James Beddington
James Beddington has spent two decades reporting on the City of London and UK financial markets. He writes about how markets really work, the players behind the prices, and what private investors need to know to level the playing field.
The seven rules continued: who you know, dispassion, and why time in the market beats timing it
Monty's last four rules: the City information network, dispassion at the ticker, averaging down, and time in the market over…
Information, cost and position size: the first three rules every private investor needs to understand
Before you click buy, three structural disadvantages have already been set against you: information, cost and position size. The Street…
Bowler hats, gorillas and Krugerrands: what Brian Winterflood’s Square Mile teaches us about every crisis since
Brian Winterflood buried Krugerrands in his garden in 1974. What the City veteran’s testimony reveals about every financial crisis since.
Who actually profits from M&A — the advisers, lawyers and bankers behind every deal
Advisory fees on a major UK takeover can run to hundreds of millions. Here is who gets paid, how, and…
When deals go bad — the post-merger reality nobody talks about at the announcement
The announcement is the high watermark. What follows — integration struggles, write-downs, and broken promises — rarely makes the same…
What Citigroup found when it studied 30 years of director dealings
A Citigroup study found directors are skilled stock pickers in their own companies, but the signal has limits investors should…
Risk consultants and corporate detectives — the eyes and ears hedge funds pay for
Hedge funds pay risk consultants and corporate detectives to build information advantages. Here is what they do, who they are,…
Why most fund managers can’t beat the market — and what that means for you
The data is clear: most active UK fund managers fail to beat the index over ten years. Here is what…
Proprietary trading and the rise of casino banking: what private investors should know
Proprietary trading explained in plain English: how casino banking grew, what rules changed, and what private investors should watch.
How to read an analyst note without being misled by it
Analyst notes can move share prices and look authoritative. But reading them without understanding who wrote them and why is…