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VCT’s (Venture Capital Trusts) are investment companies that are listed on the London Stock Exchange and set up to invest in small unquoted, entrepreneurial businesses in the UK to help them grow. There can be a higher risk to invest in small companies, so to encourage support for these businesses the Government offers generous tax…
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This week, investor thoughts were centred around what would be discussed and announced at a conference based in the unlikely location of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Set in an idyllic mountain resort, the annual event (first held in 1981) sees the world’s top central bankers, finance ministers, and academics discuss the challenges for the global economy…
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On Wednesday, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) announced that Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) rose by 10.1% in July 2022, up from 9.4% in June. The latest increase in the CPI rate was driven by energy and fuel prices, as well as food prices which rose by a 20-year high rate of 12.7%. The ONS…
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US stocks and government bonds rallied sharply on Wednesday after July inflation data came in at 8.5%, lower than the forecasted 8.7% following a sharp decrease in fuel prices. This eased investor concern that the Fed will again raise rates by 0.75% at the next meeting in September. The world’s largest economy posted inflation of…
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For those that have put investments in place, particularly those that did so many years ago, the term ‘UK Investment Bond’, or ‘Onshore Bond’ may sound familiar. A variety of different insurance providers offer these investment products, such as Aviva, Prudential, and Legal & General, to name a few. The tax treatment of onshore bonds…
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July played host to the biggest equity market rally since November 2020 (which was when news of a vaccine first broke), as the S&P500 finished the month 9.1% higher. The catalysts this time around, however, were far more subtle. With signs of disinflation beginning to appear, the US Fed striking a more dovish tone in…
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It was a positive week for global equity markets. Despite the Federal Reserve increasing interest rates by 0.75%, investors took comfort from the Fed chairman’s comments that they will be guided by the data going forward and the size of future rises might not be as significant from here. Earnings season reached a gallop this…
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A positive week for markets as investors digested a raft of corporate earnings and the European Central Bank raised interest rates for the first time in 11 years. The 50 basis point increase brought to an end the controversial policy of negative interest rates. On Wednesday, the Office for National Statistics released the UK inflation…
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After a challenging first half of the year, the next six months will have two key factors driving investor sentiment. The first is how inflation behaves and whether we can confidently say in the coming months that it has peaked and is trending down. The second is Q2 and Q3 corporate earnings, along with the…
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Weekly Market Update- Week Ending 02/09/2022
Investors looking for signs of a ‘Fed pivot’ were left disappointed following Chair Powell’s speech at the annual Jackson Hole symposium last week. Hopes that the pace of monetary policy tightening would be slowed or even paused were dashed as he held firm and reiterated his “unconditional” commitment to bring down inflation. Stocks sold off…
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