We all know that we should aim for a well-diversified portfolio, but that is easier said than done given the high correlations between most of the main asset classes. The tendency for different securities to move in unison is particularly acute during a sharp market sell-off, which is precisely when you need your more defensive…
The investment industry is often criticised for its sharp practices and lack of transparency, so it makes a nice change to be able to report on a welcome bout of honesty. This is particularly the case when the disclosure is entirely voluntary and made for the long-term benefit of investors. It concerns the £140m Lindsell…
In December the Board of Alliance Trust (LON:ATST) announced plans to change its investment approach by appointing eight specialist equity managers with proven stock-picking skills. The new mandate is designed to improve the performance and is subject to a shareholder vote on 28th February. If the plans are approved the £3.1bn fund will give investors…
December saw the launch of a new closed-ended fund that will make secured, direct loans to small and medium sized companies that are mainly based in the UK. This part of the market is poorly served by the banks and other lenders, which means there is the potential to earn attractive risk-adjusted returns. RM Secured…
Looking back it is hard to believe that 2016 turned out the way it did. Even Mystic Meg would have struggled to predict Brexit and Trump and the impact they have had on the world’s financial markets. Forecasting is always a mug’s game, but analysing the recent performance and its influence on investor sentiment can…
Despite all the concerns about Brexit and Trexit, 2016 turned out to be a surprisingly good year for global stock markets with the Dow and the FTSE 100 starting 2017 at or near to all-time record highs. Some people see this as a really bullish sign, but those with a more cautious attitude might want…
Most investment trusts normally trade at a discount to their underlying Net Asset Value (NAV), but there are one or two where the manager is so highly regarded that the shares generally change hands at a premium. A prime example is the £860m Finsbury Growth & Income Trust (LON:FGT), which is managed by Lindsell Train.…
There are plenty of financial forecasts knocking around at this time of year, but the most entertaining are the 10 deliberately outrageous predictions from Saxo Bank. These are intended to flag up the outlier events with the most potential to move the markets. You can read them all here. The one that caught my eye…
Good morning Vietnam Adventurous investors who want to target countries with the highest growth potential might want to think about opening a position in Vietnam. This South-East Asian frontier market has largely been ignored as a source of investment returns, but it looks as though things are about to change as more people wake up…
Time to dust off the crystal ball It’s that time of year again when the experts stick their heads above the parapet and go public with their predictions for the year ahead. I have mixed views about these sorts of forecasts as it is easy to read too much into them, but if you approach…
