What Investment articles from June 2007

What Investment archives from June 2007

An ill wind.(Comment--the bigger picture)
June 1, 2007... 'Another month, another rate rise. Interest rates show no sign of receding--indeed, there was another base rate rise at the beginning of May--and inflation continues to hold the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee in its thrall. The...

Dividends grow by six per cent.(June news)
June 1, 2007... Investors in FTSE 100 companies have benefited from increased dividends across the market, according to M&G. Research by the fund management firm showed 97 per cent of FTSE 100 companies reporting during this quarter increased their...

Fidelity names Shah as Bolton's successor.(News Round-up)
June 1, 2007... Fidelity has confirmed that Sanjeev Shah will take over its flagship Special Situations Fund from Anthony Bolton at the end of 2007. Shah will succeed Bolton as manager of the 3.2 billion [pounds sterling] fund at the end of this year,...

New international property fund.(News Round-up)
June 1, 2007... New Star Asset Management has launched an international property fund investing in established markets, such as continental Europe, Asia and the Pacific rim. This will be the UK's first authorised, open-ended international direct...

Property returns trump UK equities.(News Round-up)
June 1, 2007... UK listed property stocks have outperformed other shares over five, ten and 20 years, research from Halifax Financial Services has shown. Over the past five years, returns from the FTSE All-Share Real Estate Index were three times that of...

LSE sees first REIT launch.(News Round-up)
June 1, 2007... The first specialist start-up UK real estate investment trust (REIT) has launched on the London Stock Exchange (LSE). The Local Shopping REIT (LSR) invests in UK shopping assets, particularly neighbourhood and specialist property in urban...

Clerical Medical creates bond for cautious investors.(News Round-up)
June 1, 2007... Clerical Medical has launched a three-month bond for cautious investors looking for higher long-term growth than that offered by high-interest deposit accounts. The allocation for the bond includes property, cash, index-linked and...

Recent moves.(June news)
June 1, 2007... Recent moves These are the latest fund manager moves announced to the beginning of May 2007. To keep track of your fund manager, and for further commentary on manager moves, visit www.bestinvest.co.uk Date left/due to leave Fund...

Top ten funds.(June news)
June 1, 2007... Top ten funds UNIT TRUSTS One Year 1 Fidelity Funds--Malaysia A 154.93 2 Baring Hong Kong China USD 150.63 3 Atlantis China Fortune 148.37 4 First State...

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 potential.(June news)
June 1, 2007... * Collins Stewart UK Catalyst Fund This recent launch from Collins Stewart is a best ideas fund investing in companies with a market cap of less than 250 million [pounds sterling]. It will have up to 50 holdings and focus on companies with...

CF Taylor Young Opportunistic Fund.(Product of the month)
June 1, 2007... What INVESTMENT Product of the month June 2007 **** Taylor Young Investment Management launched the CF Taylor Young Opportunistic fund at the beginning of April, in response to demand from existing clients for the fund manager to...

Unforeseen consequences: Keiron Root finds that Gordon Brown's tinkering with pension tax relief has held back the UK stock market.(Lessons from history)
June 1, 2007... One decision that has come back to haunt Gordon Brown with a vengeance in recent weeks is the abolition of the tax credit for advance corporation tax (ACT) early in New Labour's first term, and the subsequent impact that this has had on the...

Reaching higher: Stephanie Spicer searches for an investment strategy that delivers a higher income without taking too much risk.(Investing for income)(Cover story)
June 1, 2007... When it comes to generating income from your investment portfolio, the essential element is striking the fight balance between keeping the value of your capital intact and providing for withdrawals in the form of a regular income. It is...

Out of condition? Keiron Root asks whether the size of a fund can affect its performance.(Optimum fund size)
June 1, 2007... The recent announcement from Fidelity that Sanjeev Shah will be taking over the management of its Special Situations Fund from Anthony Bolton at the end of this year has focused attention once more on the question of when an open-ended fund...

Broadening your horizons: increasing numbers of investors are looking to diversify into overseas property holdings. Pauline McCallion guides you through the basic principles.(Overseas property)
June 1, 2007... The impressive track record of the UK property sector for providing solid, dependable returns, in terms of both capital growth and income, has led investors to flock to the asset class in their droves in recent years. They are looking for...

Winning margins: Nick Sudbury discovers that trading on margin allows investors who are comfortable with the risks to dramatically increase their potential returns.(Margin trading)
June 1, 2007... Buying shares through a normal stockbroking account entails paying the full purchase price. By switching to a margined product, an investor can make their capital work harder and potentially earn a far greater return. For example, using a...

