What Investment articles from October 2006

What Investment archives from October 2006

Commodity choices.(news)
October 1, 2006... The market in Exchange Traded Commodities (ETCs) is set for a dramatic expansion with the launch of 29 new ETCs in the UK, comprising 19 individual securities and 10 index securities. Managed by ETF Securities Ltd, the new range of Exchange...

The best-laid plans.(News Round-up)
October 1, 2006... Gordon Brown's clampdown on trusts has thus far omitted one simple procedure, which could allow families to save up to 114,000 [pounds sterling] of inheritance tax (IHT), according to solicitors Berwins. Despite a retrospective clampdown by the...

Above the parapet.(News Round-up)
October 1, 2006... Standard Life has ventured back into the Inheritance Tax (IHT) planning market with the re-launch of its Discounted Gift Plan (DGP),which was initially suspended after this year's Budget announcement created uncertainty as to the tax status of...

Mature savings.(News Round-up)
October 1, 2006... Norwich and Peterborough Building Society (N&P) has introduced a new savings account for customers aged 50 or over paying an interest rate of 4.85 per cent, with easy access to invested cash. Gary Lacey, N&P's group product manager,...

Online advice.(News Round-up)
October 1, 2006... Independent Financial Adviser Churchouse Financial Planning Ltd has introduced two new websites, www.advicemadesimple.com and www.pensionsmadesimple.com, which it claims are the UK's first sites to provide bespoke financial and pensions advice...

Still seeking quality help.(News Round-up)
October 1, 2006... Research by London-based investment house ARjENT to explore the relationship between Britons and their financial advisers, has indicated that one in four Britons are dissatisfied with the financial advice they have received. The results of the...

Special FX effects.(news)
October 1, 2006... A new online service for the foreign currency markets has been launched aiming to attract amateur traders as well as professional brokers. Introduced by Simray Holding LLC, an international online brokerage house, Pip Forex...

American opportunities.(News Round-up)
October 1, 2006... Keydata, one of the UK's leading providers of structured investments, has devised an Income Property Bond, based on US real-estate investments. The Bond, the group's first property-backed investment, offers investors 7 per cent annual, or 1.75...

Shareholder concerns.(News Round-up)
October 1, 2006... The UK Shareholders Association (UKSA) has voiced its concern about the Company Law Reform Bill (now the "Companies Bill") and how its proposals will affect access to share registers. Concern revolves around the lack of definition of the term...

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

Top ten funds.(news)
October 1, 2006... UNIT TRUSTS One Year 1 CF Ruffer Baker Steel Gold O Acc 153.51 2 Merrill Lynch Gold & Gen Inc 152.79 3 Neptune Russ and Gtr Russ A Acc 152.32 4 MLIIF World Gold Fund A2 USD 148.82 5 Investec GSF Global...

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.(news)
October 1, 2006... * Resolution Asset Management / Hexam Capital Partners This is the first fund to be launched by the joint venture set up between Resolution Asset Management and the specialist emerging markets investment boutique set up by the ex-Barings...

SWIP absolute return funds.(Product of the month)
October 1, 2006... Scottish Widows Investment Partnership (SWIP) has launched three absolute return funds, the Absolute Return Macro Fund, Absolute Return UK Equity Fund and Absolute Return Bond Fund. The Macro Fund aims to produce a total return of 3 per cent in...

Too much of a good thing? Keiron Root wonders if some parts of the fund management industry are becoming too successful for their own good.(Lessons from history)
October 1, 2006... This month my thoughts have been turning to the question of the size of investment funds. Later in this issue of What Investment you will see a report as to how and why some fund management groups are beginning to cap the size of their...

If you can't beat them ... matching the market may not sound overly ambitious, but some index trackers perform better than many active funds.(Index funds)
October 1, 2006... Active managers who beat their benchmarks will always grab the headlines, but few are able consistently to add value. Research by F&C Asset management, for example, shows that only one in five UK All Companies funds outperformed either side of...

An excess of riches? Keiron Root explains why some fund managers are placing limits on the size of their funds.(Fund capping)
October 1, 2006... Time was when it was assumed that there was very little the management houses that ran open-ended funds could do to limit their size. The nature of a unit trust was to expand and contract in line with the performance of its portfolio and the...

Coming of age: the latest government attempt to simplify personal pension legislation was supposed to make it a lot easier for investors to take control of their pensions. Harvey Jones discovers whether this has come to pass.(SIPPs after A-Day)
October 1, 2006... Self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs) are steadily developing from a niche product for a select band of wealthy investors into a mass-market offering that could one day attract millions. April's 'A-Day' pension reforms should speed up the...

Getting a head start: now well into their second year, Child Trust Funds are the Government's bright idea to give every child a financial boost. The size of this boost will, however, depend on investment performance. Lindsay Rogerson sets out the options for parents and grandparents looking to top up CTF investments and highlights which CTFs are setting the pace.(Child Trust Funds)
October 1, 2006... Child Trust Funds (CTFs), or at least those with an exposure to equities, have arguably had their first real test of investor confidence over the summer of 2006. As equity markets around the globe dipped in May, providers braced themselves for...

