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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

DIVIDEND YIELD text written on a notebook with chart
Investing Articles

An 8.4% forecast yield but down 16%! Time for me to buy more of this FTSE 100 passive income star?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 passive‑income machine is delivering rising payouts and strong forecasts, and its share price suggests the market hasn’t…

Read more »

Satellite on planet background
Investing Articles

Here’s why I think this FTSE 250 high-tech defence gem ‘should’ be trading over £7 now, not under £5

| Simon Watkins

A little‑known FTSE 250 defence innovator is riding a global spending super-cycle and its valuation gap suggests investors may be…

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Stacks of coins
Investing Articles

I’m targeting £7,570 in yearly dividends from £20,000 in this FTSE income heavyweight

| Simon Watkins

Analysts forecast this FTSE gem will keep raising dividends and generating solid earnings growth. So can it keep supercharging my…

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

Is it worth me buying National Grid shares now that they’ve dipped under £13?

| Simon Watkins

National Grid shares have slipped under £13, but does that dip hide real value or a value trap? My deep…

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A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

A new name — but this still-standout FTSE 100 dividend‑income star now has a superb forecast yield of 9.2%!

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 giant has reset its identity, but its dividend income potential looks stronger than ever. Both the present…

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A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

Here’s why 8.8%-yielding Legal & General shares remain my top pick for a high-income retirement portfolio

| Simon Watkins

Legal & General shares have delivered years of rising income for my family — and new forecasts suggest the payouts…

Read more »

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

Around £45, is it time for me to buy this overlooked FTSE growth gem on the dip after strong results?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 growth share looks far cheaper than its fundamentals merit — and if the market wakes up to…

Read more »

Businessman hand stacking money coins with virtual percentage icons
Investing Articles

Down 9% to just over £1! Are Vodafone shares too cheap to miss?

| Simon Watkins

Vodafone shares have fallen sharply, yet the latest numbers show momentum building. Could the market be missing a major recovery…

Read more »

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

How can investors target £9,089 a year in passive income from 1,677 shares in this underrated FTSE high-yield star after strong 2025 results?

| Simon Watkins

Passive income is getting harder to find. But one overlooked FTSE stock may be quietly setting up a long term…

Read more »

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

Down 17% on short-term risks, here’s why IAG’s share price looks deeply undervalued long term

| Simon Watkins

The IAG share price looks weighed down by short‑term risks, but a huge gap to fair value suggests long‑term investors…

Read more »

Stacks of coins
Investing Articles

A 6.5% forecast dividend yield! 1 FTSE 250 income stock to buy today?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 250 stock offers a 6%+ yield and looks significantly mispriced, with recent results hinting at a stronger business…

Read more »

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

Down 14% after super-strong 2025 results! Time for me to buy this FTSE med-tech gem?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE heavyweight delivered its strongest results in a decade, but is trading below last year’s peak, raising the prospect…

Read more »

A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

Down 11%! Time for me to buy more of this FTSE 100 dividend gem at a dirt-cheap price?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 gem has a forecast dividend yield of 7% and looks extremely underpriced to its ‘fair value’, offering…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Around £16 now, here’s why Greggs shares ‘should’ be trading just over £25

| Simon Watkins

Greggs shares are trading at a serious discount to where they ‘should’ be, based on record sales, iconic branding and…

Read more »

A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

This FTSE 250 turnaround story is now delivering a standout 7.3% dividend yield!

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 250 income play has held its payout steady for years and is now showing early signs of renewed…

Read more »

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

BP shares surge on energy prices, yet still look cheap. What’s the market missing?

| Simon Watkins

Despite a recent energy-price-led spike, BP shares look deeply undervalued just as cash flows strengthen and dividends climb. So, is…

Read more »

Smiling white woman holding iPhone with Airpods in ear
Investing Articles

A superb 7.7% forecast yield! Time for me to buy more of this FTSE passive income superstar?

| Simon Watkins

My passive income portfolio is geared to maximising my dividend income with little effort from me, so should I buy…

Read more »

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

Down 12% to under £13, is this exactly the right time for me to buy more HSBC shares?

| Simon Watkins

HSBC shares are down from an all-time high, but they still look very undervalued on fundamentals -- potentially a big…

Read more »

A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

Here’s how I’m targeting £11,363 a year in dividend income from £20,000 in this FTSE high-yield gem!

| Simon Watkins

A reshaped FTSE outlier has quietly opened the door to unusually powerful income potential, which many investors don’t seem to…

Read more »

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

Just over £2 now, BT’s share price hasn’t caught up with reality yet — so where should it be trading?

| Simon Watkins

BT’s share price still reflects an outdated story, but the company’s cash-flow shift suggests the market may be missing a…

Read more »

Finger clicking a button marked 'Buy' on a keyboard
Investing Articles

A 6%+ forecast yield and 37% under ‘fair value’! Time for me to buy more of this FTSE 100 gem?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 heavyweight has been a dividend powerhouse for years, which looks set to continue. But now it looks…

