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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

Businessman using pen drawing line for increasing arrow from 2024 to 2025
Investing Articles

This FTSE financial services stock looks 51% undervalued and has annual forecast earnings growth of 11%!

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 insurance and asset management giant looks set for very strong earnings growth and is priced at less…

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Businessman hand stacking money coins with virtual percentage icons
Investing Articles

£11,000 in savings? Here’s how to target £13,998 of annual dividend income from Legal & General shares…

| Simon Watkins

Legal & General shares are extremely underpriced compared to their ‘fair value’ and continue to offer one of the highest…

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Passive income text with pin graph chart on business table
Investing Articles

£10,000 in savings? Here’s how to target £21,475 of annual passive income from this 10.2%-yielding energy high-flier!

| Simon Watkins

This energy firm pays one of the highest dividend yields in any of the FTSE leading indices that can generate…

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Front view of aircraft in flight.
Investing Articles

What’s happening with IAG’s share price?

| Simon Watkins

IAG’s share price is around a 15-year high following positive comments from a US investment banking giant, and I think…

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Artillery rocket system aimed to the sky and soldiers at sunset.
Investing Articles

How does this relatively overlooked FTSE 100 defence stock’s valuation line up against Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems?

| Simon Watkins

One FTSE 100 defence giant has largely escaped the recent attention on some other firms in the booming sector, so…

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Investing Articles

Is it worth me buying more AstraZeneca shares at just over £13?

| Simon Watkins

AstraZeneca shares have dropped substantially from their record-breaking heyday in September, but is this the ideal time for me to…

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

Just over £5 now, easyJet’s share price looks cheap to me anywhere under £13.84

| Simon Watkins

easyJet’s share price has dropped recently, which could mean the business is worth less than before. Conversely, it could mean…

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Trader on video call from his home office
Investing Articles

36% under ‘fair value’ and forecast annual earnings growth of 6%, should investors consider this FTSE 250 stock?  

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 250 firm is a leader in a growing sector and has secured several new sites to drive its…

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Hand of person putting wood cube block with word VALUE on wooden table
Investing Articles

Around a 15-year high, is Barclays’ share price still too cheap to ignore?

| Simon Watkins

Barclays’ share price is at a level not seen since 2010, but price and value aren't the same thing, so…

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Person holding magnifying glass over important document, reading the small print
Investing Articles

47% below fair value and with an 18% earnings growth forecast, should investors consider this FTSE retail institution now?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 British retail institution lost its way for a while but has bounced back in recent years, and…

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Passive income text with pin graph chart on business table
Investing Articles

This FTSE 100 passive income gem now has a forecast yield of a stunning 8.5%, so should I buy more?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 dividend giant already has a very high yield, and is projected to go even higher in the…

Read more »

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Investing Articles

3 key reasons why I think BP’s share price could soar following a 16% fall over the year…

| Simon Watkins

BP’s share price has lost considerable ground over the course of the year, but I think there are three reasons…

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A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

Investors could target £6,531 in annual dividend income from £11,000 in this FTSE 100 financial giant. It looks very undervalued too!

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 firm has delivered very high dividends in recent years, which analysts predict are set to go even…

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Exterior of BT Group head office - One Braham, London
Investing Articles

Should I add to my BT holding now, with the share price near a 12-month high?

| Simon Watkins

BT’s share price has risen a long way from this year’s traded low, but this doesn't necessarily mean it's overvalued.…

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DIVIDEND YIELD text written on a notebook with chart
Investing Articles

Investors could target £8,840 of annual dividend income from 5,851 shares in this FTSE 250 high-yield star!

| Simon Watkins

Shares in this FTSE 250 stock generate a much higher dividend yield than the index average and can produce potentially…

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Arrow symbol glowing amid black arrow symbols on black background.
Investing Articles

HSBC’s share price has dipped 5% to just over £9, so should I buy more right now?

| Simon Watkins

HSBC’s share price has dipped in recently, but this could signal a bargain to be had. I ran the key…

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piggy bank, searching with binoculars
Investing Articles

Down 10% from May, is it time for me to buy more of this high-yielding FTSE heavyweight?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 giant is forecast to have a 6.3% dividend yield by 2027, and looks substantially undervalued to me,…

Read more »

Person holding magnifying glass over important document, reading the small print
Investing Articles

Down 37% but with 47% forecast earnings growth and $1bn buyback announced, does Glencore’s share price look cheap to me?

| Simon Watkins

Glencore’s share price has dropped over the year on concerns about China’s economic growth and US tariffs, but its earnings…

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Two business people sitting at cafe working on new project using laptop. Young businesswoman taking notes and businessman working on laptop computer.
Investing Articles

Down 5% despite good Q1 results, is now the time for investors to consider Sainsbury’s shares?

| Simon Watkins

Supermarket giant Sainsbury’s released solid Q1 results on 1 July, but is down 5% from its one-year traded high, so…

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Passive income text with pin graph chart on business table
Investing Articles

Here’s how investors could target £5,174 a year in passive income from £5,000 in savings invested in this FTSE 100 gem…

| Simon Watkins

This often overlooked FTSE 100 savings and investment giant has an ultra-high yield of 8.4%, which can generate enormous passive…

Read more »

Businessman using pen drawing line for increasing arrow from 2024 to 2025
Investing Articles

