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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 hand stacking money coins with virtual percentage icons
Investing Articles

This FTSE passive income star has an 11.2% forecast yield and is potentially 72% undervalued!

| Simon Watkins

This passive income gem could be far stronger than many investors realise, with rising profits and deep undervaluation hinting at…

Read more »

Investing Articles

A 6.7% forecast yield and 53% below ‘fair value’! 1 stunning FTSE income stock for investors to consider today?

| Simon Watkins

This income share could be gearing up for a powerful rebound, with rising demand and a high payout that may…

Read more »

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

Down 10% to below £6 now! Here’s why Glencore’s share price looks a bargain to me anywhere under £12.13

| Simon Watkins

Glencore’s share price appears seriously out of sync with its earnings outlook, leaving a gap that could offer long‑term investors…

Read more »

Passive and Active: text from letters of the wooden alphabet on a green chalk board
Investing Articles

£500 gets 617 shares in one of the top FTSE income stocks to buy!

| Simon Watkins

Stocks to buy for long‑term second income are rare, especially with rising profits and cheap valuations, so this gem may…

Read more »

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

Down 14% to below £135, here’s where AstraZeneca’s deeply undervalued share price ‘should’ be trading today

| Simon Watkins

AstraZeneca’s share price is way below its fair value, providing a potentially great opportunity to lock into this high-growth pharma…

Read more »

This way, That way, The other way - pointing in different directions
Investing Articles

Down 15%! Is National Grid’s share price really a bargain right now?

| Simon Watkins

National Grid’s share price has slipped a lot since March, but my valuation work suggests the real story is a…

Read more »

Businessman hand stacking money coins with virtual percentage icons
Investing Articles

How much second income am I aiming for with £20,000 in this superb FTSE 100 dividend star?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 dividend giant could build a serious second income stream and the gap between its price and fair…

Read more »

A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

Here’s why this stunning sub-£2 FTSE 250 stock ‘should’ be trading nearer to £5

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 250 star has delivered a profit rebound and a transformational mega-merger, but the shares still trade as if…

Read more »

ISA coins
Investing Articles

How much would I need in a Stocks and Shares ISA to earn £1,230 a month in second income?

| Simon Watkins

With dividend growth accelerating and cash flow strengthening, this FTSE insurer looks to me like a top long‑term income pick…

Read more »

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

Just above £6 today, here’s where this deeply undervalued FTSE biotech star ‘should’ be trading right now

| Simon Watkins

Investors have marked down this FTSE biotech gem on short‑term noise, but the long‑term numbers tell a different story. Is…

Read more »

A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

Here are the stunning returns I’m targeting from £20,000 in this high-income FTSE star

| Simon Watkins

Savvy long-term investors may be overlooking a rare opportunity in this FTSE 100 income share, which combines a deep undervaluation…

Read more »

Businessman hand stacking money coins with virtual percentage icons
Investing Articles

Down 11% to around £1! Here’s where Lloyds deeply undervalued share price ‘should’ be trading

| Simon Watkins

Lloyds share price has dipped to about £1, yet its earnings strength and cash‑flow outlook point to a valuation far…

Read more »

Investing Articles

A 6.2% forecast yield but down 31%! Is this one of the top deep-value income stocks to buy today?

| Simon Watkins

A rare deep‑value setup is emerging, and income hunters may be missing it. This could be one of the most…

Read more »

GSK scientist holding lab syringe
Investing Articles

Down 14% to around £19! Is now just the right time for me to capitalise on GSK’s bargain-basement share price?

| Simon Watkins

GSK’s share price is way below fair value even as earnings, cash flow and pipeline catalysts accelerate — a gap…

Read more »

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

How much would investors have to invest in this FTSE dividend giant to target £16,771 a year in passive income?

| Simon Watkins

This overlooked FTSE gem could hand investors serious passive income — yet the market's still missing just how powerful its…

Read more »

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

How much do I need to invest in HSBC shares to target £5,986 a year in second income?

| Simon Watkins

HSBC shares could be one of the FTSE’s most overlooked dividend opportunities — and the latest forecasts suggest the banking…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Around £41 now, here’s where this undervalued newly-promoted FTSE 250 tech provider ‘should’ be trading today

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 250 tech giant has been called the biggest British firm nobody’s heard of. It’s just been promoted to…

Read more »

DIVIDEND YIELD text written on a notebook with chart
Investing Articles

Aiming for a yearly second income of £19,850? Here’s how it could be done from this newly-promoted FTSE gem

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE newcomer could be one of the index’s most overlooked income opportunities — and its rapidly rising dividend forecasts…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Down 7% to around £19! Is now the time for investors to consider this FTSE 100 banking giant’s deeply-undervalued shares?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 bank's long‑term value, strong earnings momentum and deep discount could offer investors a major opportunity that's being…

Read more »

ISA Individual Savings Account
Investing Articles

How much would you need in a Stocks and Shares ISA to aim for £8,189 a year in dividend income?

| Simon Watkins

An ISA can supercharge long‑term returns, and this FTSE insurer’s strong cash generation and dependable dividends make it a standout…

