Twelfth Magpie Premium
  1. Authors
    2. /
  2. Ben McPoland
    3. /

Ben McPoland

Ben is an investment writer who has published thousands of articles. He has been managing his own ISA and SIPP portfolios for over a decade, focusing on high-quality companies benefitting from powerful growth trends. His favourite investing quote comes from Peter Lynch: “The real key to making money in stocks is not to get scared out of them.”

Recent Articles

Solar panels fields on the green hills
Investing Articles

This ultra-high-yield UK stock just cut its dividend by 50%! Time to buy?

| Ben McPoland

Normally a dividend stock cutting its payout in half is a sign to run for the hills. But does the…

Read more »

Thoughtful man using his phone while riding on a train and looking through the window
Investing Articles

Will the Iran war cause a stock market crash? Here’s what history says

| Ben McPoland

History offers some reassurance to investors when it comes to geopolitical events and stock market crashes. Ben McPoland explains more.

Read more »

Young Black woman using a debit card at an ATM to withdraw money
Investing Articles

Meet the FTSE 100’s newest bank stock

| Ben McPoland

This FTSE 250 stock has skyrocketed nearly 900% over the past 60 months, earning it a place in the prestigious…

Read more »

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

This growth stock just rocketed 43% in my ISA! What the heck is going on?

| Ben McPoland

Despite surging 43% yesterday, this growth stock remains 65% lower than it was just five months ago. Is it worth…

Read more »

A rear view of a female in a bright yellow coat walking along the historic street known as The Shambles in York, UK which is a popular tourist destination in this Yorkshire city.
Investing Articles

£210 drip-fed into this 6.8%-yielding UK stock could lead to a £1,000 second income 

| Ben McPoland

This FTSE 100 dividend stock has slumped nearly 11% inside two weeks, making it a worthy candidate to consider for…

Read more »

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

Here’s how much passive income 1,500 Tesco shares pay

| Ben McPoland

Ben McPoland explains why Tesco shares have rocketed in the past two years, and what that means for the passive…

Read more »

Tesla car at super charger station
Investing Articles

Why I’m not buying Tesla stock today

| Ben McPoland

Our writer finds CEO Elon Musk's vision of an autonomous future exciting. So why isn't he adding Tesla stock to…

Read more »

White female supervisor working at an oil rig
Investing Articles

Will the Iran war trigger a stock market crash?

| Ben McPoland

Our writer highlights an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that's surging amid the current geopolitical instability and a jittery stock market.

Read more »

Concept of two young professional men looking at a screen in a technological data centre
Investing Articles

Here’s why I’m betting big on these 2 FTSE 100 stocks in the age of AI

| Ben McPoland

This pair of FTSE 100 stocks couldn't be more different. So why are they big positions in my Stocks and…

Read more »

Two male friends are out in Tynemouth, North East UK. They are walking on a sidewalk and pushing their baby sons in strollers. They are wearing warm clothing.
Investing Articles

Here’s what £150 a month in a Junior ISA could be worth by 2045…

| Ben McPoland

You might be surprised to learn by how large a Junior ISA portfolio could become inside 20 years from modest…

Read more »

Young female business analyst looking at a graph chart while working from home
Investing Articles

3 top passive income stocks with yields above 5% to consider for a SIPP

| Ben McPoland

Ben McPoland highlights a trio of excellent UK dividend shares that he thinks look set to pay passive income inside…

Read more »

Portrait of a boy with the map of the world painted on his face.
Investing Articles

1 high-flying investment trust to consider for a Stocks and Shares ISA

| Ben McPoland

Ben McPoland thinks this lesser-known trust is worth exploring for investors wanting geographic diversification inside a Stocks and Shares ISA.

Read more »

Smiling family of four enjoying breakfast at sunrise while camping
Investing Articles

£1,000 buys 110 shares in this UK beverage stock that’s smashing Diageo 

| Ben McPoland

Shares of Tanqueray-maker Diageo are languishing at multi-year lows. So why is the stock behind this tonic water brand on…

Read more »

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

Why is the FTSE 100 suddenly beating the S&P 500?

| Ben McPoland

The UK's blue-chip index has been on fire over the past couple of years, helping it catch up to the…

Read more »

Silhouette of a bull standing on top of a landscape with the sun setting behind it
Investing Articles

Up 79% in a year, this FTSE 250 stock still gets a resounding Strong Buy from analysts

| Ben McPoland

This under-the-radar growth stock in the FTSE 250 has been on fire over the past 12 months. Why are City…

Read more »

A tram in Manchester's city centre
Investing Articles

Here are 5 things Greggs shareholders just learned

| Ben McPoland

Ben McPoland takes a look at some key bits from Greggs' 2025 report. But with consumer spending still under the…

Read more »

Investing Articles

2 growth stocks to consider buying for an ISA in March

| Ben McPoland

Here are two growth stocks I think are worth considering buying. Both have stumbled recently, even though the underlying businesses…

Read more »

Family in protective face masks in airport
Investing Articles

£10,000 invested in Diageo and Rolls-Royce shares just 1 week ago is now worth…

| Ben McPoland

Diageo and Rolls-Royce shares headed in totally different directions last week. Which FTSE 100 stock looks worth considering today?

