Can the UK economy cope with sustained house price falls? June 19, 2018 | City Talk Brexit uncertainty is far from over. Indeed, as we approach the crunch point in negotiations over the summer, we expect rhetoric of hard Brexit and a cliff edge to reach a crescendo, before a final deal is agreed in September or October. Meanwhile, business and consumer confidence are likely to continue to suffer, causing decisions [...]
Oil and gas add to current market worries June 18, 2018 | City Talk Recent rises in the oil and gas price worry some in the markets. Will they trigger more inflation? Will there be supply interruptions given the US wish to sanction Iran, given the troubles in Venezuela, and the growing hostility of the West towards Russia? We think there are stresses, but not ones which need become [...]
Which countries are most at risk from a trade war? June 14, 2018 | City Talk The US and China have been trading fierce rhetoric over the past two months, threatening to slap billions of dollars' worth of tariffs on each other's goods and services. If the skirmish turns into a full-blown trade war could it threaten the global economic recovery? While the current dispute between the two countries hasn’t officially [...]
Blue Whale – an ocean of opportunity? June 13, 2018 | City Talk With pressure on charges and an increasing regulatory burden there has probably never been a more challenging time to start a new fund management business. And making in impact with an inaugural fund in the IA Global sector – up against big fish like Nick Train and Terry Smith – is no easy task. Yet [...]
CPPIB becomes world’s first pension fund to issue green bonds June 12, 2018 Green bonds will be issued by a pension fund in a world first for the sector. The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) will become the first pension fund to increase its holdings in renewables and energy efficient buildings. CPPIB, which handles a total of $356.1bn assets, says the sale will put more than C$3bn [...]
De Beers just launched a Game of Stones June 12, 2018 | City Talk Diamond pioneer De Beers has always insisted it would never market man-made, or “fake”, diamonds. It recently made a surprise U-turn, revealing it will soon sell laboratory-grown stones, despite its current “real is rare” marketing campaign. So what has sparked this change of heart? De Beers, owned by Anglo American and the Government of Botswana, [...]
Why investors should beware the latest fairytale story June 12, 2018 | City Talk Once upon a time there lived a little pixie, who went to see a wise old wizard to ask him a question (humour me and read on…). “Why was the Fairyland stock market down today?” asked the pixie. “Because there were more sellers than buyers,” shrugged the wizard. “And if the market should rise tomorrow, [...]
May’s most widely bought and sold funds June 8, 2018 | City Talk Artemis Global Income remained a popular choice for exposure to high yielding global stocks among Charles Stanley Direct customers in May, while Fundsmith Equity was the most widely-purchased global equity fund, beating another regular favourite Lindsell Train Global Equity. In the Asia ex-Japan sector Invesco Perpetual Asian outstripped the perennially popularStewart Asia Pacific Leaders in [...]
Hold tight when volatility strikes June 6, 2018 | City Talk Ouch! At the end of March the FTSE 100 had its worst day since the end of 2016. The rally since then, however, demonstrates that you should fight the urge to sell during these short pullbacks. Bull markets die with a whimper, not a bang. Big bounces usually follow sudden selloffs. This was classic correction-type [...]
The top and bottom performing investment funds in May June 4, 2018 | City Talk “Sell in May and go away” advises the well-known City adage, which also suggests returning to the market after “St Leger Day”. This is the date in September when the horse race of that name is run and, traditionally, when the summer lull in trading is over. It bears little relevance in the modern era [...]