UK 00:12 Monday, 19 October 2026
Breaking news and expert analysis on fast-moving AIM and LSE listed shares
Disclosure: I own shares in one or more of the stocks mentioned. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from ShareProphets). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
With Santa apparently due to make his big arrival at my local garden centre next Saturday the starting gun has been fired for the rundown to the end of the year. And for the medium-term investor in me this only means one thing: which sectors, themes and stocks are looking interesting for 2016?
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Comments
wildrides
Your piece fails to appreciate that ordinary high street banking these days is dull low profit affair that leads the protagonists to constantly invent new naughty antics to deprive Mr Average of his “hard earned” . Its a constant game of pushing the envelope until the regulators snap and reign in the miscreants with fines for miss selling and other foul deeds . The next fine to come down the track is just a matter of time . Big cats and spots springs to mind .
Chris Bailey
@Wildrides – ‘dull low profit affair’ = a utility-type profile and hence the need for simplification and cost cutting as noted. Re mis-selling etc. clearly correctly been a huge burden but the market knows this and the comic desperation of the PPI telephone crowd right now tells you that this gravy train is coming to an end. The banks have actually got to worry more about the shadowy global banking regulators – you may have seen the US$1.2trn extra cost by 2022 headlines today. Provocative and 1-2% off the sector’s shares…and the right day to release this piece IMO. If my call looks shabby in a year’s time delighted to be told
wildrides
Thanks for the reply and nicely rebutted.
WR
alcira16247
Another great article, Chris.
Don’t forget the new kids on the block…….. the ‘Challenger’ banks. Leaner and fitter, without any of the toxicity of the old brigade, they are steadily taking business away from the usual suspects.
With an exciting EPS growth in excess of 30% this year and forecasted £60 million net profit from a platform of responsible lending to consumers, businesses and mortgages, with a strong experienced management team, Shawbrook, in my opinion is one of the brightest of these new arrivals.
Chris Bailey
@alcira16247 – appreciate the comment. Yes, completely agree. I was going to have a look at that grouping in another article – there are only so many companies you can put into one write-up. Analytically you certainly need a different hat on as you observe: ‘growth’! Inevitably the valuation basis is a little different too. Watch out for this later in November…
alcira16247
Chris
I greatly appreciate you taking the time to reply to my post.
Although I have a small holding in Lloyds, I wholly dislike the idea of investing further in the brigade of banks that have effectively driven our country to the edge of bankruptcy by their wreck less criminal actions.
The new Challenger Banks offer outstanding returns by offering something that has been missing for several generations …….. good old traditional ethical banking!
I along with many ShareProphets readers will look forward to your analysis on the Challenger banks and conclusions drawn.