23 April 2025
Tariffs have rocked US government bonds – are they still safe?When equity markets experience turbulence, people have historically held tight to their bonds in the hope they provide a cushion for portfolios.
Even though some value may be lost on equities, the value of bonds would often go up, offsetting some of the losses. But earlier this month, both shares and bonds sold off together. The yield on a 10-year...
22 April 2025
Should I wait for the markets to pick up before investing?After an extended period of high returns, the stock market took a tumble in the past month that has rattled some investors.
Despite the fall, those who are not new to the market are still likely to be well in the green with their finances. If you’d invested in the MSCI World index five years ago, as of 11 April, you would have still increased the...
17 April 2025
How money market funds and gilts can fit in a portfolioInvestors have flocked to money market funds in recent years, attracted by the high rates on offer after the sharp rise in interest rates since 2022.
Despite the Bank of England cutting base rate from a peak of 5.25% in August 2024, the current 4.5% rate is relatively high compared to the 0.5% that prevailed during the covid-19 era and, indeed, the...
29 November 2024
Premium Bond rate has been cut, are they still worth it?NS&I has joined the troops of other savings providers cutting interest rates, as the savings market cools after a bonanza couple of years. The government-backed provider will cut the rates on several of its savings accounts, including the hugely popular Premium Bonds.
It’s not alone in cutting rates, but how are they cut and who could still benefit...
25 September 2024
Families urged to track down £1.4 billion in forgotten child accountsThe Government has urged people aged 18-22 to come forward and claim their share of £1.4 billion stashed in matured Child Trust Funds. Government data released last week showed that around £10 billion is sat in Child Trust Fund accounts, with £1.4 billion in unclaimed accounts and £7.5 billion in accounts still held by under 18s.
When someone...
28 August 2024
How to pay for your child to go to private schoolThere are over 2,500 independent schools in the UK, educating over 620,000 pupils. With inflation-busting increases to costs in the last few years, and the VAT exemption for private schools ending from January 2025, parents who are thinking about private school need to get started on their plans to fund it.
Average fees for a non-boarder are £18...
5 November 2023
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5 November 2022
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15 February 2022
Income vs. accumulation unitsYour choice of share class could affect your overall return.
Most open-ended investment companies (OEICs) and unit trusts are available in both income and accumulation share classes. The main difference between them is the treatment of income, but there are other less obvious factors that you need to recognise.
Each fund receives income throughout...
24 January 2020
Open-ended vs. Closed-ended fundsFunds are an increasingly popular choice for investors looking to build their portfolio. They offer a simple way to pool capital with other investors, giving quick and straightforward access to diversification and the services of professional asset managers.
When researching funds, it won’t be long before the terms ‘open-ended’ and ‘closed-ended’...
3 September 2019
How long should I hold a fund for?One of the simplest questions faced by an investor is also one of the most important; how long should you hold an investment for?
An oft-cited statistic about stock markets is that they deliver, on average, returns of around 7-8%. This isn’t guaranteed, of course, since the future is unknowable by anyone, but it’s what history has told us we should...
