The region has plenty of trade groups, but which ones can help the UK boost trade? The good news is that UK trade with Latin America is growing. But not as fast as British exports…
Surging ahead
Private equity investment companies have recovered strongly following the global financial crisis. Over 1, 3 and 5 years, the average investment company in the Private Equity sector has returned an impressive 21%, 66% and 117%…
What did you think of the Budget?
Ben Kumar, Investment Manager, Seven Investment Management The UK Budget is usually as much a political statement as it is a fiscal one. Given the current state of UK politics, Philip Hammond might have preferred…
25 years in closed-ended funds
Financial freedom - or the ability to own your home, choose how you work and when you retire - may seem out of reach to many young people today. High house prices, insecure jobs in…
Securities Trust of Scotland Half Yearly Results 2017
Securities Trust of Scotland has announced positive results for the six-month period ending 30 September 2017. Past performance is not a guide to future returns. Download Securities Trust of Scotland Interim Report 2017 …
The Bank of England Does Something Only Previously Done in a World War
BUT DON'T PANIC. THIS TIME IS DIFFERENT… On November 2nd the Bank of England did something that it has only ever done before at the beginning of a World War. It doubled the Base Rate. The…
Small is beautiful
It has become commonplace to say that the UK is facing uncertainty: from its borders, to its trading arrangements, to its political make-up, Brexit brings plenty of potential pitfalls. In theory, UK smaller companies should…
Patience is a virtue…
Though they have enjoyed a strong rebound over the course of 2017, uncertainty continues to dog UK smaller companies as a result of increasingly poor economic data and ongoing – and seemingly futile – Brexit…
The Bank of England prepares for a historic hike – is it jumping the gun? For Professional Investors Only
November 2, 2017 may go down as a historic day: it could be the first time in 3,773 days that the Bank of England raises the base rate. Of course, this is not the first…
Where’s the clever money going? October 2017
Sterling movements continue to drive returns for UK investors. Since our last posting towards the end of September, the FTSE 100 has moved steadily upward, remaining above 7500 since 10 October and closing at a…
Making sense of platforms
The costs of holding and trading investment companies on platforms differ widely. Our new research reveals the full picture. Many investors struggle to choose a platform for their investment company holdings as the pricing structure…
The Risk of Doing Nothing
I'm forever blowing bubbles, Pretty bubbles in the air, They fly so high, nearly reach the sky, Then like my dreams they fade and die John Kellette, Jaan Kenbrovin 1918 Hardly a day goes by…
Feels Like We Have Been Here Before…
THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE REVOLUTION CHARGING FORWARD? How many people can recall when a famous British inventor last created an electric vehicle?[1] Sir Clive Sinclair dreamt up the C5 in 1979. In that year Millennial’s Baby-boomer parents…
Where’s the clever money going? September 2017
Summer seems well and truly over, but the UK market until very recently has taken the autumnal weather very much in its stride, with the FTSE 100 index largely weaving sideways between 7350 and 7450…
Are we late cycle?
WE LOOK AT WHAT THIS MEANS AND WHERE WE BELIEVE WE ARE Traditionally, the latter part of a cycle is characterised by rising real wages and higher consumer confidence, higher business confidence and investment, in turn…
Chart-catching – Value vs Growth Stocks
The chart below displays the performance of Value versus Growth equities, set against the US 10 year Treasury yield. Value stocks are those which trade at a discount valuation to the market whereas growth stocks…
Platform Portfolios For Professional Investors Only
Your browser does not support the video tag. Summary: Jeff Keen and John Bellamy review the performance of the portfolios over the last quarter and our outlook for investment markets
Protected: AIMing for perfection For Professional Investors Only
By Matt Cable. The UK stockmarket as a whole has performed very well over the last twelve months, despite the obvious disruption from the Brexit vote last June. A glance at the various indices shows…
Where’s the clever money going? August 2017
July was a fairly quiet month in the markets, with most indices making some gains. The FTSE 100 has tracked broadly sideways during July and so far in August, wavering between 7300 and 7500. It…