Grappling with a number of significant headwinds Unlike the rest of the world, the European economy has been hit by not one, but two major crises in the last decade. A few years on, we consider whether Europe is set on a path to recovery. In 2008, the collapse of the US mortgage market sent… Continue reading What next for the European recovery?
Category: Investment
Maintaining dividend growth
Rewarding investors in UK-listed companies Investors in UK-listed companies will be rewarded with an £85.8 billion payout in 2015, significantly better than last year, where investors suffered little or no growth in income according to Capita Asset Services’ ‘Dividend Monitor’. Dividend payouts from UK-listed companies made a strong start to 2015, prompting analysts to hike their forecasts for the year. … Continue reading Maintaining dividend growth
Smart investing
Inside the minds of savers and investors Now in its third edition, the latest BlackRock Investor Pulse survey takes an in-depth look at Britons’ attitude to money and provides a fascinating insight into the minds of savers and investors. People were asked about their priorities, concerns and how they invest. Here, we unveil some key… Continue reading Smart investing
Essentials and indulgences
UK parents spend £28 billion on nation’s under-fives each year UK parents spend around £35,000 on their children by the time they reach their fifth birthday, according to research released by Aviva. This adds up to a total of more than £28 billion[1] spent on the nation’s 4 million under-fives each year. Varying expenses The study of more than 2,000 parents with children aged… Continue reading Essentials and indulgences
Best of British
UK PLCs most widely held by investment companies Which UK companies have investment company managers been favouring? With the UK in the spotlight, the Association of Investment Companies (AIC) has published details of which UK companies are held by the highest number of investment companies in their top holdings. Interesting exceptions The UK companies held by most investment companies are dominated… Continue reading Best of British
Getting more financially savvy
Sorting out finances high on most people’s list Britons are determined to become more financially savvy about their saving and spending habits this year, with three quarters (76%) of adults admitting they are prepared to moderate their lifestyle, according to a new survey by Standard Life. Saving a key financial priority Showing that sorting out… Continue reading Getting more financially savvy
Trading places
It’s not just about picking investments wisely,it’s holding them in the most suitable place Now that we’ve entered a new tax year, if you are already planning how you are going to fully utilise your current Individual Savings Account (ISA) tax-efficient allowance, it’s not just about picking investments wisely – it’s also important to make sure you… Continue reading Trading places
Hunting for income
What gives specialist sectors an advantage? The hunt for income has shown no sign of slowing. Alternative assets in areas such as infrastructure, debt and property can offer a high level of income, and, being illiquid assets, they are particularly suited to being held in a closed-ended fund. Indeed, of the 49 investment companies yielding… Continue reading Hunting for income
Generating an income from your portfolio
Narrowing the knowledge gap for investors Record-low interest rates are rarely out of the news these days. With UK investors struggling to achieve a decent income from traditional investment sources, it might raise a few eyebrows to learn that less than half can correctly explain the term ‘income investing’. A recent survey by J.P. Morgan Asset… Continue reading Generating an income from your portfolio
Emerging market attractions creep back up
Living with several pending risk events, liquidity and risk appetite go with the territory The fundamental environment in emerging markets remains stable. As the market has grown accustomed to living with several pending risk events, liquidity and risk appetite have been creeping back up. Buyers of emerging market mutual funds have been returning to the… Continue reading Emerging market attractions creep back up
