service businesses.

It’s certainly a valid long-term concern. But with panic driving the decision-making process, almost every AI-exposed business, including this one, was sold off with prejudice.

It’s only the intelligent investors who took a step back and saw that RELX hasn’t only been preparing against this threat for years, but that its own AI tools have already been driving stronger growth and higher spending from customers.

As such, all of its leading divisions are delivering growth simultaneously with profit margins steadily expanding. And as investor nerves have calmed, more have recognised the initial overreaction, paving the way for a strong recovery rally.

What to watch

Investors seem to have overreacted to the disruption fears in early 2026. But there’s some justified cause for concern. Cheap and cheerful large language models, while seemingly unlikely to obliterate RELX, could nonetheless undercut the firm’s long-term pricing power, with customers opting for cheaper third-party alternatives to handle basic tasks.

With a large chunk of the market already relying on its data, if the group’s ability to charge premium prices diminishes, the result would be steady revenue deceleration, opening the door to challenges later down the line.

Right now, RELX’s business appears to be in a strong position, even if its share price appears weaker and worth considering. And by keeping tabs on where the risk lies, investors can follow in Warren Buffett’s footsteps along their wealth-building journey.

The post As the stock market turns chaotic, here’s Warren Buffett’s advice appeared first on The Motley Fool UK.

Energy giants are also thriving. With oil pushing towards $100 a barrel and some analysts talking about $150 or even $200, BP and Shell are up 15% over the month. They rank third and fourth among the top performers.

RELX shares are racing back

Yet all three trail the month’s real winner. Step forward RELX (LSE: REL), the data and analytics specialist whose shares have jumped 26% in just four weeks. It’s an eye-catching rally for a company that only recently sat at the centre of a fierce debate about artificial intelligence. But can its surge last?

RELX has been a super FTSE 100 success story. The group supplies specialist data, analytics, and research tools to industries including law, insurance, finance, and science. Its databases and software help professionals analyse risk, manage compliance, and carry out complex research.

That steady flow of subscription revenue helped turn RELX into a top 10 London-listed company, with a market value of roughly £65bn at its peak. The shares delivered a blend of reliable growth and rising income.

But when ChatGPT burst onto the scene in late 2023, investors feared powerful generative AI tools might replace expensive specialist databases. If chatbots could instantly answer complex questions, would companies still pay for RELX’s services?

The concern faded after management argued that its vast datasets would remain valuable and new AI tools could make them even more powerful. But when US company Anthropic released an AI-powered productivity tool for companies’ in-house legal teams in February, investors panicked again. Despite the recent jump, they’re still down 30% over 12 months.

Strong numbers steady nerves

Confidence strengthened after RELX reported solid results on 12 February. Underlying operating profit rose 9% to £3.3bn. Management reported strong demand across most divisions. It also stressed that it’s building more AI functionality into its platforms while keeping cost growth below revenue growth. A £2.25bn share buyback across 2026 helped fuel the recovery.

Despite the rally, the shares remain cheaper than they were. The price-to-earnings ratio now sits around 20. Not long ago it traded above 30. The dividend yield has edged up to 2.6%.

AI is evolving rapidly and it’s impossible to know exactly how big a threat it poses. RELX believes its data depth and industry relationships give it strong protection. Fewer hallucinations too, I would imagine.

The RELX rally appears to have eased, so bargain seekers may have missed the point of maximum opportunity. I still think it’s worth considering for those who believe AI will struggle to replicate RELX’s specialist data. But I also fear AI will continue to cast a shadow, and we may see further panics, as new software is released.

RELX remains an impressive business, but I’m wary. Plenty of other beaten-down companies are trading at tempting valuations in today’s volatile market. I’ll focus my efforts on them instead.

The post Up 26% in a month and it’s not BP or BAE Systems! Check out the month’s biggest FTSE 100 winner appeared first on The Motley Fool UK.

The company in question is RELX (LSE: REL), which provides analytics tools to the finance, legal, and scientific industries. Its shares climbed almost 4% in the last turbulent week and are up nearly 17% over the month. The only FTSE 100 stock to do better in that time is Schroders, its shares boosted by a US takeover.

RELX has also been under pressure after markets decided artificial intelligence might swallow its business model and spit out the bones. The release of an AI-powered productivity tool for companies’ in-house legal teams by US firm Anthropic hammered UK data and analytics stocks across the board. Pearson, Informa, Experian, and London Stock Exchange Group all plunged.

The big concern is that AI could render their proprietary software redundant.

RELX shares are climbing

This isn’t the first wave of AI anxiety to hit the sector. During the initial panic in 2023, companies argued they could turn the technology to their advantage by incorporating AI into their platforms. This time, they’re arguing that AI simply cannot replace the extensive proprietary data they hold. Instead, they argue it relies on it.

For now, bargain hunters appear to be outnumbering panic sellers, and the sector is staging a tentative recovery. RELX in particular has bounced back strongly.

So far, I’ve been sitting this one out. I simply don’t have the technical knowledge to judge how serious the AI threat really is. I’m guessing it’s been overplayed, as in my experience AI simply cannot be relied upon. But I’m concerned that even the possibility of disruption could cast a shadow over the RELX share price.

Profits and revenue climb again

The company published a strong set of full-year results on 12 February, with adjusted operating profit up 9% to £3.3bn and underlying revenue climbing 7% to £9.6bn. To soothe worried shareholders, the board increased the full-year dividend by 7% and announced a higher £2.25bn share buyback for 2026.

The issue is that those results relate to last year, when AI didn’t appear to pose such a direct threat. Investors are worrying about the future. Yet many can also see a buying opportunity here, and are hungry to take advantage, even in the midst of today’s market volatility.

Despite the recovery, the RELX share price is still down around 30% over the last year. Its price-to-earnings ratio has fallen from above 30 to roughly 20. By recent standards, that’s like a bargain. I’ve waited three years for this opportunity. There’s a problem though.

RELX feels like a binary bet. I’m sorely tempted to buy the shares, and think they’re worth considering for brave investors. Yet right now, my focus is on FTSE 100 stocks that have been hammered by the current crisis. They face the same broader market risks as everyone else, but without the specific worry facing RELX. I might kick myself though.

The post Is this red-hot FTSE 100 recovery stock a screaming buy today? appeared first on The Motley Fool UK.