Duty of care.(Money clinic: A panel of independent experts answer readers' financial planning and investment queries)
October 1, 2006... My mother, who is 88, suffers badly from depression and anxiety, and following a series of blackouts and falls has had to move into a care home. This was not an easy decision but it was decided that she needed that safety and support. She is...

Friendly advice. (Money clinic: A panel of independent experts answer readers' financial planning and investment queries.(Discussion)
October 1, 2006... Some time ago you ran a feature in Personal Finance magazine on returns from tax-exempt savings plans with friendly societies and, at the time, you found that one of the worst was Homeowners Friendly. After I read the article I wrote to the...

Using your discretion. (Money clinic: A panel of independent experts answer readers' financial planning and investment queries.(Discussion)
October 1, 2006... I am looking for some information regarding setting up discretionary trusts. My mother, who is 73 years old, has a house worth in the region of 250,000 [pounds sterling] with no mortgage. She wishes to release around 50,000 [pounds...

Private medical insurance: what the experts say.
October 1, 2006... Q: I'm in my 50s and planning for my retirement. Would I be better off putting money aside for healthcare in a high interest account, as private medical insurance seems to be much dearer as people get older? A: There are actually several...

Market insider: let us prey: continuing our series providing a fundamental analysis of a region from an economic and political perspective. This month, Michael Wilson investigates the behaviour patterns of the vultures circling over Wall Street.
October 1, 2006... So, what's the big problem with America then? It's the world's wealthiest nation, with an economy worth $12.5 trillion a year--or $60,000 (52,000 [pounds sterling]) for every adult in the country. It's got the fastest growing gross domestic...

Market view: Tom Winnifrith considers the outlook for UK shares.(UK SHARES)
October 1, 2006... August is a light month for trading volumes, so one should, perhaps, not read too much into trading patterns. Indices are misleading because they are weighted baskets--thus the FTSE 100 can rise if the 15 largest stocks in the UK go up even if...

Sector view: telecoms.(UK SHARES)
October 1, 2006... The telecom sector was once part of the TMT trinity (telecoms, media and technology) which propelled the stock market to new highs back in the crazy days of dotcom madness. At that stage, valuations, based on long-term discounted cashflow...

Share view: BT and Vodafone.(UK SHARES)
October 1, 2006... The telecom sector by weighting is dominated by two companies--BT and Vodafone and I have recommended both shares as a buy on www.tlps.com. BT spun off its mobile operations into [O.sub.2] a few years ago, and what remains in the former...

European sector review: this month, Henk Potts looks at the prospects for the media sector.(STOCK MARKET REVIEW)
October 1, 2006... What role do traditional media companies have in a rapidly changing digital world? That is a question increasingly being asked as technology transforms the way we access and use information and other media content, Some companies are set to...

Global equities: shares lose their lustre: 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)
October 1, 2006... When a major investment house makes a significant change to its asset allocation, the rest of us should at least take notice. This was precisely what happened at the beginning of September, when the asset allocation team at F&C Asset Management...

Bonds: getting on the corporate bondwagon.(ASSET ALLOCATION)
October 1, 2006... The UK corporate bond market should experience a flurry of activity over the next few months. Ian Robinson, manager of the F&C Fixed Interest Fund, argues: "Financial issuance has been strong throughout the year. In addition to Mellon Financial...

Commodities: water, water anywhere?(ASSET ALLOCATION)
October 1, 2006... One of the investment themes that has been gathering momentum this year has been the increasing importance of water to investment strategists, given its profile as a commodity which is both essential and where demand is continuing to outstrip...

Property: residential strength.(ASSET ALLOCATION)
October 1, 2006... Fears that the residential property market might be adversely affected by the resumption of interest rate rises appear unfounded. According to Your Move Estate Agents, the traditionally quiet month of August saw house sales rise by 11 per cent....

Building on solid foundations: over the past five years, interest in property as an asset class has increased dramatically. Investors are attracted by the idea of investing in a real asset that can grow in value, provide an income yield and is not directly correlated with the stock market. Keiron Root reviews the performance of the commercial and residential property markets and outlines how investors can diversify into this asset class.(Investing in property)
October 1, 2006... For many years, the received wisdom was that the bulk of private investors' portfolios should be invested in equities--good old-fashioned stocks and shares--because, over time the total returns, i.e. in terms of capital growth and income, to be...

The money doctor: Andrew Merricks addresses some common misconceptions over what makes for a successful investment strategy.(Money doctor)
October 1, 2006... As we enter the fourth quarter of the year, I am regularly being asked if now is a good time to invest or if the market has moved too high since early summer. A reminder of the seven most common mistakes that investors make may help to answer...

Mixed messages on growth.(UK HOUSE PRICES)
October 1, 2006... Map shows house prices for the second quarter of 2006 Source: Nationwide Building Society There are mixed messages again for house prices. Average house prices increased by 0.4 per cent over August, bringing house price growth over the...

