What Investment articles from September 2004

What Investment archives from September 2004

Time for a change?(Comment)
September 1, 2004... 'Every month the pages of What Investment feature recommendations for products, whether savings accounts or structured products, unit or investment trusts. If the calls I receive are anything to go by, many of you act on these recommendations....

Know when to hold 'em.(September news)
September 1, 2004... Investors holding individual stocks can get information on whether to hold or sell via a new website, www.tips tracker.com. The site analyses share tips covered in national newspapers, magazines and online sources to provide a technical...

Lucrative hobbies.(September news)
September 1, 2004... Investors who want turn their hobby into a moneymaking venture can I get some tips from a new book. Superhobby FIB Investing by Peter Temple explains how items such as classic cars, books and whisky can be used as alternative investments....

Back to basics.(September news)
September 1, 2004... Perhaps you've got a gap in your knowledge, or perhaps you just fancy revising what you know about investments. Either way, new book Investing for Dummies may be the answer. Written by Guardian journalist Tony Levene, the book offers a...

TEP companies step back.(News Round-up)
September 1, 2004... With-profits endowment holders who are considering trading their policies now have fewer places to turn following the withdrawal from the market of two of the largest market makers. Policy Portfolio and Beale Dobie have announced that,...

MPs call for clearer information.(News Round-up)
September 1, 2004... Investors should be presented with a summary box giving them clear, standardised information on every product, according to a new report from MPs. The Treasury Select Committee's report Restoring Confidence in Long-term Savings argues that...

Billions held in 'dog' funds.(News Round-up)
September 1, 2004... The number of failing funds has decreased in the last six months, but there is still 10 billion [pounds sterling] held in underperforming investments. These are among the revelations in Bestinvest's latest Spot the Dog guide. Published...

New hope of Equitable settlement.(News Round-up)
September 1, 2004... Equitable Life members have been given new hope of redress with the launch of a new investigation. The parliamentary ombudsman, Ann Abraham, will embark on a statutory investigation into the regulation of the beleaguered life company. It...

Ready cash.(September news)
September 1, 2004... Halifax has added a cash management account to its sharedealing service. The account can hold the proceeds from any investments, making reinvestment in the market much easier. This replaces the previous method of funding the Halifax Share...

Premium number.(September news)
September 1, 2004... Premium Bonds can now be purchased over the phone. National Savings & Investments (NS&I) now allows customers to pay for their investment with a debit card. A confirmation form will be sent out which must be signed and returned to NS&I. The...

Confidence up.(September news)
September 1, 2004... Investor confidence is on the up, according to research carried out by TD Waterhouse. The discount broker conducted interviews with 200 investors who all had at least 5,000 [pounds sterling] invested directly in equities, and found 61 per cent...

Taking issue: Nic Cicutti reports on the latest issues rocking the world of finance.(September news)
September 1, 2004... This month, I want to look at two apparently separate issues--technology valuations and dividend yields--to see if they can help us intervene in a stock market that has remained stubbornly within a narrow price band and, if anything, looks...

Top ten funds.(September news)
September 1, 2004... Unit trusts One year 1 Framlington Japan 177.25 2 Legg Mason Japan Equity 171.65 3 Invesco Perp Jap Sm Cos 158.24 4 Invesco GT Jap Enterp USD 157.61 5 M&G Jap Son Cos A Inc ...

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.(September news)
September 1, 2004... * Clerical Medical Clerical Medical is offering a growth version of its managed income fund. The fund, which will be managed by Insight Investments, is aimed at relatively cautious investors looking for steady capital growth. Investments...

The AA.(Also launching this month ...)
September 1, 2004... The AA has launched an instant-access savings account. The AA Telephone Savings Account can be opened with a minimum payment of 500 [pounds sterling]; once opened, there is no limit on the number of deposits and withdrawals that can be made....

Norwich Union.(Also launching this month ...)
September 1, 2004... Norwich Union is offering a Guaranteed Growth Plan that promises a minimum return of 20 per cent, no matter what happens to the FTSE 100. The plan is a six-year single-premium product designed to provide a return of either 20 per cent of the...