Something special: Keiron Root meets a fund manager whose track record demands attention.(Investment strategies)
June 1, 2007... Justin Jordan is a fund manager in demand. Most recently manager of the Close Special Situations fund, he will be moving to Credit Suisse Asset Management in July, where he will manage institutional small-cap portfolios. Justin is currently...

Delcam takes global steps: each month, What Investment focuses on a potential growth stock highlighted by our sister publication Growth Company Investor.(Growth stocks)
June 1, 2007... Delcam innovates in the computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/ CAM) technology field, developing and providing specialist software used for the design, manufacture and inspection of complex shapes and tooling. CAD/CAM has been...

Market view: Robert Tyerman gauges the market reaction to the rising trend in interest rates.(UK SHARES)
June 1, 2007... Neither the long-awaited confirmation of Tony Blair's imminent departure from No. 10 nor the latest widely expected rise in UK interest rates has removed the sense of uncertainty from a stock market still mesmerised by the prospect of yet more...

Sector view: renewable energy.(UK SHARES)
June 1, 2007... In today's climate, renewable energy is surrounded by a halo of virtue, but investors in the sector have found its fortunes to be as varied as the activities it covers. China-based ReneSola, maker of silicon solar wafers--which lifted profits...

Share view: MP Evans and Aricom.(UK SHARES)
June 1, 2007... One group of beneficiaries from any sustained switch to bio-fuels is likely to be the plantation companies growing palm oil, which can be a key ingredient. Promising among them is MP Evans, which had been switching out of its traditional...

European sector review: Henk Potts examines the reasons why investors are turning their attention towards German companies.(UK SHARES)
June 1, 2007... The label "the sick man of Europe" will be familiar to many investors. In the past, it has been applied to countries including Ireland, Russia, Spain and the UK. More recently, this dubious honour has been given to Germany, as the country was...

Market insider not just for the tulips: Michael Wilson discovers the hidden attractions of the internationally focused Dutch economy.(WORLD MARKETS)
June 1, 2007... I fit were not for the fact that our papers have been so full of news recently about the ABN Amro takeover battle, most of us would probably have gone on quietly ignoring one of the most important financial markets in Europe. And that would...

Global equities keeping inflation at bay: each month, What Investment speaks to fund managers and analysts, focusing on four different asset classes, and asks them to reveal the key issues currently driving their investment decisions.(ASSET ALLOCATION)
June 1, 2007... There have been numerous events over the past few weeks to unsettle the global equity markets, including the presidential election in France, the growing political impasse in Turkey and the determination of central banks to keep the lid on...

Bonds: looking for excitement.(ASSET ALLOCATION)
June 1, 2007... Paul Read, co-manager of the Invesco Perpetual bond funds, argues that 'The decision to increase UK interest rates comes as no surprise following the recent increase in inflation. A further 0.25 percentage point increase should not be ruled...

Commodities: fundamental support.(ASSET ALLOCATION)
June 1, 2007... The dramatic surge in industrial commodity prices that has occurred over the past five years may have slowed, but for most commodities the drivers of these increases are still in place. Joanne Warner, manager of the First State Global Resources...

Property: raising the property ladder.(ASSET ALLOCATION)
June 1, 2007... The Royal Institution of Charted Surveyors (RICS) has been drawing attention to the dramatic rise in house prices that has taken place over the ten years of Tony Blair's Government. It revealed that house prices have risen by 170 per cent since...

Unit trusts vs investment trusts.(Money clinic: A panel of independent experts answers readers' financial planning and investment queries)
June 1, 2007... I want to invest a modest monthly sum for nay two grandchildren aged three and seven years old, with a view to helping them with college fees when the time comes. What are the relative merits of using unit trusts and investment trusts to...

ISA transfers.(Money clinic: A panel of independent experts answers readers' financial planning and investment queries)
June 1, 2007... Over a period of time I have put a little away in ISAs and mini cash ISAs, as well as investing my original TESSA savings into a TESSA ISA. From time to time, I have moved the cash ISA money around to get better interest rates, but my TESSA ISA...

Capital gains.(Money clinic: A panel of independent experts answers readers' financial planning and investment queries)
June 1, 2007... I held some shares in RHM, which has been taken over by Premier Foods. Could you please advise on what happens in such circumstances: for instance, when will a capital gain occur? Is it when the takeover has been completed or will it be when I...

Blue Planet confusion.(Money clinic: A panel of independent experts answers readers' financial planning and investment queries)
June 1, 2007... Further to my letter requesting an explanation for the stellar performance of the Blue Planet Financials Growth & Income No. 1 investment trust, published in the May issue of What Investment, I am perplexed as to why the Blue Planet fund is...

