What Investment articles from January 2004

What Investment archives from January 2004

Cautious prophets.(Comment)
January 1, 2004... This is, traditionally, the time of year when the fund management houses of the world whip out their crystal balls and make weird and wonderful predictions about the prospects for global markets for the year ahead. In years gone by, my...

Release the profits.
January 1, 2004... Standard Life has joined SHIP (Safe Home Income Plans) the consumer protection body for home equity release product providers. SHIP was launched in 1991 to promote safe equity release schemes and to guarantee customers a range of minimum...

Tax directory.
January 1, 2004... TaxationWeb.co.uk, an independent, dedicated tax website, has launched a free directory of tax professionals featuring tax consultancies, tax software providers, tax publishers and more. To search the directory, go to www.taxationweb....

Dormant investments.(News Round-up)
January 1, 2004... British savers are being urged to come forward and claim some of the 1.5 billion [pounds sterling] currently lying dormant in National Savings & Investments (NS&I) products. Over the years, customers have lost touch with: 640 million...

Moving abroad.(News Round-up)
January 1, 2004... In less than ten years' time, an extra 2.3 million people over the age of 50 (one in eight) will be 'retiring' abroad--and by 2020, one in five older people (an extra 4 million) will be living outside the UK, according to a new report by...

With-profits proposals.(News Round-up)
January 1, 2004... The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has published new proposals on the management of with-profits funds to ensure that policyholders get a fair deal. The proposals include rules and guidance on payouts, surrender values, market value...

Investor ignorance.(January news)
January 1, 2004... Nearly three-quarters of savers and investors in the UK still do not understand what the term 'asset allocation' means, according to disturbing new research from fund management group JP Morgan Fleming. More men than women understand the term...

The wealth report.(January news)
January 1, 2004... IFA Hargreaves Lansdown has launched The Wealth 150 Report, a review of the 150 unit trusts that it is currently recommending to its clients. The Wealth 150 Report represents the top 150 funds in a variety of sectors that Hargreaves Lansdown...

Contracts for difference.(January news)
January 1, 2004... E*Trade has launched Direct Market Access, a CFD trading service enabling investors to deal directly on the London Stock Exchange. The new service will complement E*Trade's existing CFD service, which is a quote-driven service. The minimum...

Performance fees.(January news)
January 1, 2004... DWS has introduced performance fees for its UK Opportunities and European Opportunities funds. DWS initially plans to offer a separate 'P' share class on the funds, with an effective fee that is dependent upon the performance of the funds over...

Taking issue: Nic Cicutti reports on the latest issues rocking the world of finance.(January news)
January 1, 2004... Does anyone remember Gary Tait? A few years ago, Mr Tait discovered that the small print of a 50,000 [pounds sterling] life assurance bond he had invested in allowed him to switch between various funds in the company's portfolio at the previous...

Top ten funds.(January news)
January 1, 2004... top ten funds Unit trusts One year 1 JPMF Natural Resources A 180.03 2 Framlington Japan 171.68 3 Manulife Global China Value 169.81 4 HSBC GIF Indian Equity AD 168.73 5...

Odey Asset Management.(New offers)
January 1, 2004... Odey Asset Management has launched the Odey Japan fund. The fund will aim to achieve long-term capital appreciation through investing primarily in quoted securities issued by companies with principal offices in Japan. Minimum investment:...

UBS Global Asset Management.(New offers)
January 1, 2004... UBS Global Asset Management has launched The Global Emerging Markets equity fund into the retail market. The fired was originally launched to institutional investors iii December 2001. The fired will be managed by Singapore-based Geoffrey Wong,...

Global Asset Management.(Product of the month)
January 1, 2004... Global Asset Management has launched the GAM Star UK Dynamic fund. The fund will be managed by recently appointed investment director Ross Hollyman (formerly of JP Morgan Fleming) and will invest in a diversified portfolio of 50 to 100 UK...

Halifax.(January news)
January 1, 2004... Halifax has launched the Guaranteed Investment Plan, an alternative to with-profits investments. The plan offers a guaranteed minimum return of capital at the end of the five-year term and performance linked to a portfolio of equities and fixed...

FundsNetwork.(January news)
January 1, 2004... Fund superstore FundsNetwork has launched three fund packages for ISA investors: UK Essentials (a portfolio of core UK equity funds), UK Dynamic Growth (a portfolio of more aggressive UK funds) and Global Dynamic Growth (a portfolio of funds...

Wesleyan Savings Bank.(January news)
January 1, 2004... Wesleyan Savings Bank has launched the Wesleyan Capital Guaranteed Bond. The five-year bond includes an equity element linked to the growth of four international stock markets and a one-year deposit element paying interest of 6 or 8 per cent...

