Over the last five years the Nikkei 225, the main Japanese stock market index, has risen by an impressive 141%, which is well ahead of other markets such as the US, the UK and Germany. Despite these strong returns Japan remains one of the cheapest developed markets in the world. Hideo Shiozumi, who manages the Legg…
Reports of a possible agreement on the size of the Brexit divorce bill that could pave the way for a trade agreement once the UK leaves the EU have prompted a surge in the value of Sterling, but the longer term picture is a lot more disturbing. The Labour party has recently admitted that it…
It is hard to imagine a less likely President than Donald J. Trump, yet there is no doubt that his election success has been well received by the markets. When Hillary Clinton accepted defeat last November the most widely reported US stock market index, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, was trading below 19,000 points, but…
One of the attractions of buying investment trusts is that you can often pick them up at a discount to net asset value (NAV). This feels like you are getting a bargain because you are paying less for the shares than what the underlying portfolio is worth, but it can be misleading. An investment trust…
The recent increase in interest rates by the Bank of England has shone a spotlight on the actions of the major banks. The uplift of 0.25% was automatically passed on to the millions of borrowers with tracker rate mortgages, but the majority of savers with variable rate accounts are yet to see any improvement. Banks…
If there is one area that divides opinion more than most it is commodities. Some investors think that we are entering a new bull market and that now is the perfect time to buy, whereas others are sceptical and remain bearish. Whatever your view there is no doubt that it has been a difficult time…
Last week was a fantastic one for the FANG stocks – Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and Google − with Amazon and Google (now Alphabet) posting market beating earnings that prompted sharp rises in their share prices. Amazon reported earnings of 52 cents a share after the market closed last Thursday, which was well ahead of the…
With the mainstream markets looking increasingly vulnerable it could be a good time to increase your exposure to listed hedge funds. The sector is currently out of favour with the majority of the constituents available at a discount to net asset value (NAV). The broker Numis has trading buy recommendations on two of these funds…
The increase in average life expectancy is great news for all of us, but the main challenge is that it makes funding our retirement considerably more expensive. Unfortunately the problem is compounded by the low annuity rates that are the traditional way of generating a pension, with a fund of £100,000 only buying a 65-year-old…
Real-Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) can provide a valuable source of income and a useful hedge against inflation as the underlying property values rise over time, but the share prices of many of these funds have been bid up to dangerous levels. One potential pocket of value is the new M7 Multi-Let REIT that is planning…
