What Investment articles from September 2003

What Investment archives from September 2003

Shaggy-dog story.(Comment)
September 1, 2003... 'We have all grown somewhat accustomed to receiving our fund statements through the post with a surefire knowledge that what's inside will not be good news. I have taken to filing mine without even reading them, a practice I wouldn't recommend,...

TEP guide.
September 1, 2003... Market maker Policy Portfolio is offering readers a free guide to traded endowment policies (TEPs), outlining their key features, explaining their benefits and highlighting how they may best provide asset protection. If you would like a free...

Changes for savers.
September 1, 2003... Birmingham Midshires has launched a telephone-based savings account. The interest rate is 4.35 per cent gross AER and the company guarantees to pay at least the Bank of England base rate plus 0.50 per cent for 12 months. The minimum investment...

Distribution bond guide.
September 1, 2003... Chartwell investment has produced the 7th edition of its Distribution Bond Guide. The guide examines how distribution bonds work and considers the underlying investments, before detailing all of the products available and providing...

Asset allocation concern.(News Round-up)
September 1, 2003... Investors are continuing to ignore the benefits of a diversified portfolio despite the volatility of global stock markets according to research by Fidelity Investments. Sixty-one per cent of savers who have held their investments for 10 years...

Home is where the wealth is.(News Round-up)
September 1, 2003... The top twenty best-selling investment funds in the first half of 2003 were UK funds according to figures from independent fund supermarket Cofunds. "Clearly investor confidence for more speculative investments has yet to return," says...

Letting go.(News Round-up)
September 1, 2003... Saga has entered the home equity release market with a home equity loan scheme. The plan, launched in association with Scottish Widows, allows borrowers to draw down money as and when they need it with no extra charges. The product is priced at...

Getting close to property.(News Round-up)
September 1, 2003... Close Property Investment, in conjunction with HBOS, is seeking to raise 10.5 million [pounds sterling] for the acquisition of a 96.6 million [pounds sterling] commercial property portfolio that will form a new property venture, Quartet. The...

'Buy and hold' myth.(News Round-up)
September 1, 2003... The view that the stock market is a safe long-term bet is a myth according to Scottish Life International (SLI). Research from SIJ indicates that the length of time investments are held in the stock market has no downward effect on the...

The early bird ...(News Round-up)
September 1, 2003... Bradford & Bingley has launched the Early Bonus Plan for investors concerned about stock market volatility. The Early Bonus Plan has a minimum three-year investment period and a maximum six-year period. After three years, the maturity is...

Retirement options.(News)
September 1, 2003... Fidelity Investments has published a guide to investing for retirement. The guide explains how investors can best plan to make the most of their retirement savings, highlights the various retirement savings options available in the UK and looks...

Hedge appeal.(News)
September 1, 2003... HSBC Republic Investments has launched a sterling hedged share class within HSBC Global Absolute Ltd, the closed-ended investment company that invests in a diversified range of hedge funds. The sterling shares class will help reduce the effect...

Database extension.(News)
September 1, 2003... Standard & Poor's fund database has been extended to include all international funds that are registered with the Financial Services Authority (FSA) for sale in the UK. To ensure relevant and fair comparison between domestic and non-domestic...

Rolling-up for a higher rate of return: if you wish to invest tax efficiently then there are two obvious savings vehicles for you to choose from; an ISA or a Pensions plan. Yet there are other options you may not have heard of. Learn about the benefits of rolling up offshore.(RLAM Advertisement Feature)(Advertisement)
September 1, 2003... The PEP and then the ISA, were designed by the Government as general savings vehicles. They offer you an annual opportunity to complement your cash savings with investment savings and the tax-efficient wrapper (the ISA) acts as an incentive to...

Taking issue: Nic Cicutti reports on the latest issues rocking the world of finance.(News)
September 1, 2003... In common with many people, I have a number of strange obsessions. In my case, I like to ride vintage Italian scooters. Unfortunately, every few months, my Lambretta has a habit of breaking down. I take it to a mechanic, who sucks his...

Top ten funds.(News)
September 1, 2003... Unit trusts One year 1 AS Holly 149.52 2 Unicorn Free Spirit A Incme 143.88 3 Credit Suisse Euro Front Rtl 131.21 4 Invesco Perpetual Latin Am 131.07 5 Merrill Lynch Gold & Genl...

News 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)
September 1, 2003... * Royal London Royal London has launched the Sterling Extra Yield fund, a high-yield income fund investing across the broad range of fixed-interest assets. The fund is listed on the Dublin stock exchange. The fund presently offers a...

Keydata.(Product of the month)
September 1, 2003... Keydata has launched the Progressive Growth Plan, a six-year product linked to the performance of the FTSE 100. If the FTSE 100 does not rise by 5 percent or more at the end of the first year, the plan will continue into the second year, at the...