Mortgages.(UK HOUSE PRICES)
October 1, 2006... Mortgages Lender Contact Rate 2-year fixed rates with no extended redemption tie-in (Rate cannot go up or down during stated period) Newcastle BS 0845 606 4488 4.75% NatWest...

Unsecured personal loan selection.(Best buys performance tables)
October 1, 2006... Unsecured Personal Loan Selection Lender Contact APR 1,000[pounds sterling]-- Over one year Northern Rock www.northernrock.com 5.8% (a) Eskimo Loans ...

Credit card selection.(Best buys performance tables)
October 1, 2006... Credit Card Selection Introductory Rates--Purchases GE Money Transformation M'Cd 1st 12 months Sainsbury's Bank Visa 1st 10 months Halifax/BoS One M'Card ...

Buy-to-let mortgages.(Best buys performance tables)
October 1, 2006... Buy-to-let Mortgages Lender Phone Rate Period Standard 0845 606 6710 4.24% 2.20% disc for Life Bank 1 year Portman BS 0845 454 5900 3.99%F to...

Tax rates for 2006/07.(Best buys performance tables)
October 1, 2006... INCOME TAX Rates Starting rate 10% 1 [pounds sterling]-2,150 Basic rate 22% 2,151 [pounds sterling]-33,300 Higher rate 40% 33,301 [pounds sterling] (+) ...

Mortgage calculator.(Best buys performance tables)
October 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 ...

Inflation indicator.(Best buys performance tables)
October 1, 2006... Inflation indicator The rate at which prices rise and money loses its purchasing power Current rate 2.6% 1 year ago 2.9% 3 years ago 3.1% 5 years ago 1.6% 10 years...

Income/capital growth calculator.(Best buys performance tables)
October 1, 2006... Income/Capital Growth Calculator Annual growth % 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6% 7% 8% 15% 7 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 14% 7 8 8 8 9 9 10 11...

Come Into My Trading Room.(What Investment Book club: New titles to improve your investing)
October 1, 2006... * Come Into My Trading Room by Alexander Elder Come Into My Trading Room educates the novice and fortifies the professional through expert advice and proven trading methodologies. This comprehensive guide provides a complete introduction to...

One Up On Wall Street.(What Investment Book club: New titles to improve your investing)
October 1, 2006... * One Up On Wall Street by Peter Lynch Peter Lynch is America's number one money manager. His mantra: Average investors can become experts in their own field and can pick winning stocks as effectively as Wall Street professionals by doing...

The French Property Buyer's Handbook 2nd edition.(What Investment Book club: New titles to improve your investing)
October 1, 2006... * The French Property Buyer's Handbook 2nd edition by Natalie Avella In this comprehensive book--now in a fully revised and updated second edition--the author takes you through all the stages of buying a house and moving to France,...

The Naked Trader.(Book of the month)
October 1, 2006... The Naked Trader by Robbie Burns The Naked Trader by Robbie Burns is based o the premise that anyone can make money by trading shares, and that they can learn from his years of experience, both good and bad. The author takes a fresh...

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)
October 1, 2006... CAUTIOUS OPTION Charles Brown of Principal Investment Management, highlights the attractions of an equity income fund for cautious investors. Artemis Income is ranked 23rd out of 70 funds in the UK Equity Income sector over three years to...

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

A sound alternative: many investors have been turning away from equity funds in recent years, in favour of the less volatile returns to be had from bricks and mortar. Keiron Root meets one property fund manager with direct experience of how the sector works.
October 1, 2006... Ten years ago you could be pretty certain that any investor who held a portfolio of unit trust investments would be pretty much wholly invested in equities--perhaps the occasional bond fund (almost certainly based on gilts), but by and large...

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 TRUST MONITOR)
October 1, 2006... CAUTIOUS OPTION John Moore, manager of the collective investments service at Brewin Dolphin, points more cautious investors in the direction of a trust with the rather unusual approach. The ordinary shares of Cayenne Trust are ranked 4th...

Investment trust performance tables.(INVESTMENT TRUST)
October 1, 2006... What the table show The figures show the value of 100 [pounds sterling] over six months, one, three, five and 10 years to 31 August 2006, on an offer-to-bid basis with net income reinvested. Funds are listed by sector so that you can...

Best ways to save.
October 1, 2006... Best ways to save Telephone Number INSTANT ACCESS BRANCH ACCOUNTS Post Office 0800 169 7500 Lambeth BS 0500 200020 Leeds BS 0845 045 4048...

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

Tessa-only ISAs.(REFERENCE)
October 1, 2006... TESSA-ONLY ISAs Notice Minimum Company or term deposit TESSA ONLY ISAs 3,000 [pounds sterling] Halifax 4 Year...

National savings & investments.(REFERENCE)
October 1, 2006... NATIONAL SAVINGS & INVESTMENTS Notice/ Minimum Product Term Deposit ACCOUNTS AND BONDS Easy Access Savings Instant ...

Personal pension annuity rates.(REFERENCE)
October 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...