Autumn Statement: How it may affect your finances December 3, 2013 With interest rates already at record lows, the chancellor may have more bad news in store for savers Coverage of the chancellor’s Autumn Statement tomorrow will no doubt focus on the predictable headline-grabbers – fuel duty freezes, corporation tax changes, and heavily-trailed action on energy bills are all candidates. But for savers and investors, some [...]
Mid cap stocks gain favour as UK economic optimism rises November 26, 2013 But don’t write off the more international FTSE 100 blue chips THE UK recovery has finally taken hold. But not only is growth returning, many are now more optimistic about our economic prospects compared to other advanced nations. Last week, the OECD revised down its 2013 global growth forecasts to 2.7 per cent from 3.1 [...]
US tech stocks are an enticing proposition November 12, 2013 IN AN eye-catching achievement for a company that has never made a profit, Twitter’s share stampede last week sent the value of the social networking platform to $24bn (£15.12bn) on its stock market debut, although its shares have since dropped back to around $42. Many investors, however, are still understandably cautious about investing in high-profile [...]
Europe recovery draws in investors November 5, 2013 But some fund managers are now seeking to rein in this enthusiasm WHILE the Eurozone has been plagued by macroeconomic and political uncertainty over the past few years, the case for investing in Europe may be strengthening. European bourses have performed strongly this year, boosted by news that the Eurozone returned to growth in the [...]
Turbo-charge your portfolio by investing in rising dividends November 5, 2013 But investors should also keep a close eye on valuations ONE OF the simplest ways of accelerating long-term capital growth is the old trick of reinvesting dividends. According to BlackRock, £100 invested in a FTSE All-Share index fund in 1987 would have been worth almost £900 at the end of 2012 with dividends reinvested, compared [...]
When to invest in passive vehicles October 29, 2013 The rising popularity of tracker funds partly reflects their flexibility, says Annabel Palmer INVESTORS are increasingly turning to passive funds. In the four years to June 2013, the assets held in passive investments have more than doubled in the US. And according to the Investment Management Association, tracker funds’ share of total funds under management [...]
Investment Comment: Mid caps will give you maximum exposure to the UK’s recovery October 29, 2013 WHILE boom times remain far off, UK households are spending and sentiment is improving. The latest good news is that the UK economy grew at its fastest pace in three years in the third quarter, with economic output up 0.8 per cent between July and September. Earlier this month the IMF also lifted its UK [...]
How to spot the pension fund dogs October 22, 2013 A new report finds that £31bn is sat in poor performing funds WITH annual and lifetime allowances for attracting tax relief at £50,000 and £1.5m respectively (due to fall to £40,000 and £1.25m in 2014-2015), pensions are the most tax-efficient way to save for retirement. But with over £30bn of pension savings languishing in under-achieving [...]
Ongoing labour disputes may not hurt Royal Mail shares October 22, 2013 But the stock still faces serious risks after its initial rise in price The surge in the price of Royal Mail shares since trading began on 11 October has been as spectacular as it’s been controversial. After listing at 330p, Royal Mail shares rose almost 60 per cent to push beyond 530p on Monday, before [...]
Investment opportunities despite stubborn inflation October 15, 2013 It is not just equities that are providing real growth for investors INFLATION remains static at 2.7 per cent on the consumer price index, the 46th month it has sat stubbornly above the Bank of England’s 2 per cent target. Coupled with historically low interest rates, this has led millions to turn to bond, equity [...]