Why digital infrastructure could emerge stronger from Covid-19 August 28, 2020 | City Talk The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the need to modernise digital infrastructure networks. We expect that this will create new investment opportunities. Surging online activity Whether we like it or not, the Covid-19 pandemic has cemented our addiction to fast and reliable internet access. While speaking to colleagues remotely, food shopping online or monitoring our ‘smart [...]
What does value investing have in common with Forrest Gump? August 26, 2020 | City Talk Gump is rewarded for his determination and resilience in the face of vicious storms in the 1994 film “Forrest Gump”. We believe returns could be bountiful for the genuinely long-term and patient value investor too. When I look at a chart like this, I think one of two things. Either it’s different this time for [...]
How working flexibly can give investors an edge August 24, 2020 | City Talk I’ve always said that the question of how you create a high performing investment culture is inextricably linked with the individuals involved and how they interact with each other. This is a people business and this view has been at the heart of how we approach investment matters at Schroders. As a leader of an [...]
From protein to plastics – EU funding continues to flow (for now) August 21, 2020 | City Talk Portugal’s off the list. Croatia’s on the list. Spain and France have been on the list for a while. As far as Europe is concerned, the headlines are dominated by the latest quarantine rules for people returning to Britain from holiday hotspots. It’s tough to keep track of the changing rules and timings. On a [...]
Mind the gap? Financing scale-ups takes sharper focus August 19, 2020 | City Talk ‘There is a risk… of a lost generation of innovative businesses unable to access the right capital to scale and go global’: so warns an analysis published this month entitled The Future of Growth Capital. The report – co-produced by Innovate Finance, the ScaleUp Institute and Deloitte, in collaboration with industry, investors and the recently [...]
UK savings rates halve since coronavirus lockdown August 17, 2020 Average savings rates in the UK have fallen for the fifth consecutive month, as the impact of coronavirus and subsequent base rate cuts hit returns. Since lockdown restrictions were imposed in March, average savings rates for easy access, notice accounts and their ISA equivalents have halved. Moneyfacts’ savings report shows all average saving rates are [...]
Market shock: how did investors react to the impact of Covid-19? August 17, 2020 | City Talk Coronavirus brought a decade-long US bull market to an end and sparked a sudden stock market collapse. A surprising proportion of investors responded by taking on more risk. Faced by of one of the biggest economic shocks in history it is little surprise that the vast majority of investors reacted by changing their portfolios. What [...]
Why investors should pay attention to sugar August 14, 2020 | City Talk Government action to promote healthy eating, especially in light of the spread of Covid-19, and ongoing changes in consumer tastes will continue to create headwinds for the food and beverage industry, and increasingly for food retailers and hospitality companies too. We’ve known for decades that obesity puts people at greater risk of serious and life-threatening [...]
Brits save an extra £273 a month during lockdown August 12, 2020 People across the UK are putting more money into savings as the pandemic forces Brits to stay at home, rather than go to the pub. The average Brit has been able to save £495 per month while lockdown rules temper social opportunities — an increase of £273 compared to their monthly savings pre-pandemic, according to [...]
Investors expect even higher returns from the stock market in years ahead – despite coronavirus shock August 10, 2020 | City Talk Savers predict annual returns of 10.9% from their stock market investments, even as Covid-19 halted the longest economic expansion on record and plunged the world into deep recession. Investors continue to hope for double-digit yearly total returns from their portfolios, despite the huge blow inflicted on the global economy by the Covid-19 pandemic, according to [...]