Stock Market News and Views You Can Use
Confidential information and opinions from one private investor to another. No adverts or commission. This is not financial advice but I had better be right because my life savings are at stake.”
Years of Experience
Shares in Forever Fund
Global Equity Portfolio Value
An award winning journalist and investor with decades of experience.
Ian writes weekly columns for The Sunday Times and Interactive Investor about the shares he buys and, less frequently, sells when events require a rethink for the Forever Fund. He has survived several stock market shocks since becoming a city reporter at The Daily Telegraph in 1986, its personal finance editor in 1989 and a columnist for The Sunday Times since 2013; with numerous awards along the way. Unlike most financial hacks, he owns the shares he is writing about and brings that experience to bear when commenting here on fast-moving stock markets which can require hourly or daily reassessments for news and views you can use.
“Some people can write; others can invest. Ian Cowie can do both brilliantly. Share the excitement of his investment journey. And the insights that 40 years of writing about personal finance brings to it.”
Paul Lewis
BBC Radio 4, Money Box presenter
Ian Cowie joined The Daily Telegraph City Office on Fleet Street in 1986, and was personal finance editor from 1989 until 2013. Since then, he has written weekly columns about his investments for The Sunday Times and Interactive Investor.
Investment Club: Content Overview
“Money never sleeps and neither should our investments. Keep ahead of the herd with informed news and views. Ian has 40 years’ experience and more than 50 shareholdings, including investment trusts, invested across 9 global stock markets. Money never sleeps and neither should our investments. Whether you are an absolute beginner or an experienced investor, this website sets out to help you make your money work harder.
Top 10 Shareholdings by Value
Never mind brokers’ notes and puffs written by people trying to sell you something. Here are the top 10 investment trusts in the ‘forever fund’ where I have invested my life savings, explaining what I paid when and why I continue to own them. This is not financial advice. It is merely the personal account of one man trying to pay for an enjoyable life by investing in the stock market.
Top 10 Investment Trusts by Value
Pooled funds, including investment trusts, enable us to diminish risk by diversification – by not having too many eggs in too few baskets – and share the cost of professional stock selection. Here are the forever fund top 10 investment trusts in the ‘forever fund’ where I have invested my life savings. This is not financial advice. It is merely the personal account of one man trying to pay for an enjoyable life by investing in the stock market.
News and Views You Can Use
Never mind the macroeconomics; here’s how specific news events might make you richer or poorer. Stay up to date with global stock markets and the latest financial news with Ian Cowie’s expert insights. Stay up to date with global stock markets and the latest financial news with Ian Cowie’s expert insights. Discover what the headlines really mean for your portfolio, uncover new investment opportunities, and learn how to make the most of changing market conditions with clear, practical analysis you can put to work.
This is not financial advice – these are reports, not recommendations – but I had better be right because my life savings are at stake.
Members Only: Investors' Forum
Investors who want to exchange ideas about anything are welcome here, but anyone who wants to swap insults should try anti-social media elsewhere. Readers should be mindful of ‘insider trading’ legislation and any other statutory restrictions that might apply in your jurisdiction or residence. Anyone who breaks the rules or the spirit of this private members’ online club will be barred. No correspondence will be entered into.
What People Say
“After 40 years of award-winning personal finance journalism, Ian Cowie definitely knows a thing or two about successful investment. He writes entertainingly and informatively and it is worth taking his views seriously. What makes Ian’s articles so special is that he puts his money where his pen is and talks about his own investment experiences. Whether it is large or small company shares, or investment trusts, Ian will always give a clearly-explained, well thought-out view of the investments he writes about – good or bad. Such clarity of thought is all too rare these days.”
Baroness Altmann
Former Pensions Minister
“In the field of investment, there is no substitute for experience. Investment commentators learn to sort out the wheat from chaff only with the experience of time. I have known Ian Cowie during his 40 years as a journalist at both The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Times. Ian has tried to offer positive options rather than cynicism, which doesn’t help the private investor. I wish Ian well in his new venture and am a regular reader of his columns.”
Peter Hargreaves
co-founder of Hargreaves Lansdown,
“I have very much enjoyed working with Ian for over 28 years. What sets Ian apart is his willingness to share his personal investment experiences, both positive and negative, in a such a frank, self-deprecating and amusing way. I have learnt so much from reading about Ian’s winners and losers and long may this continue.”
Annabel Brodie-Smith
Association of Investment Companies, Communications Director
“Ian’s columns are very popular on our website and with good reason. He has years of experience and, perhaps as importantly, he has skin in the game. Sometimes, investment lessons are best learned by the experience of actually holding shares, including investment trusts, which naturally encourages serious research. At the same time, his jargon-free approach helps demystify the world of investment and make it as accessible and understandable as it ought to be.”
Richard Hunter
Head of markets at Interactive Investor, Britain's second-largest online platform
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Gain immediate access to in-depth articles, stock market analyses, and long-term investment strategies from Ian Cowie, a seasoned journalist and investor with over 30 years of experience. Ian’s personal insights, shaped by decades of navigating market ups and downs, offer a unique perspective that will benefit both newcomers and seasoned investors alike. As a subscribed member, you’ll also gain exclusive access to the members-only forum, where you can connect, discuss, and share insights with others on their investment journeys. Whether you’re just starting out or are an experienced investor, this is a valuable space to learn, ask questions, and dive deeper into the ideas Ian shares.
This is not financial advice. It is merely one investor’s personal account of his own experiences – and an opportunity for investors to exchange ideas.
Frequently asked questions
Some frequently asked questions.
No, this site provides insights based on Ian Cowie’s personal experience and investment strategies. It’s designed to help you think critically about your investments, but it’s not personalised financial advice.
If you are in any doubt and/or require any advice specific to your individual circumstances, you should consult a fully-authorised professional.
New content is published frequently, as and when fast-moving markets demand it, with the latest insights and analysis from Ian Cowie.
Yes, you can cancel your subscription at any time through your account settings. You’ll continue to have access until the end of your current billing cycle.