Ethical investment can be a risky business November 11, 2012 ETHICAL investing is not a new concept. But while, in the 1960s, it was led by the Methodist Church’s decision to avoid stocks in sectors such as alcohol and gambling, nowadays issues such as climate change are the main drivers. As of 30 June 2012, there was approximately £11bn invested in Britain’s green and ethical [...]
Why investors must keep a keen eye on the cost of investing November 11, 2012 THE retail distribution review (RDR) will change the way that you pay for financial advice: the process will not become cheaper, nor will investing become easier. However, it will be more transparent. The challenge for investors is to manage their costs and choose the right type of adviser. HOW FEES WILL BE PAID RDR, which [...]
Paying for advice is due for a radical overhaul November 11, 2012 EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, GEKKO THE swathe of people who have already retired, or who are about to retire in the next few years – the so-called post war baby boomers – relied heavily upon independent financial advisers (IFAs) to take care of their mortgage, life insurance, savings and investment needs. They built strong personal relationships with [...]
Mixed corporate earnings see FTSE end down as Eurozone fears grow November 8, 2012 BRITAIN’S top share index fell yesterday as mixed earnings reports combined with concerns about the Eurozone’s economy and debt troubles to weigh on sentiment. Tate & Lyle and Land Securities were among fallers in heavy volumes after releasing disappointing earnings updates. Land Securities had gained 25 per cent year to date, with Tate & Lyle [...]
US stocks fall further on fears over economy November 8, 2012 US stocks fell yesterday and could be in line for more weakness as worries about Washington’s ability to find a timely solution to the “fiscal cliff” dominate investor thinking in coming weeks. The S&P 500 dropped for a second day and closed below its 200-day moving average for the first time in five months. The [...]
Re-election joy eclipsed by worries over Eurozone and US economies November 7, 2012 UK stocks fell sharply yesterday after bleak forecasts for the Eurozone economy and fiscal problems in the United States eclipsed initial relief over US President Barack Obama’s re-election. In morning trade the FTSE 100 had hit a level not seen for nearly two months as the Obama win fuelled hopes the US Federal Reserve would [...]
Wall st plunges on fears over US economy November 7, 2012 THE Dow industrials lost more than 300 points in a sell-off yesterday that drove all major US stock indexes down over two per cent in the wake of the presidential election as the looming “fiscal cliff” debate and Europe’s economic troubles returned to the forefront. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index posted its biggest daily [...]
Going back to the exam room can boost a career November 7, 2012 THE investment management certificate (IMC) is both a foundation for those with future plans for the chartered financial analyst (CFA) programme, and a qualification that demonstrates regulatory competence. Run by the CFA Society of the UK, roughly 6,000 students sit the exam each year, and it’s appropriate for anyone entering an investment-related role, be it [...]
FTSE 100 lifted by strong results from Marks & Spencer and G4S November 6, 2012 BRITAIN’S blue-chip stock index rose yesterday, buoyed by some encouraging earnings reports in light trade ahead of what is expected to be a close US presidential election result. The FTSE 100 was up 45.84 points, or 0.8 per cent, at 5,884.90 by the close, remaining within the tight 200-point range it has held since September. [...]
US stocks lifted by promise of vote outcome November 6, 2012 US stocks climbed yesterday, the last day of trading before the US election results came to a close, as investors looked forward to a resolution to the drawn-out race for the White House. The rally defied a string of weaker-than expected results from US companies and was attributed in part to expectations that a victor [...]