What Investment articles from April 2005

What Investment archives from April 2005

Take another look.(Comment)
April 1, 2005... 'This month sees the introduction of the pre-owned asset tax, a new tax designed to prevent use of some of the inheritance tax loopholes that were previously in existence. Anyone who has given away an asset but continues to benefit from it...

Gap still large but saving's back in vogue.(News Round-up)
April 1, 2005... The UK savings gap now stands at somewhere between 20 billion [pounds sterling] and 60 billion [pounds sterling], according to research by economists at PricewaterhouseCoopers. The researchers found there was no simple relationship between...

Spread-bet on the net.(News Round-up)
April 1, 2005... A new spread-betting service has gone online, offering adventurous investors the chance to take bets on the movements of markets or indices, or hedge their portfolios if they fear a market downturn. The service is offered by share-dealing...

Skipton will help.(April news)
April 1, 2005... Skipton Building Society is offering a will-writing service in association with law firm Irwin Mitchell. The society is offering three types of will to cater for different sets of circumstances. The single will is suitable for single people and...

Under one roof.(April news)
April 1, 2005... Potential property investors can begin their research at this year's Invest in Property show. The show takes place at London's Earl's Court on 22-24 April. It features a wide range of exhibitors offering information on the ins and outs of...

Have your say.(April news)
April 1, 2005... The run-up to this year's What Investment awards has begun and it's time for you to tell us what you think about the companies you buy your investments from. Running alongside our awards for the best performance by unit and investment trusts...

Funds united at F&C.(News Round-up)
April 1, 2005... F&C Asset Management is to rationalise its range of open-ended onshore funds. The proposals, which are subject to approval by its fund holders, will see the range of 53 institutional and retail collective funds reduced to 47, of which 38 will...

Nicer savers.(April news)
April 1, 2005... Investors who want to hold an Allchurches fund within their individual savings account (ISA) wrapper can now opt to make it a 'Nicer ISA'. The scheme allows investors to choose a charity to benefit from their investment. Each year an amount...

Manager moves: a round-up of the comings and goings in the fund management world.(April news)
April 1, 2005... The last few weeks have seen a number of manager moves, with Framlington in particular taking a good share of the headlines. It lost its chief executive Peter Chambers, who quit with immediate effect in early March. Chambers joined Framlington...

New offers: we examine what the latest savings and investment plans have to offer investors. Each product has been given a star rating, representing its overall value for money, based on cost, terms and conditions and investment opportunity.
April 1, 2005... * Norwich Union Insurer Norwich Union has launched a fund for investors concerned about stock market volatility. The Norwich Active Protector fund is linked to a range of Norwich Union funds. It aims to provide long-term capital growth and...

Product of the month.
April 1, 2005... Fidelity investments Fidelity Investments has increased its fund range for income-seeking investors. The Fidelity Sterling Bond fund launches this month and will sit alongside the company's MoneyBuilder Income and Extra Income funds. The...

Top ten funds.(April news)
April 1, 2005... Top ten funds UNIT TRUSTS One year 1 UBS (Lux) EgyFnd--Cent'l Eur B 155.94 2 Aviva Europe Converge Eqy P1 155.39 3 MLIIF World Energy A2 USD 144.80 4 MLIIF Latin American A2...

Close Fund Management.(Also launching this month ...)
April 1, 2005... Close Fund Management is offering access to the commodity markets via an individual savings account (ISA). The Close Enhanced Commodities fund is a five-year investment offering 100 per cent capital protection at maturity. The return on the...

HSBC.(Also launching this month ...)
April 1, 2005... HSBC has launched a five-year guaranteed FTSE-linked tracker. The structured investment offers interest equal to 115 per cent of any growth in the FTSE 100 index over the five years to 29 April 2010. There are no initial charges or annual...

Abbey.(Also launching this month ...)
April 1, 2005... Investors looking for a cash ISA can get a fixed-rate version from Abbey. The Special Edition Choices ISA is offering savers a rate of 5.5 per cent for the first year on lump sum investments; it is available to new ISA customers and those who...

