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Super Tuesday for results, plus peer-to-peer lending & investment trust portfolio update

Over in the US, it's 'super Tuesday', with registered Republicans in ten states going to the polls to choose a challenger for November's presidential election. And this side of the pond, it's super Tuesday for company results. Recruiter Michael Page, oil services group John Wood, broker Tullett Prebon and aerospace group Meggitt are among the blue-chip companies reporting today. You'll find our views on all those and more on our Shares news page later on today - and check out our views on Glencore, Goldplat and Petrofac from yesterday. However, it's the smaller end of the market that John Baron is more interested in. He thinks the perception of smaller companies as excessively volatile and too domestically focused is outdated, and is increasing his exposure to the sector via an investment trust with an outstanding track record. He's also beefing up exposure to Japan and corporate bonds. This week marks three years of 0.5 per cent interest rates, and some income-hungry investors have turned to peer-to-peer lending as a source of yield. Maike Currie looks at whether this is really the answer, or is just a risky and tax-inefficient fad. Last week, we unveiled lots of ideas for what to put in your Isa - but what are other people putting in theirs? Initial figures from stockbrokers and fund platforms suggest corporate bonds, US shares, emerging markets and gold are all making headway. Finally, Chris Dillow notes that overseas buying of US government bonds has slowed down - and asks whether this might herald the end of the long bull run in Treasuries.

BP, press tips, plus the not-so-safe havens

Last night's news bulletins were dominated by images of a lachrymose Vladimir Putin proclaiming victory in Russia's presidential elections. This is a sight unlikely to please at least three groups of people: Russians who think he is replacing democracy with kleptocracy, Syrians who think he's propping up Bashar Assad's brutal regime, and BP shareholders. Mr Putin has in the past pursued policies of aggressive resources nationalism, and BP has frequently found itself on the end of them - witness how its proposed tie-up with Rosneft was scuppered at the start of 2011. Another five years of Putin is not something that the company's directors will relish. Still, BP boss Bob Dudley had a bit of good news to announce today: the oil giant has settled a big chunk of the legal claims arising from the Macondo spill in 2010. To be clear, this is not 'the big one' - the criminal liability case - but it does provide a greater degree of certainty and the shares have risen 2 per cent. We still think BP is a good-value recovery play with a solid dividend stream. What else is new today? Well, we take a look at prospects for Ithaca Energy, the North Sea explorer that's received several bid approaches. We've got our usual round-up of Sunday newspaper share tips. We've got the Trader's usual preview of world markets for this week. And we've a word of caution about 'safe havens', which have an uncanny habit of turning into bubbles as investors stampede into them. So don't put gold, gilts, Swiss francs or yen into your Isa until you've read our main article today! Please note that there is no Simon Thompson column today, but that there will be one about trading strategies for March first thing on Friday. Finally, if you want updates on new articles or just random thoughts, you can follow me on Twitter at icJonathanE (there's also a general Investors Chronicle account at ¹û¶³´«Ã½hronicle) and later today you should be able to see me on CNBC's Investing Edge (talking about banks and housebuilders) at http://www.cnbc.com/id/43313583.

30 tips and ideas for your Isa plus trading ideas

Individual savings accounts are the UK's best tax break for investors. They're simple, effective and popular - and you've got just over a month to decide what to do with this year's allowance and to start thinking about how you're going to use next year's. We've got at least 30 ideas for how you can make the most of your Isa including popular funds and trackers, rock-solid, buy-and-forget shares along with more speculative stocks on the junior market and bonds offering defined returns. We also explore how to secure the best deals for self select plans and the best rates for cash Isas, how to get the asset allocation mix right, how to keep your Isa in shape, and where to get the best Junior Isas for your children. Of course investing isn't solely about tucking shares away for the long term: some investments are shorter journeys and every week our trading ideas offer advice on when to get in and out: this week we've looked at Centrica, Intercontinental, Sterling and the Dow. Meanwhile the Trader explains why he is unmoved by the weakness in US transport stocks and remains bullish on Wall Street. Finally, look out for ¹û¶³´«Ã½'s editor, Jonathan Eley, on CNBC's 'Investing Edge' at 10pm tonight. You can find CNBC on Sky channel 505 or channel 613 on cable.

Investors Chronicle 2 March 2012 issue

Download this week's Investors Chronicle issue

High oil prices, pharma bargains, should you dump your pension for an Isa, and what every investor should read

Oil prices have been creeping up since the start of the year - for all the usual reasons with conflict in the Middle East being the prime one. Rising oil prices are a danger to the world's economy and stock markets, not just a thorn in the side of motorists although the $15 per barrel rise since the start of the year would cost UK oil consumers £5.8bn if sustained for a year. Chris Dillow examines the chances of further rises and the potential impact on shares. Elsewhere Julian Hofman reviews the performance of pharmaceutical companies: some firms are definitely coping better than others, creating value opportunities, and Moira O'Neill compares the benefits of Isas and Sipps. It's easy to kick pensions but just like bank bashing, a lot of the hatred is overdone and unjustified. Moira presents the best and worst aspects of both wrappers and comes up with a perfectly sensible and practical solution to maximising their benefits. Chris Dillow and Keith Bowman review a family of Isa portfolios where the investor has concerns about the risk he's taken on, and finally, whether you're an old hand or a newcomer to investing we've outlined the reasons why it's always worth paying a visit to one particular place for investment wisdom and advice.

