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This week's articles: 11 May 2012

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May 11, 2012

FEATURES:

The ideal portfolio

Careful stock-picking and impeccable market timing help, but the key to generating the best long-term returns is asset allocation. We've created three portfolios based on this principle to suit different types of investors: follow them for easy, low maintenance and successful investing.

The real dividend heroes

We identify the investment trusts that not only have a long record of raising dividends but have also managed to raise them enough to outpace inflation.

Bargain shares updates:

Small-cap value shares worth buying

Recovery small-cap plays

Simon Thompson updates his 2012 bargain portfolio and has good news to report. Overall the portfolio is up 6 per cent against a market that’s down 3 per cent, and he's convinced there's scope for further upside.

Europe-free investing

With European economies struggling and political uncertainties rising, giving Europe a wide berth right now could be a sensible move. We've found eight growth stocks with significant non-European exposure.

SEVEN DAYS:

All you need to know about investing in the past seven days: what's rising, what's falling and what's making the headlines, plus the key market statistics this week

NEWS:

Greek threat to Europe's banks

Aviva shareholders raise their voices

The aerospace boom is no bubble.

COMMENT:

Our columnists offer in-depth analysis and investment ideas:

No free lunch - Sick of lousy corporate governance and rewards for failure?

Simon Thompson - Small-cap value shares worth buying

Chris Dillow - Seasonal sensitivity: Returns on smaller stocks are even more seasonal than returns on larger ones.

YOUR MONEY:

Financial planning, tax and investment wisdom:

Portfolio - David Stevenson has started to build some exposure to emerging markets debt

Family - Setting up an education trust

Smart Money - The downside of regular investing

SHARE TIPS:

This construction materials giant is back on firm foundations after a difficult few years, plus it's underpinned by vast amounts of tangible assets.

■ Things look set to get worse before they get better at this struggling manager – and the high dividend yield is the subject of much debate with most expecting a cut.

■ You're likely to encounter the products this company makes on a daily basis. Now a move into new markets could improve its fortunes.

■ This portfolio of mortgage backed securities offers big dividends and potential for capital gains.

FUND TIP:

■ Here's a fund offering small company outperformance while avoiding too much exposure to the recession-hit UK.

BOND OF THE WEEK:

A new bond from a household name offering a yield to redemption of 5 per cent.

BROKERS' TIPS:

■ Brokers' views on Genus and JD Wetherspoon.

SHARE TIP UPDATES:

Land Securities,

Cobham

Lancashire Holdings

Randgold Resources

Diageo

James Fisher

Novartis

Lonrho

FUNDS:

Fund news - Trusts adopt controversial charges methodology

The big theme - The real dividend heroes

Fund profiles:

Finsbury Growth & Income makes leading returns

Scottish Mortgages tops global growth league

Interview - Johan Kahm tells Maike Currie why he's investing in Mongolia and Iraq

SHARES:

Results - The lowdown on the latest company results:

Tui Travel

United Drug

EasyJet

Sage

Braemar Shipping

Trading statements:

Next

IP Group

HMV

Stock screen:

■ We've found eight growth stocks with significant non-Europe exposure.

Sector focus:

How to profit from the population explosion

Directors' dealings:

■ Notable transactions at YouGov, Wolfson, Lamprell, plus a table of all boardroom share trades.

TRADING:

Trading news - Traded volumes help verify price movements, but beware of shortcomings in the data.

Trading ideas - Chart-driven calls on coffee, Dow Jones, Experian and Diageo.

The Trader - Groundhog summer