UK markets and indices have zigged and zagged with increasing volatility as the May 7th date came closer, and then surged, along with sterling, after the unexpectedly clean result produced a party majority.
In line with that, or in spite of it, the FTSE 100 has still managed to create new all time highs in 2015 and breach the near mythical promised land beyond 7000.
And, more satisfyingly my own portfolio has also continued to achieve new highs this year, with April's close marking a total 129.83% gain in the 5 years and 4 months since I started measuring and working with this portfolio.
Anyway the last month has seen a bounce in Microsoft (+15.52%), after a better than expected quarterly update (Interesting end to the week!), and R-R (+9.76%), after its own well received news of a new CEO and a record order.
Elsewhere, BG Group surged 42.58%, following a confirmed and agreed bid from Royal Dutch Shell (BG Group shelling out?).
BP has also basked in the searchlight for potential bid targets, with a gain of +7.55%, as well as being buoyed by a recovering oil price.
Imperial Tobacco has also benefited from analyst upgrades ahead of a well recieved trading update in May.
Apple initially surged, in aftermarket trading, to new highs of circa $134, after posting another good set of pre- Apple Watch quarterly results, but have since pulled back with the wider sentiment in American markets (Interesting end to the week!).
William Hill also suffered after an update included the impact of a bad week of football results continuing to hold back performance (Interesting end to the week!).
Other holdings, BAE, SSE, Centrica, Barratt, BAT, along with Imperial Tobacco and William Hill, were also hampered with pre-election concerns.
As mentioned in my previous post reviewing 2014 dividends 2014 Dividends Profiled., April is a poor dividend month for my portfolio with, as suggested, the only receipt coming from GE.
So in a difficult volatile month ahead of May's General Election, my portfolio managed a gain of +3.78% v. +2.77% by the FTSE100, making +9.96% for the year to date.
Its worth noting that sterling strengthened against the dollar too, rising to $1.536 from $1.483, which does impact recent gains in my US$ holdings: Apple, GE, Microsoft, and Verizon, as they convert back into sterling.
I have also added new funds, and made an additional purchase in BG Group ahead of the deal with Royal Dutch Shell.
By using a unit price, the funds go in at nil gain.
Its a slight gamble given the timescale and planned completion next year but, with my expectation being that it will go through I feel there is a premium to be gained by topping up in this way (BG Group shelling out?), and looking to find myself with a holding in the higher yielding Royal Dutch Shell.
Clearly I'm also expecting a higher oil price eventually for both Royal Dutch Shell and BP to maintain dividends and renew share price gains.
Forecast
|
1 month
|
YTD
|
52 mth
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
Price
|
% holding
|
Div. yield
|
% gain
|
% gain
|
% gain
| ||||||||||||||||||||
R-R
| 1046.00p |
24.89%
|
2.27%
|
9.76%
|
20.23%
|
59.34%
| |||||||||||||||||||
Aviva
| 527.00p |
12.55%
|
4.01%
|
-2.41%
|
8.77%
|
45.66%
| |||||||||||||||||||
National Grid
| 879.00p |
12.71%
|
5.09%
|
1.62%
|
-4.26%
|
58.95%
| |||||||||||||||||||
BP
| 470.00p |
9.62%
|
5.56%
|
7.55%
|
14.36%
|
11.07%
| |||||||||||||||||||
Apple **
| $125.15 |
8.37%
|
1.36%
|
-2.87%
|
15.08%
|
123.86%
| |||||||||||||||||||
IG Group
| 737.00p |
4.36%
|
4.25%
|
3.95%
|
2.50%
|
54.44%
| |||||||||||||||||||
Imperial Tobacco
| 3192.00p |
2.94%
|
4.40%
|
7.73%
|
12.55%
|
41.30%
| |||||||||||||||||||
William Hill
| 361.00p |
2.70%
|
3.51%
|
-2.70%
|
-0.41%
|
96.01%
| |||||||||||||||||||
BAT
| 3592.00p |
2.24%
|
4.35%
|
2.98%
|
2.63%
|
7.09%
| |||||||||||||||||||
Vodafone
| 231.00p |
2.08%
|
5.10%
|
5.00%
|
3.75%
|
-8.44%
| |||||||||||||||||||
Microsoft **
| $48.64 |
2.14%
|
2.09%
|
15.52%
|
6.29%
|
76.94%
| |||||||||||||||||||
Banco Santander
| 488.00p |
1.87%
|
2.78%
|
-3.17%
|
-10.38%
|
-10.57%
| |||||||||||||||||||
General Electric **
| $27.08 |
1.89%
|
2.90%
|
5.40%
|
8.77%
|
80.31%
| |||||||||||||||||||
BAE Systems
| 508.00p |
1.67%
|
4.12%
|
-3.05%
|
7.63%
|
53.94%
| |||||||||||||||||||
Barratt Dev.
| 519.00p |
1.52%
|
4.45%
|
-1.89%
|
10.19%
|
45.19%
| |||||||||||||||||||
SSE
| 1547.00p |
1.40%
|
5.92%
|
3.27%
|
-4.62%
|
26.29%
| |||||||||||||||||||
Verizon **
| 3284.86p |
1.41%
|
3.75%
|
0.16%
|
9.44%
|
18.36%
| |||||||||||||||||||
Centrica
| 255.00p |
1.05%
|
4.92%
|
0.79%
|
-8.60%
|
-23.10%
| |||||||||||||||||||
BG Group
| 1182.00p |
2.71%
|
1.89%
|
42.58%
|
36.65%
|
-3.83%
| |||||||||||||||||||
Cash
|
1.89%
|
0.00%
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
100.00%
|
3.50%
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 month
|
YTD
|
52 mth
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Virtual Portfolio gain (incl. Dividends) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - 1 month gain 2214.53 - | 2298.27 |
3.78%
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| - YTD gain 1644.62 - | 2298.27 |
9.96%
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| - 52 month gain 1264.20 - | 2298.27 |
81.80%
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| - 64 month gain 1000.00 - | 2298.27 |
129.83%
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| FTSE gain (excl. Dividends) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - 1 month gain 6773.04 - | 6960.63 |
2.77%
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| - YTD gain 5897.81 - | 6960.63 |
6.01%
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| - 52 month gain 5971.01 - | 6960.63 |
16.57%
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| - 64 month gain 5412.88 - | 6960.63 |
28.59%
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transactions: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10/04/2015 | Charges | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10/04/2015 | Buy | Funds added @ 2.215 (April Index close) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10/04/2015 | Buy | BG @ 407.39p per share | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 29/04/2015 | Div | General Electric @ 12.72p per share | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notes: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| * US Dividends are adjusted for exchange rate and 15% withholding tax | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ** Sterling : Dollar exchange rate = £1: $1.53553 as at 30/04/15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| *** Banco Dividends are adjusted for exchange rate and 21% withholding tax | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| **** Sterling : Euro exchange rate = £1: $1.36933 as at 30/04/15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
As mentioned last month, I have also had to increase the scale to accommodate new highs, which present a satisfying picture.
 |
| Click to enlarge, close to return. |
I'm sure that won't be the end of it though as more questions and uncertainty continue to show up on the horizon such as the future of Greece in Europe, the future of the UK in Europe, and the future of the UK even?
And this on top of the usual questions of Chinese demand and global economic growth, relationships with Russia, and the Middle East.
It really doesn't ever end, does it?
But, I am also watching a few shares (I have missed a few too it seems), and hope to make further purchases in the coming months.
Good luck.
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