Wesleyan Savings Bank.(Also launching is month ...)
September 1, 2003... Wesleyan Savings Bank has launched the Wesleyan Guaranteed Deposit Bond Issue 1. The product offers two elements, a seven-year equity element linked to the growth of the FTSE 100, S&P 500, Nikkei 225 and the Swiss SMI, and a one-year deposit...

Britannia Building Society.(Also launching is month ...)
September 1, 2003... Britannia Building Society has launched a two-year fixed-rate bond offering a choice of monthly or annual income. The annual interest is 4 per cent gross on a minimum investment of 1,000 [pounds sterling]. The monthly interest option pays 3.75...

In the June issue of What Investment the contact number for investors interested in purchasing.(Also launching is month ...)
September 1, 2003... In the June issue of What Investment the contact number for investors interested in purchasing Royal London's Guaranteed Capital Account should have read 0800 195 1000.

Managers on the move: should you stay or should you go? What Investment looks into the reasons behind recent fund manager moves.(Fund managers)
September 1, 2003... Traditionally, the summer months are regarded as a period when the City goes to sleep, but this year the fund management sector has seen the sort of transfer activity usually only associated with football clubs during the month of July. ...

The cost of kids: the financial hurdles facing children today are truly daunting yet, by starting early, even the most modest nest eggs have time to flourish.(Investing for children)(Cover Story)
September 1, 2003... The best things in life may be free, but there's still an awful lot that needs paying for. All the more reason for children to build up some capital of their own; money that could help fired their further education or go towards a deposit for...

Good things come in small packages: the FTSE 100, having lost half its value between December 1999 and March 2003, is no longer the safe haven it once was. What Investment looks at the prospects for small-cap companies.(Smaller companies)
September 1, 2003... Loads of great things come in small packages. Take the new Mini, for example. Alright it's small, boot space is minimal and head room limited, but to borrow from a rival advertising campaign, it's certainly got a lot of va va voom. Even the...

In the mix: is asset allocation the best way to build a portfolio?(Asset allocation)
September 1, 2003... Whether you're eating the perfect cocktail or the ultimate investment portfolio, quality ingredients are absolutely vital. And quantity is also crucial. A little too much vodka or too little ginger ale and your Moscow Mule will be spoilt. The...

Sick man of Europe: what Investment considers the prospects for Continental Europe.(Investing in Europe)
September 1, 2003... Once upon a time, the UK was accused of being the sick man of Europe. Oh how things change. Now it's Continental Europe itself that is in dire need of some economic medication. But while the European economies continue to slumber on their...

Getting personal: what Investment reviews the options available for investors looking for a personal pension.(Q & A)
September 1, 2003... It's official: investors are absolutely baffled by pensions. Indeed, half the working population has little or no idea of how pensions work, where the money is invested or how much it needs to save to achieve a comfortable retirement, according...

The ultimate freedom: Harvey Jones provides an essential guide to online self-select ISA providers.(Technology)
September 1, 2003... Self-select ISAs offer investors more flexibility and variety than the average ISA. You can create a portfolio of individual stocks and collective funds within the same 7,000 [pounds sterling] tax-efficient wrapper, and trade simply and cheaply...

United Kingdom: broad-based recovery.(World Markets)
September 1, 2003... Valuations are attractive as pessimists predict a collapse in consumer spending despite low unemployment, low interest rates and strong retail sales 'The latest market rally should be sustainable in the months ahead," says Richard Buxton,...

United States: reflation tactics.(World Markets)
September 1, 2003... Interest rate cuts prompt short-term rally, but fund managers are fearful of the long-term implications "In the US, the authorities are doing all they can to reflate the economy through low interest rates and tax curs," says Ian McLeish,...

Europe: currency speculation.(World Markets)
September 1, 2003... The substantial strength of the euro over the past year could soon begin to take effect, damaging already weak economies further 'The second quarter performance of European stock markets has been extremely impressive, with stocks rallying...

Far East: after Sars.(World Markets)
September 1, 2003... Export growth remains robust and there are already signs of a recovery even in the worst affected areas such as air travel and retail sales "Stock issuance has started to rise in Asia. Companies are issuing convertibles and IPOs are on the...

Japan: signs of life.(World Markets)
September 1, 2003... Japanese equities have risen sharply since the beginning of May and the upward momentum appears to be continuing "A key feature of the Japanese economy is its recent dependence upon global growth," says Nigel Richardson, senior strategist...

Emerging markets: flavour of the month.(World Markets)
September 1, 2003... Earnings growth in the developing world continues to surpass that in the rest of the world, while valuations remain attractive "The economics of the emerging world are clearly better than at any time in recent history," according to Bernard...

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)
September 1, 2003... Can Japan really be recovering at last? On the face of it, it seems unlikely, but then it's hard to get worked up about any country that has been in chronic recession for much of the last decade. But a lot of very respectable financial...

