We have recently published our updated list of dividend heroes, the investment companies which have increased their dividends for 20 or more years consecutively. There are 20 dividend hero investment companies and of these four…
From acorns to oaks
Uncertainty around Brexit has hit UK markets and raised questions about the UK’s economic prospects, but what effect is it having on the UK’s smaller unquoted companies? Despite a tough year, the average VCT returned…
Climate change must change investors’ portfolios For Professional Investors Only
Scientists’ warnings about a steadily warming planet have raised awareness about climate change – and the asset-management industry is paying attention. The reason for this growing interest is simple: to slow or even reverse global…
Emerging Markets double digit returns for 2019? For Professional Investors Only
What should we expect this year? At the start of each year we consider our return forecasts for Emerging Market assets over the next 12 months, in order to frame our expectations for taking active…
What investors need to know as Brexit nears For Professional Investors Only
As the date of the UK’s planned exit from the EU approaches, there’s an increased probability the Prime Minister will win support for her Brexit deal. But a “no-deal” scenario cannot be ruled out –…
Good News in the Pipeline for Mexico
Last July, as part of Mexico’s energy reform, the National Hydrocarbons Commission (CNH) – the government’s upstream energy regulator – successfully carried out the second and third bidding round of the second tender process (Round…
The Oil Price Decline is Important and Just One of Our Long Term Concerns
Since before the Brexit vote in June last year, politics has become a more important force in the day to day life of financial markets. In theory, the political events that are known offer up…
Brief Market Update
We’re not sure there is much to add in terms of market update this week. In FX and fixed income, it appears to have been a classic buy the rumour and sell the fact around…
Andean Gold Rush Attracts Investors
Despite the immense geological potential, with over 100 million ounces of gold discovered by explorers in recent years, investor interest in Colombia had started to wane due the perception that the government couldn’t permit projects…
Commodity Price Bounce
Ben Kumar, Investment Manager. 17 February 2017. Over the last 12 months, commodities have been surging in value, with the Bloomberg Commodity Index rising 14% in US Dollar terms. On the back of this, we’ve…
Week in review: the Trump bump
No, not the latest dance craze to clog up the internet, but rather the term some are employing to describe the effects of his election as US president on equity markets. While the trend seemed…
Week in review: Political Olympics
Just four days after the closing ceremony of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, the final proceedings in the impeachment of Brazil’s former President Dilma Rousseff began. Re-appointed by the Brazilian electorate less than two…
Hot property
Background Unless you’ve been in a cupboard for the last month or so you will be aware that property funds have taken a beating since the surprise result of the EU referendum in June. By…
Beyond Brexit: Why China may be a bigger threat to economic stability…
The intensity of the British media’s focus on Brexit since Friday’s surprise result has few precedents in recent times, and it is understandable, however the rest of the world still exists – and it was…
Broken Britain
The United Kingdom, according to S&P, faces at least three and a half years of 'slowed economic growth' when they announced on Monday night that Britain's credit rating had been slashed by two notches to…
Why gold can be the winner if US interest rates stay low
Policy makers in the US continue to look for an excuse to keep interest rates low, and that should send the gold price higher from here, according to Nitesh Shah, analyst at ETF Securities. US…
Viva la revolucion
Gold, oil and house prices have, at different times, all been viewed as a one way bet by British investors, but the goldbugs hoping for a rebound have been disappointed for many years and those forecasting…
Why gold is performing well right now
While cyclical assets and the oft-cited safe haven of the dollar have started to struggle the traditional ‘port in a storm’ asset of gold has started to reclaim its place as the ‘true safe haven’…
Market review – Less Than Zero
We awoke on Friday to the news that the Bank of Japan had cut interest rates to below zero. This marks a new departure in the central bank’s quest to stimulate the economy and…