Investors should not ignore the deflation threat January 20, 2015 The spectre of deflation is once again looming, with Bank of England governor Mark Carney refusing to rule it out in the UK in the coming year. It may be the stuff of economists’ nightmares, but has the prospect of falling prices sent Britons scurrying to the hills? Not a bit of it. Many consumers [...]
Why a battered Eurozone is still offering tempting opportunities January 13, 2015 Hedging currency exposure will be a saving grace. The Euro had a bumpy ride economically last year, and most don’t expect 2015 to bring much respite. Anaemic growth, credit contraction and a very real fear of a deflationary spiral (the inflation rate fell to -0.2 per cent in December) are fuelling mounting expectations of QE. [...]
Staying tax savvy: What you can do before the year ends January 6, 2015 A focus on capital gains tax may well mean a better deal. With the new year having firmly arrived, and the end of the tax year just three months away, now is an ideal time to blow the cobwebs away and ensure your money is working as hard as possible – by getting your [...]
More QE and a possible crisis: What markets will do in 2015 December 16, 2014 UK stocks look likely to be dominated by political risk PREDICTING the year ahead in markets can be a fool’s game. Last December, fund managers’ 2014 look-aheads heralded the start of a year in which Japan’s shock and awe Abenomics tactics would finally end its disinflationary misery, while the Eurozone would begin to turn a [...]
US stock markets in 2015: Are there any pockets of value? December 9, 2014 Fund managers are finding opportunities in retail shares. According to IMF forecasts, US growth will accelerate to more than 3 per cent in 2015 (compared to just over 2 per cent this year), tearing past other G7 countries like Britain, which is expected to grow by around 2.7 per cent. The Dow Jones and S&P [...]
Picking the right funds: Why it pays dividends to be on the ball December 2, 2014 However keen you are to diversify, be wary of overdoing it IT’S BEEN a tough year for some fund managers. Missed opportunities in tech shares and bad bets on financial stocks have seen 85 per cent of active large-cap stock funds lag their benchmark indices through to 25 November of this year. Lipper, which did [...]
DIY investing: Five crucial tips to remember when going it alone November 25, 2014 Think carefully about your risk profile and platform choice REFORMS to the way financial advice is charged for in the UK have led to a sharp uptick in the number of investors shunning advisers in favour of self-managed portfolios bought through a platform. The Retail Distribution Review (RDR), introduced at the end of 2012, stopped [...]
Winter sports insurance: Have you got it covered? November 25, 2014 Not many policies will allow you to go off-piste without a qualified instructor NEARLY 40 per cent of winter sports holidaymakers head to the slopes without travel insurance, according to government figures. And 31 per cent have admitted to not checking their policy to ensure they’re covered. But despite all the small print, getting the [...]
Staying on track: The secrets to rebalancing your portfolio November 18, 2014 No financial adviser can stress enough that it is unwise to expect your portfolio, however carefully put together, to fulfil your investment goals automatically over the long term. Periodically reviewing the assets you hold is vital if you don’t want to fall victim to portfolio drift. “Rebalancing instills good investment habits, trimming the holdings that [...]
Why UK commercial real estate is still hot property November 18, 2014 But political risks are rising – whether the Conservative Party or Labour win next May. If we take the temperature of investors in commercial property right now, we would find warm support for the sector in the UK. In a low interest rate environment, and with returns from property far outstripping bond yields, [...]