
Picture supply: Getty Photographs
To date this month now we have already seen the FTSE 100 hit a brand new all-time excessive, transferring previous the ten,000 mark for the primary time in its historical past. Ought to that set alarm bells ringing? In any case, the British financial system will not be precisely on fireplace, but the main index of blue-chip London-listed shares goes gangbusters.
I proceed to assume there may be probably good worth in each the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 index. I’ve already purchased some FTSE shares for my Self-Invested Private Pension (SIPP) this 12 months – right here is why I feel this market can nonetheless provide alternatives for patrons.
Comparatively engaging valuation
It’s simple to have a look at how effectively the FTSE 100 has performed in recent times and draw a hyperlink to it being probably overvalued. However how effectively (or poorly) an index performs doesn’t in itself converse to its valuation.
For me, valuation boils right down to a easy query of whether or not I get one thing for lower than I feel it’s price over the long run, adjusted for the price of me tying my cash up in it. If I’m, then I regard it as attractively valued.
The FTSE 100 is cheaper than its US counterpart. I see many UK shares as attractively valued in comparison with some US ones. However I additionally see many UK shares as attractively valued on an goal foundation – that’s, in comparison with what I consider they’re price.
Taking the long-term view
Partially, that displays my long-term strategy to investing. Most shares go up and down. Over time, even a superb share might have some large jumps between highs and lows.
Which may appear regarding. However I take the lengthy view and deal with whether or not I feel a share is price greater than its present worth suggests. Doing that lets me ignore many short-term worth actions, or typically use them to my benefit to purchase a share that I feel has an unjustifiably low share worth.
For instance, over the previous 12 months I’ve been stocking up on FTSE 250 baker Greggs (LSE: GRG). To date, the funding has not carried out effectively. Many of the shares are sitting under the value paid for them, so I’m holding what is named a paper loss.
There’s some compensation because of a dividend yield above the FTSE 250 yield, however the worth motion has not been promising.
Why has this occurred? Many buyers have turned extra adverse on Greggs, on account of dangers comparable to market saturation and the hit to revenue margins from increased wage and Nationwide Insurance coverage prices.
I see these dangers as actual — and ongoing. However I additionally see tons to love about Greggs: its confirmed enterprise mannequin, distinctive model positioning on the excessive road, massive economies of scale and ongoing profitability.
I’m hoping that, over the long run, high quality will out.
A balanced view
One more reason I proceed to put money into FTSE shares is that they provide me publicity to each the UK and world financial system.
The shares are all London-listed, however FTSE 100 firms make over half their earnings abroad. These are confirmed companies working in a number of areas of the world financial system.
Over time, I consider being uncovered to such companies may also help me profit from world financial development.

Picture supply: Getty Photographs
To date this month now we have already seen the FTSE 100 hit a brand new all-time excessive, transferring previous the ten,000 mark for the primary time in its historical past. Ought to that set alarm bells ringing? In any case, the British financial system will not be precisely on fireplace, but the main index of blue-chip London-listed shares goes gangbusters.
I proceed to assume there may be probably good worth in each the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 index. I’ve already purchased some FTSE shares for my Self-Invested Private Pension (SIPP) this 12 months – right here is why I feel this market can nonetheless provide alternatives for patrons.
Comparatively engaging valuation
It’s simple to have a look at how effectively the FTSE 100 has performed in recent times and draw a hyperlink to it being probably overvalued. However how effectively (or poorly) an index performs doesn’t in itself converse to its valuation.
For me, valuation boils right down to a easy query of whether or not I get one thing for lower than I feel it’s price over the long run, adjusted for the price of me tying my cash up in it. If I’m, then I regard it as attractively valued.
The FTSE 100 is cheaper than its US counterpart. I see many UK shares as attractively valued in comparison with some US ones. However I additionally see many UK shares as attractively valued on an goal foundation – that’s, in comparison with what I consider they’re price.
Taking the long-term view
Partially, that displays my long-term strategy to investing. Most shares go up and down. Over time, even a superb share might have some large jumps between highs and lows.
Which may appear regarding. However I take the lengthy view and deal with whether or not I feel a share is price greater than its present worth suggests. Doing that lets me ignore many short-term worth actions, or typically use them to my benefit to purchase a share that I feel has an unjustifiably low share worth.
For instance, over the previous 12 months I’ve been stocking up on FTSE 250 baker Greggs (LSE: GRG). To date, the funding has not carried out effectively. Many of the shares are sitting under the value paid for them, so I’m holding what is named a paper loss.
There’s some compensation because of a dividend yield above the FTSE 250 yield, however the worth motion has not been promising.
Why has this occurred? Many buyers have turned extra adverse on Greggs, on account of dangers comparable to market saturation and the hit to revenue margins from increased wage and Nationwide Insurance coverage prices.
I see these dangers as actual — and ongoing. However I additionally see tons to love about Greggs: its confirmed enterprise mannequin, distinctive model positioning on the excessive road, massive economies of scale and ongoing profitability.
I’m hoping that, over the long run, high quality will out.
A balanced view
One more reason I proceed to put money into FTSE shares is that they provide me publicity to each the UK and world financial system.
The shares are all London-listed, however FTSE 100 firms make over half their earnings abroad. These are confirmed companies working in a number of areas of the world financial system.
Over time, I consider being uncovered to such companies may also help me profit from world financial development.
