This FTSE 100 dividend gem now yields a stunning 8.6% a year, so should I buy more?

| Simon Watkins

This very-high-yielding FTSE 100 financial services titan can generate huge dividend income over time, especially if the power of dividend…

Read more »

Side of boat fuelled by gas to liquids, advertising Shell GTL Fuel
Investing Articles

Is Shell’s share price a bargain after a 9% fall?

| Simon Watkins

Shell’s share price is down, leaving the stock looking even more undervalued to me, especially given its strong earnings growth…

Read more »

Satellite on planet background
Investing Articles

Down 8% to under £19, is BAE Systems’ share price a bargain?

| Simon Watkins

BAE Systems’ share price has recently lost ground, but NATO's pledged a huge increase in defence spending from which the…

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A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

An 8.4% yield and down 33%, is Taylor Wimpey’s share price seriously cheap now?

| Simon Watkins

Taylor Wimpey’s share price has fallen a long way as uncertainty plagues the housing market. However, things may be taking…

Read more »

Businessman hand stacking money coins with virtual percentage icons
Investing Articles

46% undervalued with a 6.8% forecast dividend yield, should I buy more of this overlooked FTSE gem now?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 financial services giant looks deeply under its ‘fair value’ to me and has a 6%+ dividend yield…

Read more »

Chalkboard representation of risk versus reward on a pair of scales
Investing Articles

Do the rewards outweigh the risks in Lloyds share price?

| Simon Watkins

Lloyds share price has risen considerably over the past year, but significant value may remain. That said, there are some…

Read more »

Passive income text with pin graph chart on business table
Investing Articles

44% under ‘fair value’ and 16% annual earnings growth forecast, should I buy more of this 6.8%-yielding passive income gem?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 heavyweight has paid a high dividend for years that can generate huge passive income, and it looks…

Read more »

Hand of person putting wood cube block with word VALUE on wooden table
Investing Articles

At around £9.70, is Rolls-Royce’s share price close to its ‘fair value’ yet?

| Simon Watkins

Rolls-Royce’s share price has risen hugely in recent years, which brings the risk that it could be entering overvalued territory.…

Read more »

Person holding magnifying glass over important document, reading the small print
Investing Articles

Down 29% despite strong full-year results and 32% forecast annual growth, this FTSE 250 nanotech firm looks a hidden gem to me

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 250 world-leader in ultra-high-tech products for use in multiple sectors is forecast to see huge earnings growth and…

Read more »

Businessman hand stacking up arrow on wooden block cubes
Investing Articles

I bought 1,256 Aviva shares 3 years ago. Here’s how much dividend and price profit I’ve made since then…

| Simon Watkins

In 2022, I added another £5,000 of Aviva shares to my holding in the financial giant and since then I've…

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Person holding magnifying glass over important document, reading the small print
Investing Articles

Down 7% from March, are shares in this FTSE star financial stock at a bargain-basement price?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 financial gem has fallen in price recently, but this could signal a huge bargain to be had.…

Read more »

National Grid engineers at a substation
Investing Articles

Is it worth me buying National Grid shares at just under £11?

| Simon Watkins

National Grid shares are close to their post-rights issue high, but there could still be value remaining in the stock.…

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Hand of person putting wood cube block with word VALUE on wooden table
Investing Articles

Up 81% from its 1-year low, has Burberry’s share price rebound left it seriously overvalued?

| Simon Watkins

Burberry’s share price has strengthened considerably since it issued profit warnings in Q1 fiscal year 2024/25, but has it now…

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Passive income text with pin graph chart on business table
Investing Articles

I bought 4,545 shares in this FTSE 100 dividend gem in 2020. Here’s how much passive income I’ve had since…

| Simon Watkins

I bought shares in this FTSE 100 financial giant in 2020 based on high passive income potential and major share…

Read more »

Front view of aircraft in flight.
Investing Articles

Down 15% from February, is IAG’s share price a prime short-term risk/long-term reward play?

| Simon Watkins

IAG’s share price has fallen on a combination of short-term factors, leaving its depressed share price looking like a bargain…

Read more »

Young Caucasian man making doubtful face at camera
Investing Articles

Is it time for me to buy this FTSE 100 investment darling after its strong 2024/25 results?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 favourite comprises nearly 50 businesses making safety products in the health and environment sectors, but is there…

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Businessman using pen drawing line for increasing arrow from 2024 to 2025
Investing Articles

Is Vodafone’s share price set to surge on new VodafoneThree’s £11bn investment plan?

| Simon Watkins

Vodafone’s share price has been kept in check on uncertainty over its merger with rival network Three, but with this…

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Person holding magnifying glass over important document, reading the small print
Investing Articles

The curious case of this FTSE 250 star’s falling share price…

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 250 fast-food retailer seemingly keeps posting strong results, but its share price continues to fall. So what's happening…

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Trader on video call from his home office
Investing Articles

A 7.3% yield but down 22% from September, is it time for me to buy more of an overlooked FTSE gem?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 commodities giant has been hit by concerns over Chinese growth and US tariffs. But are both overdone,…

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Person holding magnifying glass over important document, reading the small print
Investing Articles

Down 8% from its one-year high, is Unilever’s share price too cheap for me to pass up?

| Simon Watkins

Heavyweight FTSE 100 conglomerate Unilever has seen its share price slide 8% in recent months. But does this mean it's…

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