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...

23 April 2025

Why is my investment trust on a ‘discount’?

The idea of your investment trading on a ‘discount’ is not necessarily a phrase that instils confidence. But in the world of investment trusts, it’s a regular occurrence.

In fact, the average Global Equity investment trust currently trades on a 7.1% discount, according to Winterflood. And this doesn’t mean that your investment is losing money. So...

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...

16 April 2025

How market drops could affect your pension

When markets fall, a simple solution for most pension investors can be to ride it out. Historically, prices have recovered, and if your plans for retirement are still far away you likely have time to wait.

But when you’re in the final years before retiring or have already retired and started accessing your pension, a tumble in your investments can...

9 April 2025

Investing in a ‘global index’ – where is your money really going?

Investing in a global index is often viewed as a ‘catch all’ strategy. It can be a useful solution to the complexities of choosing where to invest your money, and means you can spread your eggs across different regional baskets.

Except, when it comes to many of the popular global indices, some baskets will end up much heavier than the others. In...

8 April 2025

Is this downturn different?

Market drops are nerve-wracking. The questions come quickly: why didn’t I see this coming? How much worse is it going to get? Is someone seeing something that I’m not?

And maybe, the most gnawing thought for investors, even for those who have been in the market for decades, is whether this time it’s different.

From 2002 to 2022, the market has...

3 April 2025

Three of the most popular funds and trusts among AJ Bell Investors

Searching through the investment universe can often leave you feeling spoiled for choice. Even once you decide on a sector, geography or asset class, you’re faced with rounds of other decisions, and a long list of funds or investment trusts that might seem like they’re doing the same thing.

There’s not a ‘right’ choice in this situation, and the...

3 April 2025

Five ways for couples to make their money go further

Being in a couple can already help you keep money in your pocket by splitting expenses like rent, council tax and utilities. But is there any reason (besides the obvious everlasting love) to take the relationship a step further and officially tie the knot?

When it comes to tax breaks, many benefits as a couple will only be available to you once you...

1 April 2025

Three easy new tax year resolutions

As April gets underway, it may be time for some new tax year resolutions. Your finances may need a little maintenance, or it could be time to tick off the task that keeps crawling its way to the bottom of your to-do list.

Even if the budget is looking tight, there are simple steps you can take to tidy up your finances and make what you can...