Read more »

Three generation family are playing football together in a field. There are two boys, their father and their grandfather.
Investing Articles

Could this ultra-high-yielding FTSE 100 passive income gem quietly fund my retirement?

| Simon Watkins

With rising payouts, strong cash generation and impressive earnings forecasts, this FTSE 100 dividend gem may be developing into a…

Read more »

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

Is there really this much value left in Tesco’s near-£5 share price?

| Simon Watkins

Tesco’s share price has surged to levels not seen in nearly 20 years, yet the retailer’s improving fundamentals suggest the…

Read more »

Close-up of British bank notes
Investing Articles

Can I turn a £20,000 investment into £12,959 a year in dividends with this superb FTSE 100 income share?

| Simon Watkins

This overlooked income share is building major momentum, with rising earnings, strong cash generation and dividend forecasts that could surprise…

Read more »

Rolls-Royce engineer working on an engine
Investing Articles

Rolls-Royce shares are around an all-time high after its full-year results, so why am I buying more?

| Simon Watkins

Rolls-Royce shares keep climbing, but the results point to value the market hasn’t caught up with. That’s exactly why I’m…

Read more »

Businessman hand stacking money coins with virtual percentage icons
Investing Articles

An 8.7% forecast dividend yield! 1 of the best FTSE income stocks to buy today?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 100 financial sector gem’s soaring payouts make it one of the most overlooked stocks to buy for huge…

Read more »

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

Here’s why Lloyds shares look 42% undervalued to me right now

| Simon Watkins

Lloyds' shares have cooled lately, yet its earnings momentum and upgraded targets suggest that the real move higher in price…

Read more »

Stacks of coins
Investing Articles

Here’s how I’m aiming for £20,698 in yearly income from £20,000 in this 8.4%-yielding FTSE dividend beast

| Simon Watkins

This ultra-high-yield FTSE stock looks set for strong earnings growth — and its long-term dividend power could be far greater…

Read more »

A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

Around £18 now, why does this FTSE 100 banking gem look a bargain to me anywhere below £27.81?

| Simon Watkins

Markets look to be mispricing this FTSE100 international bank, with fresh results hinting at a valuation gap long‑term investors might…

Read more »

A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

Here’s why Marks and Spencer’s £4+ share price looks 54% undervalued to me right now

| Simon Watkins

Marks and Spencer’s share price looks strong, yet my valuation work hints at far greater gains as profits normalise and…

Read more »

Front view of a young couple walking down terraced Street in Whitley Bay in the north-east of England they are heading into the town centre and deciding which shops to go to they are also holding hands and carrying bags over their shoulders.
Investing Articles

Down 23%, is this bargain-basement housebuilder one of the best FTSE 100 stocks to buy? 

| Simon Watkins

The market’s cooled on this housebuilder, but numbers suggest a major mispricing. Is it one of the most appealing FTSE…

Read more »

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

Around £21 now, is BAE Systems’ share price a bargain after strong 2025 results?

| Simon Watkins

BAE Systems’ share price looks increasingly out of step with the firm’s long-term earnings momentum, following 2025 results and major…

Read more »

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

Investors could target £6,278 a year in passive income from just 607 shares in this under-the-radar FTSE gem!

| Simon Watkins

Passive income seekers might be overlooking a stock whose recent performance points to a resilient and quietly compounding earnings machine.

Read more »

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

Around £22 now, GSK’s share price looks 50% undervalued to me after strong 2025 results

| Simon Watkins

With specialty medicines driving growth, cash generation strengthening and the pipeline accelerating, GSK’s fair value looks far above today’s price…

Read more »

A pastel colored growing graph with rising rocket.
Investing Articles

Should I buy this 9.7% ultra-high-yield FTSE income share right now?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE income share offers a rare combination: a double‑digit yield and long‑term growth drivers that could deliver serious future…

Read more »

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

Around 80p, is this one of the FTSE 250 ’s best dividend opportunities?

| Simon Watkins

This FTSE 250 share’s yield is very tempting, and rising earnings growth strengthens the case. Is it a rare dividend…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Down 21%, this underappreciated FTSE gem looks a major long‑term value opportunity

| Simon Watkins

One FTSE retailer’s steady growth, strong cash flows and resilient demand point to a long‑term value opportunity that the market…

Read more »

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

Under £5 now, are Barclays shares a screaming bargain following excellent 2025 results?

| Simon Watkins

Barclays shares still look way too low to me, given rising earnings and big capital returns ahead — raising the…

Read more »

Businessman hand stacking money coins with virtual percentage icons
Investing Articles

Just a £5,000 holding in BP shares could generate £1,807 in annual income for investors over time!

| Simon Watkins

BP shares are throwing off far more dividend income than most investors realise -- and the latest numbers hint the…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Below £151, here’s why AstraZeneca’s share price looks a steal to me under £228.62 after strong 2025 results

| Simon Watkins

AstraZeneca's share price looks anchored to an outdated story — and the latest results suggest the market may be missing…

Read more »