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The festive season has provided investors with some respite from what continues to be a tricky period for the UK market. However, it won’t be long before companies start releasing updates on trading. With this in mind, here are three stocks from the FTSE 100 that I’ll be keeping an eye on in January. 

Next

Fashion and lifestyle retailer Next (LSE: NXT) will be among the first companies to report to the market in 2022. A trading update, scheduled for 6 January, should serve as something of a bellwether for how well retailers have fared in the vitally important run-up to Christmas. 

Considering just how challenging 2021 has been for some businesses, Next investors have had a fairly decent year. Boosted by pent-up demand from shoppers, shares have climbed 15% in value and outperformed the FTSE 100. 

Whether this momentum has continued more recently is difficult to say. At 10%, … Read more

The past five years have been gruesome for holders of two large UK telecoms stocks. Both BT Group (LSE: BT.A) shares and Vodafone Group (LSE: VOD) stock have dived in the past half-decade. Furthermore, BT and Vodafone both took a beating during 2020’s Covid-driven market meltdown. But I see potential for value in these unloved stocks.

BT shares get battered

It’s been mostly heartbreak for owners of BT shares since late 2016. Just before Christmas 2016, the BT share price closed at 370.35p on 23 December. Last Friday, it closed at 167.4p. That’s a collapse of more than half (-55.8%) in five years. But things looked even worse last year. During the depths of the Covid-19 crash, BT shares hit a low of 94.68p, before recovering to end the year at 132.25p. The BT share price hit its 2021 high of 206.7p on 23 June, but then went into a … Read more

This week we saw the UK cost of living rising to its highest in 10 years. According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), inflation has peaked at 5.1% in the 12 months to November – more than twice the 2% target set by the Bank of England (BoE).

So, are we set for another Christmas of disappointment?  And how will the rising cost of living impact us amidst some winter uncertainty? Let’s look at what precisely is driving inflation up and how that will impact our shopping basket during the festive season.

Who is to blame for the rising cost of living?

I’m certain that many of the more hawkish readers will quickly turn their gaze upon the central banks and their monetary policies. But before we are quick to point our finger at the Bank of England and condemn their actions during the coronavirus pandemic, let’s acknowledge that … Read more

The Bank of England has just announced a base rate rise from 0.1% to 0.25%. It’s the first rise in the base rate for three years. So what does the rise mean for house prices? Will house prices crash or will they continue to rise in the new year?

Here I take a look at what the interest rate rise means for house prices and mortgages, and what the wider impact on our finances might be.

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Why has the Bank of England raised interest rates?

Interest rates and inflation are closely tied together. Banks, businesses and individuals all rely on borrowing to help them spend money. And lower interest rates tend to encourage higher inflation.

The cost of living rose by 5.1% in the year to November, and inflation is well above the government’s target of 2%. The Bank of England has come under pressure to raise interest rates … Read more

Flutter Entertainment (LSE:FLTR) has struggled over the past couple of months. This has been reflected in a downward move in the share price. Even though the shares are down around 26% over one year, most of this move (24% of it) has come in just the past three months. Yet with a potentially promising outlook for next year, I think that Flutter Entertainment shares could be a good discount buy for me right now.

Short-term struggles

It hasn’t been easy going for Flutter of late. Q3 results released in early November did show some good growth, but it also saw the business cut its full-year guidance.

For example, adjusted EBITDA was cut from previous projections of £1.27bn-£1.37bn to £1.24bn-£1.28bn for the group, excluding the US. In the US, Flutter now expects a loss for the year at the higher end of the previous guidance. It spoke of unfavourable sports results … Read more