Traders looking for low cost shares to purchase in March will discover loads of alternative on right this moment’s FTSE 100. They don’t have to be tremendous rich both. It’s attainable to start out with £2,000, £1,000 or much less. So which shares would possibly buyers contemplate?

The UK’s blue-chip index has retreated in current days, though it’s nonetheless up greater than 5% this 12 months, and round 13% over 12 months. Plus dividends on prime.

The current dip excites fairly than alarms me. It means many prime FTSE shares are cheaper than just some days in the past. So what’s on the market?

Some FTSE 100 bargains to contemplate

Some shares are low cost as a result of they’ve fallen sharply currently. Coach specialist JD Sports activities Style has a lowly price-to-earnings ratio of simply 6.7, lower than half the FTSE 100 common of round 15.

That’s unsurprising on condition that its shares are down 30% over the past 12 months. British Airways proprietor IAG can also be low cost with a P/E of seven.8 instances. Against this, its shares are up 113% over the past 12 months.

I believe buyers ought to strategy with warning. JD Sports activities is struggling to kick on, as shopper demand stays weak. The IAG share price might have burned itself out, following its stellar run.

Barclays (LSE: BARC) appears properly value contemplating although. Its shares are up 83% over the past 12 months, however might have a bit extra gas within the tank.

Once more, they’re fairly good worth, with a P/E of 8.3. The price-to-book (P/B) ratio, a measure I at all times verify with banking shares, is low at 0.6. That makes it cheaper than rivals Lloyds Banking Group and NatWest, which each have P/Bs of 0.9.

Barclays additionally has a thriving funding banking arm, having resisted stress to dump it after the monetary disaster. That ought to profit from inventory market volatility, which I anticipate we’ll see much more of underneath US President Donald Trump.

The shares look first rate worth

On 13 February, Barclays reported a 24% surge in pre-tax revenue to £8.1bn in 2024, barely above dealer forecasts. It additionally hiked its dividend by 5% and introduced a brand new £1bn share buyback.

There are dangers to purchasing Barclays, as with each inventory. As rates of interest slide, it may squeeze web curiosity margins, the distinction between what it pays savers and fees debtors. Its Wall Road operations depart the financial institution on the mercy of aggressive US regulatory scrutiny, the place it may face lawsuits or hefty misconduct fines.

Like IAG, the Barclays share price might battle to increase its stellar run. But I nonetheless assume it’s good worth and price contemplating.

Specialist insurer Beazley is a darkish horse. It appears actually low cost with a P/E of simply 5.2, regardless of a 27% bounce in its share price over the past 12 months. Beazley is uncovered to local weather threat. Final November it revealed an estimated successful of up to $175m from Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Telecoms big BT Group additionally appears low cost with a P/E of 8.3 instances and a beneficiant 5% yield. Traders ought to research the dangers right here, as there are masses. British American Tobacco is one other cheapie. Its P/E can also be 8.3 with a bumper 7.8% yield. An investor with £2k may take into consideration splitting it between Barclays and one among these three. These with bigger sums ought to contemplate spreading their cash round.