What Investment articles from May 2006

What Investment archives from May 2006

Back to the 70s?(Comment--the bigger picture)
May 1, 2006... 'Have you noticed recently how mildly obsessed TV seems to be with the 1970s? As I write, BBC4 is hosting "1973 Week" and I admit to being hooked, especially to some of the political documentaries such as the Poulson affair and the three-day...

Gartmore changes fund range names.(News Round-up)
May 1, 2006... Gartmore has announced changes to the Gartmore Portfolio MultiManager range of funds. First, with immediate effect, the fund range will be renamed to define the investment process better. At the same time, as the name changes and in...

These are the laws.(News Round-up)
May 1, 2006... Legal experts are urging people who want to make an enduring power of attorney (EPA) to act now, before it is scrapped next year. An EPA allows a person incapable of managing their own financial affairs to hand them over to someone else....

ISA revival.(News Round-up)
May 1, 2006... Figures revealed by Fidelity International confirm the 'ISA revival', predicted by the company in January. In the first three months of 2006, Fidelity's ISA sales figures have more than double compared to the same period last year. ...

A structured guide.(News Round-up)
May 1, 2006... Trustnet, the free and independent fund research and analysis website, has added a brand new section on structured products, claiming it is the first UK investor website to offer such coverage and detail on these products. The new section,...

Viva Italia!(News Round-up)
May 1, 2006... Even if you're not Italian--and not a football fan--there may be a very good reason to shout "Forza Italia!" at this summer's World Cup, as the world economy will benefit most from an Italian victory, according to ABN AMRO's economists in their...

Spider urges spring cleaning.(News Round-up)
May 1, 2006... More than 7.5 billion [pounds sterling] of investors' hard-earned savings wasting away in 'dud' funds, according to funds ratings provider moneyspider.com, moneyspider.com provides investment research and fund information to private investors,...

Recent moves.(News Round-up)
May 1, 2006... Recent moves These are the latest fund manager moves announced to the beginning of March 2006. To keep track of your fund manager, and for further commentary on manager moves, visit www.bestinvest.co.uk Date left Fund manager ...

Top ten funds.(May news)
May 1, 2006... Top ten funds UNIT TRUSTS One Year 1 Baring Latin America USD 187.04 2 First State Indian Subcontinent I 186 3 CF Neptune Russia and Gr Russ AAcc 185.87 4 JF India A (dist) USD ...

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.(May news)
May 1, 2006... * J O Hambro Capital Management (JOHCM) J O Hambro Capital Management announces the launch of the JOHCM Continental Select Values Fund to be managed by Willem Vinke. This new onshore fund will aim to achieve long-term capital growth with an...

Standard Life.(Product of the month)
May 1, 2006... Standard Life Investments has launched the Dynamic Distribution Fund (DDF). The Authorised Unit Trust aimed at investors looking to enhance their income or achieve the growth afforded by investing in an actively managed, multi-asset-classed...

Taxing questions: Keiron Root suggests that the Chancellor ponders the fate of one of his medieval predecessors if he really wants the top prize.(Lessons from history)
May 1, 2006... In the days that followed Gordon Brown's tenth Budget speech, we witnessed a curious poker game being played out in a succession of press releases issued by firms of accountants, lawyers and fund managers. Tucked away in the text of the...

Stock picking for growth: many fund managers guard their investment process, rarely passing on their secrets to the general public. However, Charles Deptford, investment manager at Baring Equity Income Trust, feels a common-sense approach to valuations is the key to good stock selection.(Stock selection)
May 1, 2006... Last year was a great year for the UK equity market, driven mainly by the high level of takeover activity. This wasn't just amongst mid-cap stocks, as is commonly thought, but was also helped by many blue chip companies too. Activity was...

From little acorns ... Does the small buy-in price necessarily mean small performance? For small investors, which vehicle gives the best return and how much risk should you have to take to achieve it? Simon Hildrey takes a look.(50 [pounds sterling] a month)
May 1, 2006... No amount of money is too small to start investing. An investment of just 50 [pounds sterling] a month amounts to contributions of 6,000 [pounds sterling] over 10 years and, with strong investment returns, could grow to anywhere between 10,000...

Buried treasure: lost amongst the many forgotten funds are a few hidden gems just waiting to be unearthed. Nick Sudbury goes looking for them.(Best-kept secrets)
May 1, 2006... With over 2,000 funds on the market, it's inevitable that a good proportion will slip by almost unnoticed. For some, their obscurity is well deserved; but the mass of middling to poor performers can also easily conceal the odd jewel. There...