Leaving it to the experts: Keiron Root looks at the role previous governments have played in promoting investment.(Lessons from history)
April 1, 2005... Sorting through some old notebooks over the Christmas period, I came across a comment from a chief executive (now retired) of a life assurance company (now merged) made during a briefing in the summer of 1987 on the 'new' personal pension plans...

Death and the taxman: there are ways to protect your estate from the taxman, but careful planning is key.(IHT planning)(Cover Story)
April 1, 2005... In this world, nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes." This famous quote from Benjamin Franklin in 1789 epitomises the dilemma facing an increasing number of people--the possibility of their descendants being faced with an...

Taking control of your retirement: SIPPs give you the chance to take control of your pension, but the rules surrounding them are about to change. Simon Hildrey explains what you might gain from investing in a SIPP now, and after A-Day.(SIPPs)
April 1, 2005... Pensions are often criticised for being expensive and complicated and for failing to deliver strong investment performance. If you agree with these sentiments the solution may be to take out a self-invested personal pension (SIPP). SIPPs...

Trust issues.(Money clinic: a panel of independent experts answer readers' financial planning and investment queries)
April 1, 2005... I part-own some property which is settled in a Jersey family trust. My power of attorney makes me the unpaid representative in managing the business through Spanish employees. The original trustees were chartered accountant colleagues but...

Price matching.(Money clinic: a panel of independent experts answer readers' financial planning and investment queries)
April 1, 2005... I would like to know how share prices are arrived at, and how the prices are communicated to organisations like Ceefax and Tele-text which update the prices they show throughout the day. Alfred Belcher By e-mail Georgina Mitchell...

Too much tax?(Money clinic: a panel of independent experts answer readers' financial planning and investment queries)
April 1, 2005... In a reply to a reader's letter in the February issue of your magazine, Philip Pearson says that the Inland Revenue does not regard distribution bonds as income-producing. I hold two distribution funds; I have declared the returns as ordinary...

Easy as CGT.(Money clinic: a panel of independent experts answer readers' financial planning and investment queries)
April 1, 2005... I have a nominee account-not an ISA. I have already exceeded my capital gains tax (CGT) allowance for 2004/05 by trading within the account. But as I am trading within the account and no money has been withdrawn from it, is this deemed to be a...

Discovered warrants: what are covered warrants and what do they offer investors? Richard Forsyth, head of product development at TD Waterhouse, offers a beginner's guide.(Q & A)
April 1, 2005... Covered warrants were launched by the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in October 2002 and although the UK market is still relatively small it is already showing steady growth, Elsewhere in the world they have proved a major success story and we can...

Buying into biotech: even those who specialise in biotechnology admit it's not a sector for the faint-hearted. Jo Tura looks at what's on offer for brave investors.(Technology)
April 1, 2005... Biotechnology companies create products using biological knowledge and techniques. According to the largest US company in the sector Amgen, biotechnology is any technology that relies on living organisms or biological systems, but in more...

You do the maths: it's easy to overlook the charges when choosing an investment fund but it can be an expensive oversight, as they will have a major impact on your returns. Harvey Jones reminds you what to look out for.(Charges)
April 1, 2005... Unit trusts and investment trusts impose initial charges, annual management fees, administration costs and, in rare cases, policy fees and exit penalties as well. If you buy through an independent financial adviser (IFA) you'll also have to pay...

Global equities: don't bank on income stocks: each month, What Investment speaks to fund managers focusing on five different asset classes and asks them to reveal the key issues currently driving their stock-selection decisions.(Asset Allocation)
April 1, 2005... Richard Prew, manager of the AXA UK Growth fund, sees concerns developing in the financial sector. "Within the banks, the notable aspect of the current reporting season is a deterioration in credit quality," he says. "Put this together with the...