The money doctor: Andrew Merricks explains why investors seeking income should look beyond the bond sectors.(Money doctor)
June 1, 2007... Investment models bother me. I have nothing against being given guidelines to follow, and diversifying within an investment portfolio is wise. But when certain aspects of a basic model seem dangerously flawed, I question the wisdom of slavishly...

Sector leaders--UK equity income: each month, What Investment highlights the most consistent performers within a main IMA sector.(UNIT TRUSTS OEICs)
June 1, 2007... The UK Equity Income sector contains some of the largest and most popular open-ended investment funds. This is hardly surprising, since many investors are looking for income and traditionally the UK equity market has been the best long-term...

Unit trust best buys: What Investment asks three independent financial advisers to recommend their favourite unit trusts or OEICs for a cautious, a balanced and an aggressive investment.(UNIT TRUSTS: MONITOR)
June 1, 2007... CAUTIOUS OPTION Martyn Ingram of Independent Portfolio Managers suggests a multi-manager income-orientated fund as an option for cautious investors. The SWIP MultiManager UK Equity Income Fund is ranked 43rd out of 86 funds in the UK...

Unit trust performance tables.(UNIT TRUSTS OEICs)
June 1, 2007... What the tables show The figures show the value of 100 [pounds sterling] over six months, one, three, five and ten years to 30 April 2007, on an offer-to-bid basis with net income reinvested. Funds are listed by sector so that you can...

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)
June 1, 2007... CAUTIOUS OPTION John Moore, head of the collective investments service at Brewin Dolphin, is focusing on property-based funds for investors that want to manage risk over the medium to long term. The shares of Standard Life Investments...

Investment trust performance table.(INVESTMENT TRUSTS)
June 1, 2007... 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 30 April 2007, on an offer to bid basis with net income reinvested....

Best buys performance tables.
June 1, 2007... Best buys performance tables Unsecured Personal Loan Selection Lender Contact APR 1,000--Over one year Northern Rock www.northernrock.com 7.8% (a) Coventry BS 0845 766...

Best ways to save.(REFERENCE)
June 1, 2007... INSTANT-ACCESS BRANCH ACCOUNTS Contact details Account INSTANT-ACCESS BRANCH ACCOUNTS Post Office 0800 169 7500 Instant Saver...

Personal pension annuity rates.(REFERENCE)
June 1, 2007... An annuity is a financial product that converts capital into income. You can buy one with any lump sum of money, or with accrued pension funds. Currently, for money purchase pension funds you must buy an annuity by the time you reach the age of...

Grande Expectations: A Year in the Life of Starbucks' Stock.
June 1, 2007... Grande Expectations: A Year in the Life of Starbucks' Stock by Karen Blumenthal The world of publicly traded companies can be confusing. Why does a particular stock skyrocket one day and plummet the next? How is the value of a...

The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable.
June 1, 2007... The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable by Nassim Nicholas Taleb The concept behind this book will change the way you look at the world. Taleb's black swans are highly improbable events with three main characteristics: they are...

Hot Commodities: How Anyone Can Invest Profitably in the World's Best Market.
June 1, 2007... Hot Commodities: How Anyone Can Invest Profitably in the World's Best Market by Jim Rogers In late 1998 a bull market in commodities began, and Jim Rogers predicts this will continue for another 15 to 20 years. In Hot Commodities (just...

The Maverick: Dispatches from an unrepentant capitalist.
June 1, 2007... The Maverick: Dispatches from an unrepentant capitalist by Luke Johnson He's been described as independent, unorthodox and even bloody minded, as well as 'Britain's busiest tycoon'. For eight years between 1998 and 2006, Luke Johnson wrote...

Financial contacts ISA Directory.(Directory)
June 1, 2007... FINANCIAL CONTACTS ISA Directory Abbey Investments ISA Stocks & Both No Safety Plus Shares Both Yes Tel: 0845 7654321 Growth Option * Cash MARKS &...

In association with the share centre: team work: whether you don't feel ready to tackle the stock market yourself yet, or simply like the idea of turning a hobby into a more sociable activity, an investment club could help you to learn and to earn.(Investment clubs)
June 1, 2007... Investment clubs are a handy way to get experience of stock market investing. They also offer a chance to meet up with like-minded people--plus there's the added bonus of moneymaking potential on the side. Guy Knight, sales and marketing...

A new arrival: one of the newest investment clubs is the Frantoio in Chelsea. In a new series of occasional articles, Terry Bond, who has joined the Frantoio, will chronicle its progress.(Endpiece)
June 1, 2007... Is there an organisation titled Investment Clubbers Anonymous? I wonder as I am becoming a serial joiner of investment clubs. The Frantoio club will be the sixth I have signed up to in as many years. This new club is centred on a bijou...