Wills and online inheritance tax planning: DIY bungles such as banging a nail through a water pipe can cost more than calling an expert to do the job in the first place. It's exactly the same with DIY will writing and inheritance tax planning, but here a botched-up job could cost you tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds. Harvey Jones prises the nails from the coffin.(Technology)
May 1, 2006... Britons are famed for their love of DIY. Every weekend, millions of us open our tool boxes and set to work painting walls and building shelves. This DIY ethic has spread effortlessly to our personal finances, given a massive helping hand...

Saint or sinner? What performs better and makes you more money--being a saint or a sinner? Will an ethical portfolio enhance your investments or will a 'Sindex' beat the holier-than-thou approach of going 'green'? Jo Tura plays Devil's Advocate.(Ethical v Sindex)(Cover story)
May 1, 2006... Yet again, many pundits are saying that green stocks will boom in the next 12 months, as soaring energy costs and a growing comprehension of global warming have created a climate for socially responsible investment. However,...

Global equities: coping with growth: 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 stock-selection decisions.(ASSET ALLOCATION)
May 1, 2006... There are signs that technology stocks are looking attractive again. John Bearman head of UK equities at Insight Investment, argues that, after the dotcom bubble burst, only a few dotcom businesses managed to retain the confidence of investors...

Bonds: gilt-edged security.(ASSET ALLOCATION)
May 1, 2006... Fund research house Standard & Poors' reports there is no clear consensus amongst fund managers over the prospects for bond markets. Alison Cratchley, fund analyst at Standard & Poor's, reveals that fund managers have split into two distinct...

Commodities: before the goldrush.(ASSET ALLOCATION)
May 1, 2006... Demand for commodity-based investments shows little sign of abating, with investors turning their attention to a widening range of markets. Philip Gilbert of Bespoke Financial Consulting, managers of the recently launched Dow Jones AIG...

Property: high rise offices.(ASSET ALLOCATION)
May 1, 2006... The commercial property sector continues to dominate investors' thinking, with Self Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), still able to invest in this asset class. Oliver Gilmartin, economist at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)...

Market insider: the backward revolutionaries: continuing our series providing a fundamental analysis of a region from an economic and political perspective. This month, Michael Wilson considers the outlook for France.(WORLD MARKETS)
May 1, 2006... Turn on your television these days and the pictures you get from France aren't exactly the sort of thing to make you want to rush out and invest your life savings in that fair country. Mobs of students and assorted rabble-rousers lob...

Market view: Tom Winnifrith considers the outlook for UK shares.(UK SHARES)
May 1, 2006... The month changes, the extent of the equity market appreciation changes, but the story remains pretty much the same. Bid activity--real, imagined and somewhere in between--continues to drive the markets higher. Results, earnings, dividends and...

FTSE 100 index.(UK SHARES)
May 1, 2006... FTSE 100 INDEX Stock 1 month Rank 1 year Rank 3i Group plc 100.16 72 151.21 25 Alliance & Leicester PLC 115.62 2 148.02 28 Alliance Unichem PLC ...

Share yields by market cap.(UK SHARES)
May 1, 2006... SHARE YIELDS BY MARKET CAP Name Yield Market Cap BP PLC 3.5 134443.6 HSBC Holdings PLC 4.8 109369.3...

Sector view: microcap.(UK SHARES)
May 1, 2006... Microcaps are a sub-sector of the small cap community that are completely ignored. There are several hundred companies with a market value of 10 million [pounds sterling] or less on both AIM and the main market but they receive almost no...

Share view: Formjet.(UK SHARES)
May 1, 2006... Formjet* is a company that supplies software products to SMEs and home users. It has the distribution rights to the Panda antivirus product--not one of the big three names in this area but a cheaper and still effective tool. Its Ability range...

European sector review: Hilary Cook, director of investment strategy at Barclays Private Clients, highlights a good year for media stocks.(STOCK MARKET REVIEW)
May 1, 2006... Sporting events may be primarily about the achievements of the players and teams competing in them but, for the corporate world, they are also massively important revenue generators. In this regard, 2006 should be a great year for the world's...

On the margins: this month, the Share Centre's David Jeal looks at how to set up an online account and how to decide on the online service that best suits your needs, and explains nominee accounts.(Investment: On the margins)
May 1, 2006... You don't have to be an ardent 'eBa-y-er', 'silver surfef' or budding Bill Gates to know just what an impact the internet has had on our everyday lives. And that's just as true when it comes to investing. Nowadays, the private investor has...

