With the FTSE 100 around 8,000, is it too late to buy UK big-cap shares? My short answer is no. The aggregated index has little to do with individual company valuations and prospects for earnings. Several Footsie stocks look appealing to me right now, such as packaging and paper solutions provider Mondi. The trend away from plastic packaging to sustainable alternatives like paper and cardboard is helping the sector to flourish. However, Mondi isn’t the only operator in the space, so it’s worth keeping an eye on the competitive pressures faced by the business. I also like Coca-Cola products bottler and distributor Coca-Cola HBC. For me, it’s all about the iron-clad brand strength with this one and how that has enabled impressive dividend growth. The company has rights to distribute the famous brand in a territory that spans from Ireland, across Central & Eastern Europe, and as far south as Nigeria. The firm does bottle and sell other drinks too, but perhaps the worst thing that could happen is a disagreement with The Coca-Cola Company and a loss of the licence. However, there’s no sign of that catastrophe scenario at the moment. Another on my radar is Kingfisher, owner and...