Read more »

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

A 7.8% forecast dividend yield! 1 income share I wish I could buy today!

| Simon Watkins

This high-yielding income share looks a standout opportunity for savvy investors seeking high and stable returns and is a rare…

Read more »

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

Down 16% to around £2.03! Here’s where BT’s bargain-basement shares ‘should’ be trading right now

| Simon Watkins

BT shares are down, but could the market be missing a major long-term value story here? The numbers point to…

Read more »

Close-up of British bank notes
Investing Articles

How much must investors put into this overlooked FTSE dividend star to make an annual second income of £8,686?

| Simon Watkins

This overlooked FTSE stock has quietly built a powerful income engine, with new forecasts hinting its payout potential could be…

Read more »

Two white male workmen working on site at an oil rig
Investing Articles

Down 10% to under £33! Is Shell’s share price just too cheap for me to ignore?

| Simon Watkins

Shell’s share price has dipped, but the market may be missing the size of the value gap. If the numbers…

Read more »

Businessman hand stacking money coins with virtual percentage icons
Investing Articles

How much do I have to invest in this newly-promoted FTSE gem to target £7,927 a year in passive income?

| Simon Watkins

This overlooked FTSE star could hand investors serious passive income — and the market may be missing just how powerful…

Read more »

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

Just under £17 today, here’s where Greggs deeply-undervalued shares ‘should’ be trading right now

| Simon Watkins

Greggs' shares blend accelerating earnings momentum and record sales, yet the market continues to price them as if little's changed.

Read more »

A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

With a 7.5% forecast dividend yield, this overlooked FTSE 100 gem looks one of the top stocks to buy for second income to me

| Simon Watkins

Investors hunting for FTSE stocks to buy with big income potential may be overlooking a standout — a forecast 7.5%…

Read more »

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

Down 10%! The new-look BP’s shares looked cheap before, but now they may be a steal under £10.71!

| Simon Watkins

BP shares have slipped lately, but a strategic shift back to high‑return hydrocarbons and a big valuation gap suggest good…

Read more »

Businessman hand stacking money coins with virtual percentage icons
Investing Articles

How much would you need in a Stocks and Shares ISA to earn £33,814 a year in dividend income?

| Simon Watkins

ISA investors may be overlooking this FTSE star with unusually strong long‑term income and share-price gains potential that could produce…

Read more »

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

Below £5 now, here’s where this deeply undervalued FTSE 100 defence star ‘should’ be trading today

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 gem's profits are powering ahead while its valuation stays stuck — a widening disconnect that could offer…

Read more »

DIVIDEND YIELD text written on a notebook with chart
Investing Articles

I’m targeting a yearly income of £6,898 from £20,000 in this FTSE heavyweight!

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE dividend play looks far too cheap for the cash it throws off — and the mix of rising…

Read more »

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

How much would I need to invest in this FTSE 100 dividend gem to aim for £14,754 a year in passive income?

| Simon Watkins

Passive income is the goal for many investors, and this FTSE dividend star highlights the qualities that can turn long‑term…

Read more »

Satellite on planet background
Investing Articles

Down 19% to under £20! Is now exactly the right time for me to capitalise on BAE Systems’ bargain-basement share price?

| Simon Watkins

BAE Systems’ share price has dropped sharply, but a far bigger long term demand cycle is only just beginning. Here’s…

Read more »

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

Closing in on £33 and around an all‑time high, is this FTSE 250 favourite seriously mispriced?

| Simon Watkins

With the shares pushing into record territory, I’ve revisited the underlying business, its growth outlook and the valuation picture investors…

Read more »

Close-up of British bank notes
Investing Articles

£20,000 invested in Barclays shares a year ago is now worth…

| Simon Watkins

Barclays shares have quietly delivered a 41% return in just 12 months — and the long term numbers suggest the…

Read more »

ISA Individual Savings Account
Investing Articles

How much would I need in a Stocks and Shares ISA to earn £16,073 a year in second income?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 income gem combines a strong yield with rising cash flow, creating exactly the sort of long‑term compounding…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Lloyds shares look cheap around £1— but are investors overlooking the real story in the stock?

| Simon Watkins

Lloyds' shares look very undervalued to me, with rising earnings and dividends creating a rare chance for savvy investors to…

Read more »

A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

I’m targeting £22,491 in dividends a year from another £20,000 in this stunning FTSE 100 income share!

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 income share offers a huge yield and looks deeply undervalued, giving investors the chance of both rising…

Read more »

Hydrogen testing at DLR Cologne
Investing Articles

Rolls-Royce shares are up 1,334% in three years — so why am I buying more as soon as possible?

| Simon Watkins

Rolls-Royce’s turnaround is accelerating fast, yet this FTSE 100 giant still trades at a steep discount to peers. Here’s why…

Read more »

Businessman hand stacking money coins with virtual percentage icons
Investing Articles

How much do I need to put into this FTSE 100 dividend star to target £11,874 a year in second income?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 income heavyweight offers one of the most tempting yields in the market — and the long‑term potential…

Read more »