Premier Asset Management.(Also launching this month ...)
September 1, 2004... A new structured growth plan is on offer from Premier Asset Management, Premier Limited Editions No 21 offers growth of up to 8 per cent a year on investments of at least 5,000 [pounds sterling]. Your money is tied in for between one and six...

Managers on the move: should you stay or should you go? What Investment looks into the impact of recent fund manager moves.(Fund managers)
September 1, 2004... Top of the list of manager news in July was the announcement that five senior managers and analysts at Investec were leaving the group. These include Nick Mottram, manager of the group's Global Free Enterprise fund; Jeremy Rigg, manager of...

Early earning: whether it's to finance their education or just teach them about the saving habit, an investment in the name of your child or grandchild could be the best present you ever give them.(Focus: investing for children)(Cover Story)
September 1, 2004... As the new school and university terms begin, parents across the country can be heard bemoaning the spiralling cost of bringing up their kids. And it's hardly surprising--students heading off to university this autumn can expect to graduate...

Tap into your home's value: equity release schemes allow you to take cash from your property without moving out. And new guarantees mean you are unlikely to end up in hot water.(Equity release)
September 1, 2004... Mention equity release in some circles and you'll meet with concern. The business of allowing homeowners to tap into the value of their property without moving out has had a chequered past. Plans sold in the 1980s left many older people with...

Tracking error? Is it a mistake to opt for a passive fund, or should it still have a place in your portfolio? Simon Hildrey looks at the pros and cons of this type of investment and offers some alternatives.(Tracker funds)
September 1, 2004... One of the longest-running debates in the investment industry is whether investors should buy passive or actively managed funds. While index-tracking funds were popular in the late 1990s, over the past four years the industry has extolled the...

Put IT in your pension: Jo Tura looks at what investment trust pensions have to offer.(Pensions)
September 1, 2004... Most people turn to a life company if they want to buy a pension, but this doesn't need to be the case. A small number of fund management companies offer investment trust pensions, giving investors another place to turn to for their retirement...

It's in the stars: Nick Sudbury looks at the best websites dedicated to investment fund analysis and reviews their star rating systems.(Technology)
September 1, 2004... Anyone who has ever contemplated investing in one of the thousands of unit or investment trusts on the market will appreciate how useful it is to draw up a shortlist of suitable candidates. Perhaps the easiest way to do this is to garner the...

Stuck in a rut.(United Kingdom)
September 1, 2004... The market remains range-bound but some growth is expected and value can be found among small caps The UK market has been stuck in a sideways trading range since the upswing of late 2003, according to Philip Barleggs, head of asset...

Not much to smile about.(United States)
September 1, 2004... Fund managers remain underweight in US equities amidst fears that things will get worse before they get better Bruce Stout, manager of Murray International, has a large underweight position in the US, and a negative view on the UK. "I see...

Exports important.(Europe)
September 1, 2004... Changes in Germany and Austria could give them a boost, but the eurozone is still reliant on outside support "If the US recovery is beginning to run out of steam, then the recent acceleration of activity in the eurozone could also be in...

Bargains to be had.(Far East)
September 1, 2004... All eyes are on China as it attempts to engineer a soft landing after a surprise slowdown in growth "I like Asian markets, as they offer growth-potential far superior to the rest of the world at half the price," says Bruce Stout, manager...

Cautious optimism reigns.(Japan)
September 1, 2004... Investors shouldn't get too excited, but there is a chance that this time the recovery is sustainable The Japanese economy continues to exceed market expectations, according to Richard Turnill, head of asset allocation and economics at...

Still a risky business.(Emerging Markets)
September 1, 2004... Improvements in corporate governance and a high oil price are helping valuations in some emerging markets David Gait, a senior analyst in First State Investment's emerging markets team, says he remains very positive on the long-term...

Market insider: Canada: continuing our series providing a fundamental analysis of a region from an economic and political perspective. This month, Michael Wilson considers the outlook for Canada.(World Markets)
September 1, 2004... Big political bust-ups, bitter arguments about budget deficits, steadily worsening unemployment, an unfriendly press and a whole lot of politicians who don't seem to understand the meaning of loyalty. Yes, there's more than just one country...

