What does the US election mean for healthcare investors? November 12, 2020 | City Talk Voting has already begun in the US presidential election with many polls predicting a win for Democrat candidate Joe Biden. A Biden victory has been perceived in many quarters as likely to be negative for the healthcare sector. However, as with everything to do with US healthcare, the reality is more complicated. The main focus [...]
Green Bonds are misguided, counter-productive, and an investment handicap November 12, 2020 On Monday, the chancellor announced that the UK government will soon be issuing “Green Bonds”. In separate but related news, Scottish Widows will dump £400m of stocks that don’t meet Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria. ESG compliance has become the first thing discussed at investment committee meetings. Everyone wants to show how green they [...]
Appetite for hard-to-access capital is driving City investors to private equity November 11, 2020 With governments introducing unparalleled fiscal stimulus to support the economic recovery from ongoing pandemic, and monetary policy signalling a much lower-for-longer interest rate environment than anticipated, investors are increasingly turning to private equity as they look for yield. The investment space has been an uptick in interest from City investors as businesses are thirsty for [...]
Mobile trading – The power is in your pocket November 9, 2020 | City Talk In the 21st century, there is no longer a single factor that defines all traders across the markets. Your ‘typical trader’ is a thing of the past. In the FX industry a couple of decades ago, being a ‘trader’ mostly meant that you were dressed in a suit, sat coordinating trades on the phone all [...]
Gearing up against greenwashers: investors seek clarity on sustainability terminology November 9, 2020 | City Talk A dearth of clear, agreed sustainability definitions present a challenge to investors looking to invest sustainably. This is according to the results of the Schroders Institutional Investor Study, which surveyed 650 institutional investors across 26 countries during April 2020. Gearing up against greenwashers Greenwashing is about falsely communicating the environmental benefits of a product or [...]
Forget the drama of Succession and The Godfather — family businesses can be a great investment November 4, 2020 Companies with big family stakes are notorious for rows over ownership, control and succession — not to mention nepotism. Accordingly, existing Environmental, Societal and Governance (ESG) ratings mark them down on governance, discouraging anyone looking to invest for responsible growth. But if you dig a little deeper, there are good reasons to invest in them. [...]
Five trends to watch in China’s consumer sector November 3, 2020 | City Talk As the world continues to try to contain the spread of Covid-19, China is among the few countries sustaining a return to normal activity. Restrictions on movement have been lifted and the government’s test and trace system has so far proven effective in containing new outbreaks. As a result, shops, restaurants and other services have [...]
Close Brothers launches two new sustainable funds as demand grows November 3, 2020 Close Brothers Asset Management has launched two new sustainable funds amid growing demand from investors and clients. The asset manager has today launched the Close Sustainable Balanced Portfolio Fund and the Close Sustainable Bond Portfolio Fund, which will be actively managed. Close Brothers said the funds will look to generate “consistent long-term returns by screening [...]
AJ Bell launches first sustainable fund of ETFs November 2, 2020 Investment platform AJ Bell has launched its first sustainable fund investing in “responsibly screened” ETFs . The AJ Bell Responsible Growth Fund will invest in ETFs which remove stocks from controversial companies such as tobacco or alcohol. Any firm that breaches the UN Global Compact, which implements sustainable principles, will also be excluded. “Once these [...]
How to trade your way through the 2020 US presidential election November 2, 2020 The US election is tomorrow, and while the world waits to see whether Donald Trump or Joe Biden will emerge victorious, traders are planning how to respond as these events unfold. There are no easy decisions, especially when the final outcome and the impact on the markets are this uncertain. However, if you are hoping [...]