March 2015: Portfolio Update.

Nothing too much worth writing about in March, my portfolio having fallen by -0.92% with general election, Greece, economic growth concerns, and oil price and other commodity price falls. 

Specific to BAT and Imperial Tobacco is ongoing concern that the proposed merger between US peers Reynolds and Lorillard might be under threat (www.express.co.uk: MARKET REPORT: Shares fall in British American and Imperial Tobacco).

So down 0.92%, v. the FTSE 100's -2.5%.

Dividends were received from Microsoft, SSE, and BP. The latter payout benefitting from an increased holding after my top ups late last year.

			Forecast	1 month	YTD	51 mth
	Price	% holding	Div. yield	% gain	% gain	% gain
R-R	953.00p	24.07%	2.50%	0.42%	9.54%	45.17%
Aviva	540.00p	13.64%	3.84%	0.19%	11.46%	49.26%
National Grid	865.00p	13.27%	5.17%	-2.48%	-5.78%	56.42%
BP	437.00p	9.49%	5.92%	-2.46%	6.33%	3.27%
Apple **	$124.43	9.15%	1.36%	0.84%	18.49%	130.48%
IG Group	709.00p	4.45%	4.47%	-3.01%	-1.39%	48.57%
Imperial Tobacco	2963.00p	2.90%	4.82%	-7.20%	4.48%	31.16%
William Hill	371.00p	2.95%	3.47%	-1.85%	2.34%	101.44%
BAT	3488.00p	2.31%	4.38%	-7.77%	-0.34%	3.99%
Vodafone	220.00p	2.10%	5.35%	-1.79%	-1.19%	-12.80%
Microsoft **	$40.66	1.97%	4.39%	-3.46%	-7.99%	53.17%
Banco Santander	504.00p	2.05%	2.67%	6.11%	-7.44%	-7.64%
General Electric **	$24.81	1.90%	3.16%	-0.62%	3.20%	71.07%
BAE Systems	524.00p	1.82%	3.99%	-1.69%	11.02%	58.79%
Barrat Dev.	529.00p	1.64%	4.28%	2.52%	12.31%	47.98%
SSE	1498.00p	1.44%	6.14%	-4.77%	-7.64%	22.29%
Verizon **	3279.52p	1.50%	3.85%	2.34%	9.27%	18.16%
Centrica	253.00p	1.11%	5.59%	3.69%	-9.32%	-23.70%
BG Group	829.00p	0.84%	2.37%	-13.47%	-4.16%	-36.03%
Cash		1.41%	0.00%
		100.00%	3.72%
				1 month	YTD	51 mth
Virtual Portfolio gain (incl. Dividends)
- 3 month gain  2235.05 -	2214.53			-0.92%
- YTD gain        1644.62 -	2214.53				5.95%
- 51 month gain 1264.20 -	2214.53					75.17%
- 63 month gain 1000.00 -	2214.53					121.45%
FTSE gain (excl. Dividends)
- 3 month gain   6946.66 -	6773.04			-2.50%
- YTD gain        5897.81 -	6773.04				3.15%
- 51 month gain 5971.01 -	6773.04					13.43%
- 63 month gain 5412.88 -	6773.04					25.13%
Transactions:
16/03/2015	Div	Microsoft @ 17.6p per share (*)
20/03/2015	Div	Scottish & Southern @ 26.6p per share
27/03/2015	Div	BP @ 6.67p per share
Notes:
*     US Dividends are adjusted for exchange rate and 15% withholding tax
**   Sterling : Dollar exchange rate = £1: $1.48284 as at 31/03/15
***  Banco Dividends are adjusted for exchange rate and 21% withholding tax
**** Sterling : Euro exchange rate = £1: $1.38102 as at 31/03/15

Chart wise the recent uptrend in 2015 has been broken but it remains above last years channel of consolidation (no returns!).

Click to enlarge, close to return.

So with the General Election looming, there appears to be some volatility ahead, particularly given concerns that there will be no clear majority, and/or Labour could return to govern hand in hand with the SNP.
Tough given that neither appear to have a recent track record with the UK's best interests at heart, more political ambitions fuelled by self interest.

Time will tell who will win out along with the realisation of currently perceived threats to various sectors of business: energy, construction, oil, and banking.

Good luck.

Related articles:
- www.express.co.uk: MARKET REPORT: Shares fall in British American and Imperial Tobacco

Previous Posts:
- February 2015: Portfolio Update.
- January 2015: Portfolio Update.
- December 2014: Portfolio Update.