We recently published a list of 10 Best UK Stocks to Buy According to Billionaires. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) stands against other best UK stocks to invest in.
Like most of the world, the United Kingdom is also facing slower economic growth in 2025, fuelled by an unpredictable trading environment and high taxes. According to KPMG, there are some upsides to the UK economy this year, including solid household savings and robust public spending. However, American tariffs could limit UK GDP growth to only 0.8% during 2025 and 2026. In the short term, inflation will likely come back due to growing labor costs and skyrocketing energy prices. Nonetheless, KPMG forecasts that inflation will simmer down to the Bank of England’s target of 2% by the middle of next year.
What came as a surprise was the UK economy going up by 0.1% in Q4 2024, a welcome reprieve from the sodden economic outlook painted by market experts. This made Britain the top performer in Europe during the fourth quarter, as Italy remained flat and German and French economies shrunk. However, the UK economy fell short of the 0.6% growth in the United States. In light of these economic developments, Scott Gardner, investment strategist at JP Morgan-owned wealth manager Nutmeg, told Reuters on February 13, 2025:
“A pleasant surprise, but we’re not out of the woods yet. Beneath the surface of these latest figures, domestic demand via consumption and business investment was weaker than expected,”
As per Britain’s Office for National Statistics, wholesalers, film distributors, pubs and bars, industrial manufacturers, and pharma led the growth in December 2024. However, it should be noted that this growth was dependent on monetary support from the government and a brief pile-up in business inventories. In addition, flat spending trends were observed in households, and business investment stumbled by 3.2% in Q4. The Bank of England has now slashed its growth outlook for 2025 to 0.75%, while the National Institute of Economic and Social Research remains optimistic with a 1.5% forecast.
Investor optimism is increasing around the UK, given the rising trade tensions between the United States and Europe. While UK economic growth has lagged in recent years, BofA analysts expect it to pick up pace in 2025, projecting 1.4% growth. Analysts see positive signs like deregulation, capital spending, and potential US trade benefits. Sanjay Raja, chief UK economist at Deutsche Bank, told CNBC on March 24, 2025:
“Talk of a U.S. trade deal also surfaced in client conversations, and there was increased optimism that the U.K. may be spared from direct and widespread tariffs,”
