A vintage performance by our long-standing 2012 portfolio enlivened a generally dull week for the majority of our share tips when we carried out our review of progress ahead of the Budget on Wednesday morning.
All six of its share recommendations scored good gains with the total valuation up just short of £600-nearly 10%-in the best weekly showing since the portfolio was launched more than three years ago.
Mortgage bank TSB stood out with a rise of more than 20% on news of a Spanish bid approach but motorway barriers specialist Hill & Smith, B&Q owner Kingfisher and safety equipment concern were others to see valuations increase £100 or more.
Advertising giant WPP also pushed to new peaks and even the lack-lustre Carnival cruise ships business managed to reverse earlier losses.
Unfortunately, it was a different story elsewhere with the other three portfolios making losses of between 0.4% and 0.7% as investors ditched a number of poor-performing shares to establish tax losses in the run up to April 5.
The list included Scotland's FirstGroup which is due to give a trading report at the end of the month when analysts fear bad news on the Greyhound bus operations as travellers switch to their own cars as a result of the lower fuel prices.
Argos and Homebase group Home Retail also took a nasty hit after further news of disappointing sales (although directors say profits are holding up well) and shares of the Majestic wine warehouses group fell back into loss after a recent flurry of interest.
The disappointments included Royal Bank of Scotland which was sold at a small loss after finally triggering a sell signal under our stop loss system/ We have used the proceeds to make a fresh notional investment in Glasgow's Smart Metering Systems after its recent results.
We have made good profits in buying and selling these shares in the past and believe they offer good value with the share price down 15% since Christmas despite the success of last year's acquisition of electricity meters group Utility Partnership.
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