Join our community of smart investors

This week's articles: 28 September 2012

Find out which articles have been published on the website this week.
September 28, 2012

FEATURES:

Crunch time for miners

Fuelled by further QE, mining stocks look set to post impressive gains in the months ahead - yet the industry faces major structural challenges over the long term.

Miners making the grade

Metals prices could be bolstered over the long term as easily accessible mining deposits have been severely depleted.

Metals put to the test

Mark Robinson and Matthew Allan assay the prospects for key commodities including platinum, uranium and gold.

The red flag of resource nationalism

Resource nationalism is more of a threat than ever, especially now that China is offering a third way.

Digging deeper into mining shares

We look in detail at the markets in Canada and London to find the best mining shares

US dog shares to bark back

Simon Thompson reveals the seasonal trick that can deliver 17 per cent profit.

 

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.

 

NEWS:

Consolidation within the agricultural sector.

Palm oil prices.

The risks of retail bonds.

Bumi bombs.

Last rites for JJB.

William Hill punts on Sportingbet.

API in shop window.

China's growth trap.

The 'revamped' PFI.

Lonmin poised to breach covenants.

Domino's growth cools down.

 

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK:

A recovery without the euro?

History suggests the UK economy cannot recover much unless the euro are recovers. There's little reason to think this time will be different.

 

COMMENT:

Our columnists offer in-depth analysis and investment ideas:

The Editor: Bric-bats for mining - Emerging market industrialisation means demand for raw materials will keep rising, but investors in mining shares may still need to get used to leaner times ahead.

No free lunch: Knives out for BAE Systems - As BAE throws in its cards, its top pay is examined.

Simon Thompson: Golden nuggets - Our companies editor highlights two small-cap resource companies ideally placed to benefit from the surging gold price and QE.

Chris Dillow: Uncertainty is good for gold - And there's an awful lot of uncertainty in the world economy right now.

Property Matters: Britain's divided property market - Insurers and bond markets are replacing banks as big property companies' main source of debt - but that won't heal the rift between the best properties and the rest.

 

YOUR MONEY:

Financial planning, tax and investment wisdom:

Reader portfolio: Limit your holdings - Our reader is investing to build a lump sum to purchase a retirement property. Our experts think he may need to limit his fund holdings.

Financial planning: Should I sign away my DB pension scheme? - Up to 20 per cent of high earners will be tempted with deals to lure them out of gold-plated pensions this year. But what should you do if it happens to you?

SmartMoney: Should you help your child buy a house? - Nick Clegg's idea to use parents' pension funds to help their children buy property is flawed.

 

SHARE TIPS OF THE WEEK:

This oil explorer exploits first-mover advantage in risky frontier markets and it's looking increasingly well-placed to achieve its aims.

■ Don't wait for a track record to be established at this property specialist: buy now at a discount before the new chief executive's plans come to fruition.

■ It's taken a while but this housebuilder and land specialist is now focused on the right areas and a re-rating is on the cards.

■ This Aim-traded gold miner is sitting on one of the best undeveloped gold prospects in Africa, and might tempt a bid from a larger rival.

 

FUND TIP OF THE WEEK:

■ Canada's economy is in better shape than most, which is why it's worth paying a premium for this Canada-focused income investment trust.

 

SHARE TIP UPDATES:

Anpario

Asian Citrus

Booker

Ocado

Xcite Energy

 

FUNDS:

Fund news: UK equities pip Switzerland, Germany and Japan

In the doghouse: SVM Global Opportunities - this has languished among the bottom performers in its fund sector over the past few years, but a manager change and new strategy have been put in place to turn performance around.

The big theme: Be scrupulous before investing in Japan - The outlook for Japan is gloomy as hopes of a resurgence after the earthquake and tsunami are looking less likely. But is it really time to give up on Japan?

ETFs: Best emerging markets ETFs - Following two years of underperformance in emerging markets, we recommend two ETFs in this area.

Interview: Will Smith talks about why the picture is still bright for gold miners

 

SHARES:

The lowdown on the latest company results:

AG Barr

Albemarle & Bond

BrainJuicer

Close Brothers

EKF Diagnostics

FW Thorpe

Globo

Hansard Global

Hargreaves Services

Hasgrove

Hummingbird

Indus Gas

IQE

Judges Scientific

KBC Advanced Technology

M&C Saatchi

Macau Properties Opportunities Fund

Moss Bros

Nature Group

Netcall

Optimal Payments

Personal Group

Petra Diamonds

Regenersis

Resource Holding Management

Ricardo

S&U

Scisys

Shore Capital

 

Sector focus: Reasons to love pub shares - Algy Hall thinks the high yields and low ratings of pub shares make a compelling combination.

 

Stock screen: Six eurozone value plays - The ECB's bond buying pledge marks a significant step forward for the eurozone, so we're on the hunt for large contrarian value plays.

 

Directors' dealings: Notable transactions at IG Group, plus a table of all boardroom share trades.

 

Week ahead: A summary of key company announcements expected in the coming week.

TAKEOVERS:

Download this week's takeover tables as a PDF.

 

TRADING:

Trading news: A value trading strategy for the FTSE

Trading ideas: Chart-driven calls on Dow Jones, sterling/euro, sterling/US dollar, silver.

The Trader: Prepare to buy - The Trader welcomes the corrective sell-off in indices, which should create the next buying opportunity.