Market view: Tom Winnifrith considers the outlook for UK shares.(UK Shares)
September 1, 2004... July was another poor month for equities. Oil raced ahead to touch levels not seen since the first Gulf war of 1990. The Federal Reserve increased base rates for the first time in four years and in London the Bank of England indicated that it...

Banks sector view.(UK Shares)
September 1, 2004... The UK banks' reporting season for the half calendar year threw up everything except what share prices across the sector appear to discount--a profits warning. There was an agreed bid (Spain's Banco Santander for Abbey National), rumours of...

Banks share view.(UK Shares)
September 1, 2004... Bradford & Bingley made the mistake of buying a string of non-core businesses at the wrong time and price. But a new management team has committed itself to offloading those operations and to slashing costs by 40 million [pounds sterling] a...

European sector review: Hilary Cook, director of investment strategy at Barclays Private Clients, examines the prospects for the European food retail sector.(Stock Market Review)
September 1, 2004... There is no question that we are quite obsessed with food. Try living a day, or even an hour, without stumbling upon an advertisement for a food product. It's virtually impossible. Therefore, the threat of food abandonment does not have food...

European stock performance.(Stock Market Review)
September 1, 2004... Rank Company Weight in 1 Month Name Index Return Top 20 FTSE World Europe 1 Falck A/S 0.01% 21.36% 2 OMV ...

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, 2004... CAUTIOUS OPTION Zahid Nawaz, senior portfolio manager at HSBC's Private Clients division, suggests the Norwich Corporate Bond fund as an option for the more cautious investor. The fund is ranked fourth out of 63 funds in the UK Corporate...

Unit trust performance tables.(Unit Trusts OEICs)
September 1, 2004... 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 30 July 2004, on an offer-to-bid basis with net income reinvested. Funds are...

A rounded performer: Keiron Root meets Sue Round, one of the most experienced managers in the field of ethical investment.(Fund Manager Profile)
September 1, 2004... Over the past 20 years or so, socially responsible investing (SRI)--or 'ethical investing', as it is still generally known--has grown considerably in popularity. The idea of investing in a portfolio that avoids companies involved in the arms...

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)
September 1, 2004... CAUTIOUS OPTION Sue Whitbread, director of discretionary portfolio management at Chartwell Investments, selects an old favourite as an option for cautions investors. Alliance Trust's shares are ranked 16th out of 37 in the Global Growth...

Investment trust performance tables.(Investment Trusts)
September 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 30 July 2004, on a mid-market basis with net income reinvested. Funds...

Good to last?(Money Clinic)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2004... I am currently researching monthly savings accounts with the intention of setting up a monthly direct debit into one of these. I have been understandably drawn to ING Direct, which consistently seems to offer the best rate of interest around....

Relocation, relocation.(Money Clinic)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2004... I am contemplating a move overseas within the next 12 months. I know I can keep my existing PEPs and ISAs but not open any new ones after I have moved. What I am unsure of is whether I can still receive income from them without paying tax here...

Endowment escape.(Money Clinic)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2004... I have an endowment policy I bought ten years ago to back my mortgage. Bonuses from my employer have allowed me to pay off my mortgage, so I don't need the endowment for that any more. I have other investments that I think will eventually...

Offline dilemma.(Money Clinic)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2004... I refer to the tables at the back of What Investment each month and often spot funds that I would consider investing in. Unfortunately you do not carry the contact details for the fund management companies, so I am often left wondering how I...

Best ways to save.(Reference)
September 1, 2004... Best ways to save Telephone Number/Website INSTANT-ACCESS BRANCH ACCOUNTS Manchester BS 0870 990 0810 Lambeth BS 0500 200020 Scarborough BS 0845 458...

Personal pension annuity rates.(Reference)
September 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)
September 1, 2004... Top-performing unit-linked pensions Five years to 30 July 2004. Results of 100 [pounds sterling] invested on an offer-to-bid basis with gross income reinvested. Name Value Rank ...