A great yield - from the shares and bonds, Persimmon's £1.9bn dividend and banking challenges

It's noticeable how many of the results we're covering this week are upbeat. Here are a few examples: Elementis has had a record year (the shares are up 48 per cent on our buy tip); revenues and profits at SDL reached record levels; revenues have soared at Netcall and Dialight; profits at Staffline jumped 32 per cent; profits went up 69 per cent at Bovis and jumped at New Britain too; Persimmon has promised to pay shareholders £1.9bn in dividends and Molins is upping its year end payout to investors (and the shares are already up 12 per cent in the three weeks since Simon Thompson included the share in his 2012 Bargain Portfolio). We've written reports on all these companies and many more besides. Shares in another company are at the centre of our Bond of the Week tip this week: the company is doing well and its shares are on the cusp of making a new 10-year high. We think the dividend is well covered and impressive, and on top of that there's value to be found in the company's bonds according to Mark Glowrey who reckons yields of up to 8 per cent can be secured by investors keeping a close eye on the trading range. Elsewhere we look at how the UK banks are grappling with bad debts and cost pressures and Dominic Picarda explains why the S&P doesn't resemble a market that's topping or anywhere near topping.

Take your pick for a great yield

If you can buy in at the right price, these bonds offer value. The dividend on the shares is equally attractive

Bargain basement investment trusts, Hummingbird and Petra Diamonds

This week thousands of parents (of whom I'm one) will find out what school their 10 and 11 year olds will be heading off to in September. The whole business of choosing schools has struck me as sharing a lot in common with the business of investing in shares. Some candidates have to be rejected out of hand because the headteachers and the product they are selling are pretty rubbish, with no hope of a return, and the analyst, called Ofsted, agrees. Then at the other end of the spectrum, there are schools which are akin to growth stocks in that they do at least hold the promise of decent returns although you might have to wait. The trouble is they cost an arm and a leg. Then there are brand new untested schools for parents willing to take a risk. Luckily the schools market also offers some utter gems and true bargains - and the trick is to spot them early. At the ¹û¶³´«Ã½, we regularly hunt for share bargains, and this week Algy Hall has been scouring the market for the investment trusts offering the most enticing discounts and which look cheap based on their z-score measures. The discounts that trusts often trade on are one of the big attractions of the sector for its fans. Although there's a risk that the discount could widen further rather than narrow, in many cases buyers of the shares really are getting something for nothing. Algy reviews the candidates which include recovery plays and high risk exposure to Greece. Elsewhere Martin Li reports on how Hummingbird Resources has added substantial gold ounces near its existing discovery in Liberia, and on the latest news from Petra Diamonds while the Trader delivers his daily verdict on the market.

This bull rally, what to do with Discovery, HSBC, Netcall and Asian Citrus, plus press tips

Almost to the day one year ago, Tesco gained a new chief executive. Sir Terry Leahy, who had transformed the retailer from a £4bn business to one with a value of £32bn, handed over the reins to his successor Philip Clark. As we all now know, Tesco has tripped up badly since that handover of power - ground has been lost to rivals, there's been a shock profit warning and slump in the share price - and the new CEO has admitted to making strategy mistakes. Even shareholders who don't own a stake in the giant grocer must be watching intently from the sidelines because at the heart of the story lies an issue that affects all big and successful companies: that of succession planning. No matter how brilliant the CEO, he, or she, isn't going to stay forever. And when the time comes to appoint a new boss, shareholders have to decide if they should throw their lot in with the new boss or get out fast before things go wrong. It's an issue that's been raised by the world's most famous investor, Warren Buffett, in his annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway investors, almost certainly several years in advance of a change at the top. But with a compound annual gain of almost 20 per cent, an overall average gain of 513,005 per cent since the mid 1960s and a current share price of $120,000, there's a lot at stake. Mr Buffett says a successor has been identified, along with two superb back-ups, and that they "will enjoy a running start". Even so, he knows that his are big shoes to fill. You can read the full letter to shareholders at www.berkshirehathaway.com. Meanwhile, in Simon Thompson's letter to readers this week, he analyses the current bull rally and whether it has further to run, along with the implications for small cap shares. We've also got the latest news and our updated views on Discovery Metals - which has doubled since we tipped it at 52p, HSBC, Asian Citrus and Netcall, along with our start of the week round up of press tips.

North Sea bonanza, RBS plus tips round up

"Rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated," wrote Mark Twain. If a sea could speak, that's what the North Sea would be saying now. Ten or so years ago, people were writing it off. Big operators like BP and Shell were scaling back operations in favour of west Africa or the Gulf of Mexico. Gordon Brown was squeezing every last pound of tax revenue out of it. New discoveries were thin on the ground. The North Sea is a mature province, for sure - but the pessimism is gone. What's changed? Well, high oil prices have certainly helped. But there are new, dynamic operators, new fiscal incentives and most of all, new technology. The North Sea could pump billions more barrels in the years to come, as Martin Li explains. He also takes a look at some of the key wells being drilled elsewhere in the world, too. Elsewhere, results season is in full swing, and among the notables were big losses - and lots of controversy about bonuses - at state-owned bank RBS. We've also got our summary of tips and updates this week.