Lifting the lid.(News Round-up)
May 1, 2006... A market study to look in depth at the payment protection insurance (PPI) sector has been launched by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). The study follows a 'super-complaint' from Citizens Advice (CitA). PPI is applied to a number of credit...

The Yellow Book.(News Round-up)
May 1, 2006... Changes introduced in March's Budget mean that UK tax legislation has grown by over 58 per cent since the 2001 General Election, according to LexisNexis, the leading information provider to tax professionals. LexisNexis points to the sheer...

Bear with my infirmities.(News Round-up)
May 1, 2006... The capital limits for means testing for local authority support in care homes has been increased with effect from 10 April 2005, says IFA NHFA Care Fees Advice. The proposed lower capital limit is raised from 12,500 [pounds sterling] to...

Ants get saving.(News Round-up)
May 1, 2006... A new Instant Saver account with a rate of 4.75 per cent has been launched by the Post Office. The Post Office claims its Instant Saver strips out the confusion of low rates and limited access prevalent in many savings accounts, offering a...

Mr Micawber lives on.(News Round-up)
May 1, 2006... The average debt per adult in the UK was 4,021 [pounds sterling] at the end of 2005, according to a new report from independent market analyst Datamonitor. Lenders are now feeling the strain of ever-increasing unsecured debts, and many have to...

Plastic lifesaver.(News Round-up)
May 1, 2006... Up to six million Brits have been helped out of a difficult situation by their credit card, both abroad and in the UK, according to new research from Capital One. Of these, just over 40 per cent--3.4 million people--have been "saved" by their...

Back to basics: for some people, what they make on their investments, they lose in fees for current accounts and in poor rates in savings accounts--so getting to grips with the basics of bank accounts can save you a fair amount of money. Sam Barrett checks the figures.(Banking)
May 1, 2006... Picking the right investments can make you hundreds of pounds richer but ignore the basics--your current account and savings account--and you could be losing a small fortune. "When it comes to these accounts, there's so much choice out...

Lucky grandkids.(Money clinic: A panel of independent experts answer readers' financial planning and investment queries)
May 1, 2006... I will shortly be receiving a legacy and would like to invest, say, 5,000 [pounds sterling] each for our four grandchildren, all of whom are under four years of age. Each of them already has a child bond and a child trust fund provided by...

Decisions, decisions.(Money clinic: A panel of independent experts answer readers' financial planning and investment queries)
May 1, 2006... I wish to invest 30,000 [pounds sterling] within a low/medium risk fund but I'm unsure as to what is the best fund for myself. I currently have ISA savings, on which I take advantage of the 7,000 [pounds sterling] pa investment. Please can...

Adios, sunshine.(Money clinic: A panel of independent experts answer readers' financial planning and investment queries)
May 1, 2006... I wonder if you could offer any advice on organising a fund in trust or similar for my son. He is a freelance website designer and has not been resident in the UK for ten years or so, working and living in various European...

Gimme shelter.(Money clinic: A panel of independent experts answer readers' financial planning and investment queries)
May 1, 2006... I am interested in opening a child savings plan for a 13-year old which will allow me to invest in a variety of unit trust funds available on the market rather than a limited amount, with the added benefits of being sheltered from tax. It would...

What the experts say ...
May 1, 2006... Q: As I grow older my medical insurance premiums get more expensive--what options do I have for reducing the cost of my cover? A: Premiums usually increase as people grow older because they become more likely to need medical treatment....

The money doctor.(Money doctor)
May 1, 2006... Talk to many people about investing in investment trusts and they would choose being pecked by a hen in preference. The reputation of investment trusts suffered greatly at the hands of the split capital debacle that saw millions wiped off...

Greater house price growth expected over 2006.(UK HOUSE PRICES)
May 1, 2006... After flat growth in February, house prices rose by 1.1 per cent in March, lifting price growth again to an unexpected 5.5 per cent. Commentators remain unsettled by the healthy price growth spikes after many predicted flat growth for 2006. ...

Mortgages.
May 1, 2006... Mortgages Lender Contact Rate Period Max LTV 2-year fixed rates with no extended redemption tie-in (rate cannot go up or down during stated period) Northern Rock 0845 605 0500 4.19%...

Unsecured personal loan selection.(Best buys performance tables)
May 1, 2006... Unsecured Personal Loan Selection Figures correct as at 03.03.06 Monthly payment Lender Contact ...