Read more »

A front-view shot of a multi-ethnic family with two children walking down a city street on a cold December night.
Investing Articles

£5,000 in this FTSE 250 leisure stock could generate £260 in passive income

| Ben McPoland

Down 26%, this well-known company from the FTSE 250 index is offering attractive passive income, with a dividend yield above…

Read more »

Close-up of a woman holding modern polymer ten, twenty and fifty pound notes.
Investing Articles

How much do you need in an ISA to generate a second income of £2,700 a month in 2050?

| Ben McPoland

Ben McPoland highlights a 6%-yielding stock from the FTSE 100 index that could contribute towards an attractive second income.

Read more »

photo of Union Jack flags bunting in local street party
Investing Articles

2 top stocks to consider from the FTSE 250 in March

| Ben McPoland

These FTSE 250 stocks are already leaders in their markets, but Ben McPoland thinks they still have years of growth…

Read more »

Concept of two young professional men looking at a screen in a technological data centre
Investing Articles

Prediction: these 2 growth stocks in my ISA will be AI winners

| Ben McPoland

Ben McPoland highlights two quality growth stocks in his ISA that are benefitting from AI. But which one looks the…

Read more »

Young female hand showing five fingers.
Investing Articles

Diageo: 5 reasons why a FTSE 100 turnaround is still possible

| Ben McPoland

Diageo gave investors an all-too-familiar fright this week. So, why does this writer think things could improve in future for…

Read more »

Tesla building with tesla logo and two teslas in front
Investing Articles

After making a fortune on Tesla, Scottish Mortgage manager Baillie Gifford is piling into this ‘mini-SpaceX’ growth stock

| Ben McPoland

Ben McPoland was intrigued to learn this well-known institutional investor has been loading up on a little-known growth stock recently.

Read more »

Frustrated young white male looking disconsolate while sat on his sofa holding a beer
Investing Articles

The biggest stinker in my SIPP crashed (again) this week — what should I do?

| Ben McPoland

This growth stock in my Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) has just had yet another howler. Should I pull the plug…

Read more »

British flag, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament and British flag composition
Investing Articles

Meet the ‘Nvidia of the FTSE 100’

| Ben McPoland

Nvidia stock has skyrocketed since ChatGPT was released into the wild back in November 2022. Yet this remarkable FTSE stock…

Read more »

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

An insider just splashed £168k on this 6p penny share

| Ben McPoland

A company's chair has been loading up on this under-the-radar penny share recently. Ben McPoland takes a closer look at…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Here’s why Rolls-Royce is demolishing the stock market

| Ben McPoland

Rolls-Royce has absolutely trounced the UK stock market over the past five years, and it's not difficult to see why…

Read more »

Percy Pig Ocado van outside distribution centre
Investing Articles

As the Ocado share price drops 9% on FY25 results, should I buy this FTSE 250 stock?

| Ben McPoland

The Ocado share price fell sharply today, taking the five-year loss to 90%. But with revenues still growing, is there…

Read more »

Group of friends meet up in a pub
Investing Articles

Should I buy Diageo shares after the 25 February update?

| Ben McPoland

After a bright start to 2026, Diageo shares came crashing down to earth yesterday. But is this the dip our…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Buy and hold a single FTSE 100 stock for 25 years? Mine would be this…

| Ben McPoland

Our writer runs a thought experiment to ascertain which solitary FTSE 100 stock he'd own over the very long term,…

Read more »

Investing Articles

£5,000 invested in the FTSE 100 index a decade ago is now worth…

| Ben McPoland

The FTSE 100 index has gone into overdrive over the past two years. What's going on? And is the blue-chip…

Read more »

Middle-aged white man pulling an aggrieved face while looking at a screen
Investing Articles

Be ready for a savage stock market crash

| Ben McPoland

An AI thought experiment has sent shockwaves through the stock market. How worried should we all be by this doomsday…

Read more »

A multiracial family of four, a mother, father and their two little boys on a staycation in the city of Newcastle on a sunny winters day
Investing Articles

How much passive income does the FTSE 250 offer?

| Ben McPoland

Ben McPoland shows how much passive income potential there is in the FTSE 250 index, as well as highlighting an…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Up 77% in 3 weeks, is Raspberry Pi stock the next Nvidia?

| Ben McPoland

Ben McPoland asks whether fascinating Raspberry Pi (LSE:RPI) stock – which has skyrocketed in 2026 – has any similarities with…

Read more »

Aerial shot showing an aircraft shadow flying over an idyllic beach
Investing Articles

Rolls-Royce lines up a mammoth £1.5bn share buyback!

| Ben McPoland

What should Rolls-Royce shareholders be expecting from the full-year 2025 results this week? Here's what I'm looking out for.

Read more »

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

Did I make a big mistake selling Lloyds shares?

| Ben McPoland

This writer offloaded his Lloyds shares in 2024 after netting a tasty gain. But does he now regret selling this…

Read more »

Snowing on Jubilee Gardens in London at dusk
Investing Articles

This ETF could turn £175 a month into a £557 annual passive income

| Ben McPoland

Want to earn passive income from UK property? This exchange-traded fund yielding 5.3% is worth considering for a Stocks and…

Read more »

British coins and bank notes scattered on a surface
Investing Articles

How much do I need in an ISA to earn a £75 daily second income?

| Ben McPoland

To aim for a second income in excess of £27,000 is an ambitious target. But with the right strategy and…

Read more »

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

£1,000 buys 8,403 shares of this red-hot penny stock that’s smashing the FTSE 100

| Ben McPoland

Ben McPoland highlights an under-the-radar penny stock that's being driven higher by strong sales momentum and a first-ever profit.

Read more »