HSBC.(New offers)
January 1, 2004... HSBC has launched the Ladder Plan, a product designed to capture the potential for growth offered by the stock market, and to provide a level of protection from risk. Your return at maturity will be based on a calculation of the monthly...

Managers on the move: should you stay or should you go? What Investment looks into the reasons behind recent fund manager moves.(Fund managers)
January 1, 2004... Wholesale changes occurred in the fund management world at the beginning of November 2003 when Gartmore announced it was acquiring most of the fund management contracts of Govett Investments from Allied Irish Bank. This is a considerable...

Invest wisely, invest well: Harvey Jones looks at the options for investors lucky enough to, have a lump sum to invest.(Focus: investing a lump sum)(Cover Story)
January 1, 2004... Having a lump sum to invest may seem like an enviable luxury but it also be a weighty responsibility. In recent years, stock markets have brutally demonstrated what can happen to your capital if you make the wrong investment choices. So, if you...

Partly sunny? David Burrows examines the prospects for global stock markets in 2004.(Prospects for 2004)
January 1, 2004... While 2002 may have been a year to forget, 2003 saw at least some green shoots of recovery. From such a low point, the global financial market could not really sink much further. The big question is, has the recovery got any stamina and...

Where in the world? We asked four independent financial advisers to recommend their favourite funds for a global investment.(Prospects for 2004)
January 1, 2004... IFA panel * Amanda Davidson, IFA at Charcol Holden Meehan, London * Melvyn Bell, IFA at Lowes Financial Services, Newcastle * Boise Collins, IFA at Cavendish Young, London * Paul mot, IFA at Bates Investment Services, Leeds ...

A matter of distribution: Simon Hildrey examines whether distribution funds are the best way of beating the April 2004 tax changes.(Distribution funds)
January 1, 2004... With-profits bonds proved popular for so many years because they met the demands of such a large group of investors. They offered potentially higher returns than bank deposits and government bonds but without the risk of 100 per cent exposure...

Credit where it's due: in the first of a new series on personal finance issues, What Investment looks at how to get the best from your credit card.(Personal finance)
January 1, 2004... The Christmas spend-fest is all but over for another year. The presents have been bought, the Christmas turkey and trimmings pack your fridge and your wine-rack sways under the burden of a selection of fine vintages. But while you're...

Income drawdown: David Marlow provides an overview of income drawdown in today's tough economic climate.(Q & A)
January 1, 2004... If you've ever deliberated, cogitated and generally been frustrated by the options available to you at retirement, you're not alone. For many years, investors simply had no choice when it came to retirement planning. You retired, bought an...

Cheap dealing, cheerful investors? Keiron Root looks at ways of cutting the cost of buying investment funds.(Technology)
January 1, 2004... As most readers will already know, buying open-ended investment funds can be an expensive business. Although there has been a trend amongst some fund managers to reduce their fees in recent years, a typical unit trust initial charge is still in...

Add it up: David Harris looks at the ins and outs of product charges on collective investment vehicles.(Product charges)
January 1, 2004... Contemplating a decision as to where to invest your money is a difficult exercise at the best of times. Here in the United Kingdom, the investment fund management industry provides a vast range of unit trusts, OEICs, investment trusts and...

United Kingdom: stock-pickers' paradise: each month, What Investment speaks to the top-performing fund managers in six global markets and asks them to reveal the key issues currently driving their stock-selection decisions.(World Markets)
January 1, 2004... Despite continued volatility, fund managers believe that stock picking will reap rewards "The consumer has been allowed to run rampant in both the US and the UK," says Adrian Frost, manager of the Artemis Income fund. "On previous...

United States: good news and bad news.(World Markets)
January 1, 2004... With growth in economic activity likely to be significantly lower in coming quarters, earnings growth is likely to be more modest "The third quarter of 2003 for the US economy marked one of the strongest periods of growth for many years,"...

Europe: growth shines through.(World Markets)
January 1, 2004... An improving commitment to productivity at a macro and micro level suggests a further period of growth to come "We believe that growth is going to show through in the euro area, which is something that hasn't happened for some time," says...

Far east: a reflation rally.(World Markets)
January 1, 2004... The investment case for Asia remains compelling where valuations and earnings prospects appear attractive "Thailand has been the stand-out market in 2003, thanks to tax breaks, a cyclical recovery in exports and improving corporate...

Japan: below its potential.(World Markets)
January 1, 2004... With the worst of the economic decline behind it, Japanese share prices can go even higher "Since April 2003,Japan's Nikkei Index is up over 40 per cent from its 20-year low and has outperformed most other major stock markets since the...

Emerging markets: long-term attractions.(World Markets)
January 1, 2004... Foreign investment is at a high, while standards of corporate governance are also improving "The big news in the short term has been the political turmoil in Russia," says Jonathan Asante, chief economist at Framlington. "The arrest of...