Credit card selection.(Best buys performance tables)
May 1, 2006... Credit Card Selection Contact APR Introductory Rates-Purchases Sainsbury's Bank 0800 032 1365 0.0% (E) Nationwide BS 0800 302010 0.0% Abbey ...

Buy-to-let mortgages.(Best buys performance tables)
May 1, 2006... Buy-to-let Mortgages Lender Phone Rate Coventry BS 0845 766 5522 5.10% Heritable Bank 020 7518 4224 4.74% (F) Ipswich BS 0845 230 9696 4.90% Paragon 0800 440099 3.95%...

Tax rates for 2005/06.(Best buys performance tables)
May 1, 2006... Tax Rates for 2005/06 INCOME TAX Rates Starting rate 10% 1-2,150 [pounds sterling] Basic rate 22% 2,151-33,300 [pounds sterling] Higher rate 40% 33,301+...

Mortgage calculator.(Best buys performance tables)
May 1, 2006... Mortgage Calculator Cost per 1,000 [pounds sterling] of mortgage--remember to add the monthly cost of any repayment vehicle (endowment, ISA etc) to the total on an interest-only loan. Repayment figures assume a mortgage term of...

Inflation indicator.(Best buys performance tables)
May 1, 2006... Inflation indicator The rate at which prices rise and money loses its purchasing power Current rate 2.2% 1 year ago 3.2% 3 years ago 3.1% 5 years ago 2.3%...

Income/capital growth calculator.(Best buys performance tables)
May 1, 2006... Income/Capital Growth Calculator Annual withdrawal % Growth % 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 15% 7 8 8 8 8 14% 7 8 8 8 9 13% 8 8 9 9 9 12% 9 10...

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)
May 1, 2006... CAUTIOUS OPTION Gillian Cardy, Principal of IFA Professional Partnerships, steers cautious investors towards the security of income generation. Launched in November 2004, T Bailey Equity Income is ranked 62 out of 75 funds in the UK Equity...

Unit trust performance tables.(UNIT TRUSTS OEICs)
May 1, 2006... What the tables show The figures show the value of 100 [pounds sterling] over six months, one, three, five and ten years to 31 March 2006, on an offer-to-bid basis with net income reinvested. Funds are listed by sector so that you can...

The other side of the fence: Keiron Root meets a fund manager who has worked on both sides of the regulatory divide.(FUND MANAGER PROFILE)
May 1, 2006... Although they have to be aware of what the regulations do and do not allow, few fund managers have direct experience of what the financial regulators actually do. Jason Britton, co-manager of the T Bailey UK Growth fund, is one of the...

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)
May 1, 2006... CAUTIOUS OPTION David Hambidge, investment director, pooled funds, at Premier Asset Management highlights a relatively low risk way to gain exposure to the Japanese stock market. Close Japan Accelerated Growth 2 was launched in December...

Investment trust performance tables.(INVESTMENT TRUSTS)
May 1, 2006... What the tables show The figures show the value of 100 [pounds sterling] over six months, one, three, five and ten years to 31 March 2006, on an offer-to-bids basis with net income reinvested. Funds are listed by sector so that you can...

Best ways to save.(REFERENCE)
May 1, 2006... Best ways to save Telephone Account Number INSTANT ACCESS BRANCH ACCOUNTS Post Office 0845 602 3401 Instant Saver Universal BS 0845 070...

Cash ISAs.(REFERENCE)
May 1, 2006... CASH ISAs Company Notice Minimum or term deposit MINI CASH ISAs 1,000 [pounds sterling] Portman BS 15 Day 1,000 [pounds sterling]...

Tessa-only ISAs.(REFERENCE)
May 1, 2006... TESSA-ONLY ISAS TESSA ONLY ISAs 3,000 [pounds sterling] Loughborough BS 0.049 Yly Kent Reliance BS 0.0486 Yly National Counties BS 0.0485 Yly Earl Shilton BS ...

National savings & investments.(REFERENCE)
May 1, 2006... NATIONAL SAVINGS & INVESTMENTS Product Notice/ Minimum Maximum Term Deposit Deposit ACCOUNTS AND BONDS Easy Access Savings Instant 100 [pounds 2m...

Personal pension annuity rates.(REFERENCE)
May 1, 2006... 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...

Financial contacts ISA directory.(Directory)
May 1, 2006... Name & Address Name Of Scheme Type Maxi/ Cat/ Mini Standard Abbey Investments ISA Stocks & Both No Tel: 0845 7654321 ...