Market view.(UK Shares)
September 1, 2003... The weather was hot for much of July and for most of the month stocks--notably the small caps--scorched their way to new year-highs. The FTSE 100 Index ended July at 4157.02--a net gain of 3.12 per cent on the month with only defensive sectors...

UK stock performance.(UK Shares)
September 1, 2003... UK STOCK PERFORMANCE Company Weight in 1 Month Rank Name Index Return TOP 20 FTSE All-Share 1 Photo-Me International 0.02% 91.53% 2 ...

FTSE 100 index.(UK Shares)
September 1, 2003... FTSE 100 INDEX Stock 1 month Rank 1 year Rank 3i Group Inv Tr 111.46 19 109.04 36 Abbey National 115.04 12 72.48 93 Alliance & Leicester ...

Index constituent rankings FTSE 100.(UK Shares)
September 1, 2003... INDEX CONSTITUENT RANKINGS FTSE 100 Dividend Rank Stock Price Yield (%) 1 BP 426 3.68% 2 HSBC...

Banks sector view.(UK Shares)
September 1, 2003... The Banks sector is almost unique in that it comprises a relatively small number of companies, none of which can be described as 'small companies'. Banking is a mature industry that has undergone centuries of consolidation. In the years from...

Banks share view.(UK Shares)
September 1, 2003... NatWest was the highest profile acquisition made by Royal Bank of Scotland in recent years but it has actually made a large number --the most I recent being Churchill Insurance (the annoying TV adverts with the yapping dog--"oh yes"). 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)
September 1, 2003... The European media sector has been fairly volatile since the beginning of the year and is now outperforming the MSCI world index by 4 per cent year-to-date. At the regional level, the UK and Japan underperformed, while the US was the only...

European stock performance.(Stock Market Review)
September 1, 2003... EUROPEAN STOCK PERFORMANCE Rank Company Weight in 1 Month Name Index Return Top 20 FTSE World Europe 1 Info-Quest (Cr) 0.00% ...

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)
September 1, 2003... CAUTIOUS OPTION Russell Hall, of Sedgwick Independent Financial Consultants, suggests the Fidelity MoneyBuilder Income fund as an option for cautious investors. This is ranked second out of 64 funds in the UK Corporate Bond sector over...

Unit trust performance tables.(Unit Trusts OEICs)
September 1, 2003... Unit 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 July 2003, on an offer--to--bid basis with net income reinvested. Funds are...

Reading the mind of the market: Keiron Root talks to Chris Complin, a fund manager using his background in experimental psychology to understand the movements of the stock market.(Fund Manager Profile)
September 1, 2003... Fund managers come from a wide variety of backgrounds, but it is unusual to find one with such a long and varied academic career as Chris Complin, chief investment officer of the European Equity Group at JP Morgan Fleming. Before joining...

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)
September 1, 2003... CAUTIOUS OPTION Paul Craig, a fund manager at Exeter Fund Managers, suggests the zeros issued by Aberdeen Development Capital for investors taking a cautious approach. These shares are ranked third out of 52 trusts in the Split Capital:...

Investment trust performance tables.(Investment Trusts)
September 1, 2003... 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 July 2003, on a mid-market basis with net income reinvested. Funds...

AMC dilemma.(Money clinic)
September 1, 2003... I have accumulated shares over the years as single-company PEPs and ISAs through a single provider, attracting an annual management charge of 1.5 per cent on the total value. With the abolition of the tax credit on dividends from PEPs and...

Need advice?(Money clinic)
September 1, 2003... I am looking for a reliable financial adviser. Could you please tell me where I can find one that is local to me, and also what qualifications they should have. D Griffiths Swansea What Investment replies: There are many...

Capital gain calculation.(Money clinic)
September 1, 2003... I write to ask how a capital gain is arrived at in the circumstances described below. The original cost of holding of 1,000 Imperial Tobacco shares on 1 October 1996 was 69.32 [pounds sterling]. A rights issue was not taken up but sold on 10...

Off-track.(Money clinic)
September 1, 2003... Please could you tell me about 'tracking error' and its relevance in selecting a fund. As I understand it, tracking error is simply how far a fund diverges from its selected benchmark. So does that meals 10 per cent outperformance would be a 10...

Best ways to save.
September 1, 2003... NO-NOTICE ACCOUNTS Company Amount Gross Interest Name Rate Freq. Balance of 500 [pounds sterling] Northern Rock Tracker Online 4.31% *...

Personal pension annuity rates.(Reference)
September 1, 2003... 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)
September 1, 2003... Five years to 31 July 2003. Results of 100 [pounds sterling] invested on an offer-to-bid basis with gross income reinvested. Name Value Rank Balanced Managed Scottish Friendly...