Opportunities shrink as spreads tighten.(Bonds)
April 1, 2005... "From an asset allocation standpoint we remain overweight equities and underweight bonds," says Sarah Arkle, chief investment officer at Thread-needle Investments. "Equity valuations appear attractive in a historical context, cash-generation is...

The golden age continues.(Commodities)
April 1, 2005... "We believe that commodity markets are at the start of a multi-year bull market, supported by strong fundamentals in the form of sustained growth in demand, tightness of supply and the prolonged weakness of the dollar," says Mark Mathias,...

Rate rises fail to dampen enthusiasm.(Property)
April 1, 2005... February was a big month for property investors with the publication of key surveys covering both the residential and the commercial markets. The publication of the annual Investment Property Databank (IPD) index for 2004 showed that commercial...

Market insider: Japan: continuing our series providing a fundamental analysis of a region from an economic and political perspective. This month, Michael Wilson considers the outlook for Japan.(World Markets)
April 1, 2005... It's April again, and that means the cherry-blossom season is upon us. From Fukuoka to Niigata, from Tokyo to Osaka, young couples will be declaring their undying love in public parks under showers of blossoms descending from Japan's favourite...

Market view: Tom Winnifrith considers the outlook for UK shares.(UK Shares)
April 1, 2005... The stock market bull run continued in February. The FTSE 100 added 2.4 per cent on the month to close at 4,968.5 with the heavily weighted mining and oil sectors leading the charge. The former was boosted by corporate action the latter by...

UK stock performance.(UK Shares)
April 1, 2005... UK STOCK PERFORMANCE Rank Company Weight in 1 Month Name Index Return TOP 20 FTSE All-Share 1 Caffe Nero Group 0.01% 40.08% 2 ...

FTSE 100 index.(UK Shares)
April 1, 2005... FTSE 100 INDEX Stock 1 month Rank 1 year Rank 3i Group plc 99.36 75 109.38 62 Alliance & Leicester PLC 100.22 63 108.57 66 Alliance Unichem...

Index constituent rankings FTSE 100.(UK Shares)
April 1, 2005... INDEX CONSTITUENT RANKINGS FTSE 100 Rank Stock Price Dividend Dividend Yield (%) Cover 1 BP 562 2.86%...

Banks sector view.(UK Shares)
April 1, 2005... Like Millwall FC supporters, no-one likes banks. In a pre-election period politicians regard record profits as fair game for cheap point-scoring. Customers complain about shoddy service levels. Even the City does not really like the sector:...

Banks share view.(UK Shares)
April 1, 2005... RBS will be predator not prey in any industry consolidation. Its CEO Fred Goodwin has earned the nickname "The Shred" for his ability to shred costs (usually staff costs) following an acquisition. NatWest was the bank's biggest deal but The...

European sector review: Hilary Cook, director of investment strategy at Barclays Private Clients, examines the prospects for the European media sector.(Stock Market Review)
April 1, 2005... With the TSE 100 rising above the 5,000 mark in February, optimism seems to be in the air. The outlook is particularly positive in the media and entertainment sector. While the UK's media sector underperformed the FTSE 350 index by 4.1 per cent...

Unit trust best buys: What Investment asks three independent financial advisers to recommend their favourite unit trusts for a cautious, a balanced and an aggressive investment.(Unit Trusts Monitoring)
April 1, 2005... CAUTIOUS OPTION Chris Evans, senior portfolio manager at Charles Stanley Asset Management, suggests the Midas Balanced Income Fund for a client who does not want to take very much risk. The fund used to be a private fund and does not yet...

Unit trust performance tables.(Unit Trusts OEICs)
April 1, 2005... What the tables show The figures show the value of 100 [pounds sterling] over six months, one, three, five and ten years to 28 February 2005, on an offer-to-bid basis with net income reinvested. Funds are listed by sector so that you can...

