Make way for Noddy, says Benjamin, 3½

Child's Play

It was a tough stock market baptism for Hannah, the 16-month-old daughter of our former business news editor, Teresa Poole. Introduced to stock-tipping in the worst year for equities for ages her portfolio fell by an average of 46 per cent. Hannah had bad luck with Albert Fisher going into administration and British Energy going into meltdown (minus 97.7 per cent). Aggreko fell 60 per cent with a final blow on the last day of 2002 when the company said its chief executive had been killed in a car crash. There was one success, though. Stanley Leisure, the betting group, soared 63 per cent on the benefits of proposed de-regulation.

This year's tipster is Benjamin Cope, the three-and-a-half-year old son of our City Editor Nigel Cope.

Benjamin has yet to demonstrate much interest in stocks. Indeed he has said in the past: "I don't like news. I like Noddy." However, this throwaway comment proved useful and led to Chorion, which owns the rights to Noddy, being his first tip.

Asked what else might be popular in 2003 he said: "toys". This led to his second tip Hamleys. Prompted for more he said: "I like videos." He singled out the retailer Woolworths. He also wanted a bank "because the money comes out." Presented with a pen and The Independent's shares page he made a mark next to Allied Irish Bank. Another area was supermarkets where he pickedJ Sainsbury. He then opted for the software companyDiagonal, the engineering group GKN and the property firmSlough Estates.

Finally Benjamin pickedHilton, the hotels and gaming group, and the pubs operator Punch Taverns.