Why 2019 might be a better year for investors December 19, 2018 | City Talk 2018 has been a disappointing year for most investors. Almost all markets, both stocks and bonds, have fallen in value this year, under pressure from rising interest rates, political developments such as Brexit, and the trade dispute between the US and China. With hindsight, markets were priced for perfection at the start of the year [...]
Celebrations Twix vs Mars… the lesson for investors December 19, 2018 | City Talk Christmas, as my colleague Andy Williams crooningly reassures us, may well be the most wonderful time of the year but, in social terms, it is also potentially the most blunderful. And while solutions to age-old concerns such as gifts people truly have always wanted and friction-free family get-togethers are still works-in-progress, our Value Perspective blog [...]
A third of investors believe more non-UK fund managers will open London offices after Brexit December 17, 2018 More non-UK fund managers could open offices in Britain to retain access to expertise following Brexit, new research has found. One in three institutional investors believe the UK’s exit from the European Union will lead to an increase in merger and acquisition activity, with European firms buying UK businesses to give them a presence in [...]
As the warning signals flash red, now is the time to back business December 14, 2018 When thinking of the great moments of British enterprise, you would be forgiven for being consumed by nostalgia. The golden age of manufacturing, Victorian industrialists, Alan Turing, the internet, Concorde, the discovery of DNA – what then of today, the Brexit Blues? Think again. This is the age of the entrepreneur – 99 per cent [...]
Three reasons to diversify in the hunt for equity income December 13, 2018 | City Talk Obtaining additional income is the primary goal for many investors, yet achieving it can be hard. Here we look at three ways diversification can potentially bring wider opportunities for income-seekers who invest in shares: Relying on just a few stocks for income can be risky – they may cut their dividends or the share price [...]
Poor disclosure puts UN sustainability goals at risk, says Pimco December 12, 2018 UN goals to address global poverty, hunger and sustainability by 2030 could be at risk due to poor target setting and disclosure, according to the world’s biggest bond investor. US-based Pimco’s analysis examined the corporate disclosures of 246 firms to study to what extent the reports referenced the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and in how [...]
Why investors should be wary of star managers December 12, 2018 For a long time, it seemed like Neil Woodford could do no wrong. That was until 2017, when the UK’s best known fund manager seemed to lose his magic touch – and since then, the returns from his three popular funds have been struggling. His flagship Woodford Equity Income fund has lost investors almost 10 [...]
UK Investors forecast returns of 8.1 per cent – with UK millennials expecting more December 6, 2018 | City Talk UK investors expect annual returns of 8.1 per cent over the next five years, according to a major new global study. The finding, part of the Schroders Global Investor Study 2018, marked a notable fall from an expectation of 8.7 per cent in the UK in last year’s study. The returns, based on the average expectation of [...]
Is DIY investing a cheap trick? December 6, 2018 | City Talk As passive investors, we sometimes get asked by clients and prospects: “Why don’t I just invest in passive funds and exchanged-traded funds (ETFs) directly myself?” And at first glance, DIY investing may seem like the cheapest way to invest. But some professional services can actually work out as a much more cost-effective means of investing, [...]
UK investors warn tech giant regulation could harm startups December 5, 2018 UK investors are concerned legislation aimed at tech giants could have a damaging impact on startups, a new survey has revealed. A report published by the Coalition for a Digital Economy (Coadec) found 86 per cent of UK investors believe the principle of designing policy and legislation to target global giants could inadvertently hurt tech [...]