Market insider: Germany: continuing our series providing a fundamental analysis of a region from an economic and political perspective. This month, Michael Wilson considers the outlook for Germany.(World Markets)
January 1, 2004... About now, it's probably fair to say that you've heard just about as much as you can stand about how Germany and France are smashing the new European currency to pieces. Much to the delight of eurosceptics everywhere, the two countries are...

Market view.(UK Shares)
January 1, 2004... Overall it was another good month for the markets. There are still some bears out there, but the number is diminishing as evidence mounts that the global economy is picking up speed with the US as the driving force. A succession of terrorist...

FTSE 100 index.(UK Shares)
January 1, 2004... FTSE 100 INDEX Stock 1 month Rank 1 year Rank 3i Group Inv Tr 98.23 60 103.77 66 Abbey National 94.85 88 85.40 93 Alliance...

Index constituent rankings FTSE 100.(UK Shares)
January 1, 2004... INDEX CONSTITUENT RANKINGS FTSE 100 Rank Stock Price Dividend Dividend Yield (%) Cover 1 HSBC Hldgs 881 ...

Pharmaceuticals sector view.(UK Shares)
January 1, 2004... The UK Pharmaceuticals sector has a long tail of small and medium-sized companies, but in terms of market weighting there are only two that count: AstraZeneca, valued at 45.6 billion [pounds sterling], and GlaxoSmithKline, capitalised at 77.6...

Pharmaceuticals share view.(UK Shares)
January 1, 2004... GlaxoSmithKline is, as I write, hosting a two-day analysts' seminar, in which it has boasted that it has 147 new drugs under development and 20 potential blockbusters in its pipeline. But the City view is that--in recent years--Glaxo's record...

European sector review: Hilary Cook, director of investment strategy at Barclays Private Clients, examines the prospects for the European Banking sector.(Stock Market Review)
January 1, 2004... Despite much talk and rumour, and the expectation that the launch of a common currency would lead to an explosion of merger and acquisition activity amongst the banks in the euro zone, very little cross-border activity has in fact taken place...

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: monitor)
January 1, 2004... CAUTIOUS OPTION Anna Bowes, savings & investments manager at Chase de Vere Investments, offers a recently launched trust as an option for cautious investors. The Thames River Capital Global Bond fund was launched on 24 October 2003 and,...

Unit trust performance tables.(Unit Trusts OEICs)
January 1, 2004... What the tables show The figures show the value of 100 [pounds sterling] over six months, one, three, five and ten years to 28 November 2003, on an offer-to-bid basis with net income reinvested. Funds are listed by sector so that you can...

I contemplated brain surgery ... Actuarial science's loss is fund management's gain. Keiron Root meets Henderson's Richard Carlyle.(Fund manager: profile)
January 1, 2004... Richard Carlyle is a fund manager facing a new challenge. Although he has been in fired management since 1981, it is only in the past few months that he has been faced with the challenge of overseeing a global investment trust for the first...

Investment trust best buys: What Investment asks three independent financial advisers to recommend their favourite investment trusts for a cautious, a balanced and an aggressive investment.(Investment trustS: monitor)
January 1, 2004... CAUTIOUS OPTION Sue Whitbread, director of discretionary portfolio management at Chartwell Investments, points cautious investors in the direction of Personal Assets Trust. This trust's shares are ranked 7th out of 35 in the Global Growth...

Investment trust performance tables.(Investment Trusts)
January 1, 2004... Investment trust performance tables What the tables show The figures show the value of 100 [pounds sterling] over six months, one, three, five and ten years to 31 October 2002, on an offer-to-bid basis with net income reinvested....

ING or ISA?(Money Clinic)
January 1, 2004... ING or ISA? I currently have an ING Direct savings account and an ISA (unit trusts). The latter is not equal to the money I have paid in after almost ten years of investing. Do you think I would be better off moving my ISA to ING? I pay no...

Best ways to save.(Money facts)
January 1, 2004... Best ways to save Telephone Account Number INSTANT-ACCESS BRANCH ACCOUTNS Scarborough BS 0845 458 4458 Easy Saver Alliance & Leicester ...

Personal pension annuity rates.(Reference)
January 1, 2004... 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)
January 1, 2004... Five years to 28 November 2003. Results of 100 [pounds sterling] invested on an offer-to-bid hasiswith gross income reinvested. Name Value Rank Balanced Managed Scottish Friendly...

ISA directory.(Financial Contacts)
January 1, 2004... Financial Contacts ISA Directory NAME & ADDRESS NAME OF TYPE SCHEME Abbey National[R] Investments ISA Stocks & Shares Tel: 0800 30 20 30 ...