The value of patience: last autumn private investors were invited into the Schroder Recovery fund for the first time. Keiron Root meets the manager to find out more.(Fund Manager Profile)
April 1, 2005... For many years, private investors looked on the UK All Companies sector with frustration, as one of its best performing funds was out of their reach. Schroder Institutional Recovery had a first-class track record but a minimum investment of...

Investment trust best buys: What Investment asks three investment trust specialists to recommend their favourite investment trust shares for a cautious, a balanced and an aggressive investment.(Investment Trusts Monitor)
April 1, 2005... CAUTIOUS OPTION Tim Cockerill, head of research at Rowan & Co Capital Management, says investors wary of taking too much risk could consider the Schroder Income Growth investment trust. The fund can be found in the UK Growth & Income...

Investment trust performance tables.(Investment Trusts)
April 1, 2005... What the tables show The figures show the value of 100 [pounds sterling] over six months, one, three, five and ten years to 28 February 2005, on a mid-market basis with net income reinvested. Funds are listed by sector so that you can...

Best ways to save.(Reference)
April 1, 2005... Best ways to save Telephone Number/Website INSTANT-ACCESS BRANCH ACCOUNTS Lambeth BS 0500 200020 Manchester BS 0870 990 0810 Scarborough BS 0845 458...

Personal pension annuity rates.(Reference)
April 1, 2005... An annuity is a financial product that converts capital into income. You can buy one with any lump sum of money or you can buy one with accrued pension funds. Currently, for money purchase pension funds, you must buy an annuity by the time you...

Top-performing unit-linked pensions.(Reference)
April 1, 2005... Top-performing unit-linked pensions Five years to 28 February 2005. Results of 100 [pounds sterling] invested on an offer-to-bid basis with gross income reinvested. Name Value Rank ...

ISA directory.(Financial Contacts)(Directory)
April 1, 2005... FinancialContacts ISADirectory NAME OF NAME & ADDRESS SCHEME Abbey National[R] Investments ISA Tel: 0800 30 20 30 Safety Plus Growth Option * Allchurches...

Solid investments.(Investing in property)
April 1, 2005... Despite last year's strong stock market performance and the FFSE 100 breaking the 5,000 barrier back in February, many investors are still nervous about putting their cash into stocks and shares. Many are still looking for a much more tangible...

UK property plays: the property market offers a whole range of different investment opportunities.(Investing in property)
April 1, 2005... We seem to have been saying this for some time now, but it still holds true: property is a hot topic, and not just for investors. The latest house price surveys still make front-page news, programmes about buying, selling and renovating are...

Going global: cheap flights and rising house prices in the UK are encouraging people to look across the seas for investment opportunities. Stewart Andersen has some tips for a successful property purchase abroad.(Investing in property)
April 1, 2005... Back in the 1950s Britons began to discover the delights of holidaying in the sun. A fortnight sheltering from biting wind on a British beach soon lost its appeal when compared with time spent basking in the sun on one of Spain's Costas. We...

Booming buy-to-let market in Spain.(Advertisement Feature)(Advertisement)
April 1, 2005... MARTIN ROBERTS, partner in overseas investment property specialists Ocean View, and presenter of BBC TV's hit property auction show 'Homes under the Hammer' analyses the rapidly expanding overseas buy-to-let market. At one point a...

Global hotspots: deciding to invest overseas is one thing, deciding where to buy another. Here, experts make the case for their favourite markets.(Investing in property)
April 1, 2005... Spain Martin Roberts, presenter of the BBC's Homes Under the Hammer and partner in Ocean View Properties, says you should not write off Spain as a place to invest: "Oh no... not Spain!", I hear you cry. "Give me Bulgaria, or Florida...

Let it right: buying an investment property is very different from buying a home. What Investment offers a guide to making a success of buy-to-let.(Investing in property)
April 1, 2005... Buying a property to let is not something to rush into. Even if you borrow a substantial amount of the purchase price of the house it is likely to cost you a considerable amount to set yourself up as a landlord. You need to be sure it's worth...