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Thames River Distribution Fund 5.5% estimated yield*, highest in the Cautious Managed sector
Feeling a little queasy? Pass the Stugeron
What a difference a week can make. A stolen week away sailing meant that I could only listen to the unfolding financial turmoil of weakening economies, bank fraud and falling markets via the crackly broadcasts of the BBC World Service. I can only assume that investors at home were equally likely to be feeling as seasick as I was whilst sitting on a catamaran riding the Atlantic rollers. Maybe we are all in need of a packet of financial Stugeron.
Feeling a little queasy? Pass the Stugeron
What a difference a week can make. A stolen week away sailing meant that I could only listen to the unfolding financial turmoil of weakening economies, bank fraud and falling markets via the crackly broadcasts of the BBC World Service. I can only assume that investors at home were equally likely to be feeling as seasick as I was whilst sitting on a catamaran riding the Atlantic rollers. Maybe we are all in need of a packet of financial Stugeron.
FCUK - French Correction UK!
Justin Urquhart Stewart in his previous columns has consistently pointed out the poor handling of the Northern Rock crisis. Nothing demonstrates this better than the events of this week in which another banking crisis was narrowly averted in France but handled in a slick and efficient manner.
Dissolved in the rain!
From the resolute equity markets of only a year ago, all the confidence and enthusiasm seems to have been totally dissolved. Equity portfolios that were supposed to be wonderful manifestations of structured investment construction seem to have been reduced to a pile of brokers apologies. For those who had already diversified away from equities then at least some of the damage will have been mitigated and for those who have been building up their cash reserves then there will come a valuable moment when they will be able to buy equities again but at a far better price. However for the moment, with the seemingly continuous belts of weather fronts bringing in more rain bands from the Atlantic, our equity markets will continue with their somewhat depressing meteorological behaviour for the time being.
The next dead cert
Investment markets thrive on fashion fads and betting on the next sure fire investment winners. At the time their investment arguments seem totally compelling and few seem able to identify any fatal flaws and fallacies that may lurk within. Mind you this is not very surprising as such investments are normally sold hard by excited and motivated (commission motivated, that is) salesmen who are somewhat unlikely to point out the pitfalls.
Beware of Eastern Promise
I am not sure when I can last remember such a headline before - but the bold strap line of Singapore suffers economic growth slowdown is not one to be seen very often. However, lets put this into some perspective last years Singaporean growth was a very healthy 7.5% and so a slowdown from that is not wildly surprising and the government is planning for a figure of anywhere between 4.5% to 6.5% for 2008. This is still a very respectable figure for a still young but maturing economy. Singapore after all is not an emerging nation, rather it has already emerged as a very successful island city state, and shown itself not just to be a key area of dynamism in this emerging part of the world, but more importantly a stable, well organised, structured and vitally, well regulated economy.
Shape up your finances for 2008: New independent guide helps people stick to their money resolutions as 51% of Brits feel the pinch
A Gift of Financial Myrrh or Mire?
The past few weeks have seen some very dramatic if not unprecedented action by the main central banks around the globe. This does of course underline quite how seriously they regard the situation and thus it is not a subject which we can just brush under the carpet and ignore just because its Christmas. In fact being both Christmas and the end of the year are both important factors in this drama.
The Search for Silver Linings
With the reverberating sounds of creaking property values, many investors have felt the fear of falling investment values. If market sentiment runs on the high octane of fear and greed, then we have swapped over from one to the other with great rapidity in just a few months. I can still recall the bullish statements of the late Summer from certain stockbrokers talking the stock markets up to the new Elysian Fields of all time highs (not to mention their trading commissions and year end bonuses).
Its that word again Stagflation
For those of a certain age, this is a word that induces a depressing recall of a failing British economy lampooned as the sick man of Europe. Stagflation is the evil concoction of a stagnating economy blighted by persistent inflation or in other words rising prices in a weakening economy.
Angel of the North?
What a farrago. If you wrote it as fiction no-one would believe you. Between my writing and your kindly reading these comments, it is just possible that the whole issue has been resolved, but somehow I doubt it. The Northern Rock fiasco last week moved into another chapter as the Virgin consortium became a preferred bidder - which has remained a suitably vague qualification.