Five years since Brexit: four charts to show UK shares could be returning to favour July 9, 2021 | City Talk As Brexit negotiations reached their denouement late last year UK investors sensed the outlook for their home market improving. The Schroders 2020 UK Financial Adviser Survey revealed 40% of respondents were looking to increase allocations to UK shares over the subsequent 12 months, see: Are investors adjusting to the new normal? Six months on, with a “no-deal” outcome [...]
Does low volatility mean a shock lies in store for investors? June 25, 2021 | City Talk Despite the many viral, economic, and geopolitical risks in the world today, volatility in asset markets has fallen to remarkably subdued levels. The VIX Index, the market’s so-called fear gauge, has recently fallen to a reading of around 16. This is below the average since 1991 of 19. The VIX reflects the amount of volatility [...]
How the climate change revolution has lit a fire under the heating industry June 22, 2021 | City Talk Climate policy over the last few years has seen the rise and rise of “net zero” targets, to the extent that around 70% of global emissions are now covered by a net zero policy. Converting these long-term ambitions into a clear plan of action is the next step, and the recent publication of a net [...]
Are we now on the road to net-zero? June 18, 2021 | City Talk We spoke to climate change specialists Simon Webber and Isabella Hervey-Bathurst for their views on the IEA’s latest report. Climate change and the transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy is arguably the most pressing issue facing the world today. Addressing the issue of how the world produces and consumes energy, and the measures that [...]
Q&A: the end of big oil? June 16, 2021 | City Talk Our “in the news” series focuses on recent dramatic events in the energy industry as oil majors were held to account over climate change. We explain what’s happened and how Schroders acted on behalf of clients. The oil industry last week faced a “paradigm shift” after climate activists and asset managers led revolts at the [...]
How tech and medical advances are transforming healthcare investing June 14, 2021 | City Talk Healthcare innovation specialist John Bowler explains the revolution going on in the sector. Covid-19 aside, what other issues are emerging that will reshape the healthcare sector? The main drivers of healthcare remain unchanged: there is accelerating demand for healthcare services as people are increasingly living longer. Governments around the world face budget pressures with the [...]
How are vaccine programmes progressing in emerging markets? June 11, 2021 | City Talk Some emerging markets will be vulnerable to renewed activity restrictions in the coming months. For investors, this will require careful monitoring. The roll out of Covid-19 vaccines remains a conundrum facing investors in emerging markets (EM). As we noted late last year, few EM were proactive in securing sufficient supplies of effective vaccines. So they were [...]
The £33k cost of trying to time the market June 9, 2021 | City Talk “Buy low, sell high” – that’s every investor’s goal. However, it’s easier said than done. In practice timing the market is notoriously difficult. It can also be costly. Our research highlights potential losses if your attempts to time market highs and lows go wrong. The dramatic drop in share prices at the onset of the [...]
Johanna Kyrklund: Time to slow down (but not too much) June 7, 2021 | City Talk In my family I am often mocked for being a cautious and slow driver. So it was ironic and a source of great amusement to them that I recently received a speeding ticket and had to attend a speed awareness course. One of the main messages from the course was that as a driver you [...]
What does a €50 carbon price mean for European companies? June 3, 2021 | City Talk Earlier this month, the EU carbon price moved above €50 per tonne for the first time ever. The price is now more than double its level prior to the pandemic, with a sharp rise in recent months. What is the EU carbon price? The EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is designed to put a price [...]