ANALYSIS: Is the golden opportunity still alive?
The first half of 2016 was the first time investment has been the largest component of gold demand for two consecutive quarters. Should this leave gold bugs feeling vindicated or afraid?
Analysis
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UK insurers’ fortunes vary in investment industry first half
The half year numbers out from three of the UK’s largest insurance companies over the past few days illustrate the increasing importance of backing the right asset management horse.
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How to deal with film partnerships and disaster on holiday
The imaginary Warrington family face further wealth and succession planning issues in this, the third article by Edward Stone, partner at Irwin Mitchell Private Wealth.
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ANALYSIS: Falling discount rates – gain before the pain
The ultra-loose monetary policy pursued by central banks since the financial crisis has implied an unprecedented fall in discount rates, which has led to a massive front-loading of returns: not only for bonds, but also for equities. Does this mean you should take your profit now and sell?
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ANALYSIS: Investor stakes raised as Carney fires bazooka
When I was a child my school clothes were often too big for me. My mother would buy them like that on purpose with the knowledge that I would grow into them eventually.
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OPINION: Zero-fee funds? Be careful what you wish for
Talk of a 0% fee for passive investing is an enticing prospect, but as core funds become cheaper so groups are encouraged to over-complicate the satellite.
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Record low gov’t bonds see rising interest in spread trading
With global growth slowing and developed-market government bonds at a record low, fixed income managers are focusing on opportunities in spread sectors.
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The key value of advice in a fast changing world
In the increasingly and often unnecessarily complex world of personal finance, the biggest value of a financial adviser may be in managing customer behaviour, argues John Astrup, who runs the Zurich savings and investment propositions in the Middle East.
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ANALYSIS: Are markets in the eye of the storm?
Humans have a remarkable capacity for adaption and the investment management sector is no different.
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Damning BHS report highlights need for DB pension reform
The collapse of British department store group BHS was due largely to “systematic plunder” by its former owners, but raises ongoing concerns over the future of company pension schemes which need to be tackled soon, according to a UK parliamentary inquiry.
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Suspended UK property funds show model portfolio limitations
The UK’s largest open-ended property funds gated flows or implemented exit charges to prevent a post-Brexit run on the asset class earlier this month, trapping £15bn ($19.8bn, €18bn) of investors’ cash and casting a cloud over the City. But many flexible investors were able to see the warning signs and evade the net, says David…
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Platforms face inflection point as competition cuts margins
The ongoing technological revolution has levelled the financial services playing field globally, argues Jaco van Tonder, head of advisory services at Investec Asset Management – and with that levelling comes both risk and opportunity.