magazine archive
magazine archive
Editor's View
There are signs of life in the London commercial property market
Thursday 16 Nov 2023There was a telling piece of information in the latest trading update from UK property investor British Land ( BLND ) . Faced with a situation where Facebook-owner Meta Platforms (META:NASDAQ) had decided break its lease on 1 Triton Square on British Land’s Regent’s Place ‘campus’ (at a cost to the...
The time to buy shares is when fund managers are sitting on cash (like now)
Thursday 09 Nov 2023In my first column as editor (19 June 2014) I suggested cash, not equities, was front of mind for investors. At the time, fund managers were increasing their cash positions, and figures from State Street showed that UK retail investors had 43% of their assets in cash. You might have interpreted...
Discover what conflict in Middle East means for gold and oil
Thursday 02 Nov 2023Since the conflict in Gaza started on 7 October gold and oil prices have both enjoyed high single-digit gains. It’s tough for stocks when gold and oil are moving in concert, as is demonstrated by the commensurate 4% fall in the MSCI World in the same period. This makes sense. Markets struggle with...
All change for ISAs at the Autumn Statement? This is what to expect
Thursday 26 Oct 2023There is chatter that the Government is open to reforming ISAs, the savings accounts which shelter capital gains and income from the taxman. The chancellor’s Autumn Statement on 22 November might shed light on how they might evolve. Ahead of that event, here is what Shares believes might, or might...
Want to invest in the casual dining sector? Here’s some bad news
Thursday 19 Oct 2023Private equity firm Apollo succeeding with its takeover of Restaurant Group ( RTN ) would represent a major turning point for the UK stock market. It would mean investors could no longer access a high street-focused casual dining chain operator on the London Stock Exchange of any scale. Restaurant...
It’s not just Metro Bank – nearly all challenger banks have been poor investments
Thursday 12 Oct 2023Financial services group Metro Bank ( MTRO ) has survived another crisis after agreeing a £925 million rescue package yet question marks remain about its future. Metro Bank was the highest profile of the challenger banks which emerged in the wake of the financial crisis promising to shake up high...
How investors might be disadvantaged as paper share certificates are phased out
Thursday 05 Oct 2023Many of us hold shares through a nominee account with an investment platform but a good portion of UK investors continue to have their shareholding directly recorded with the relevant company. As part of efforts to get rid of paper share certificates, plans are afoot which could effectively remove...
How a shift in the interest rate narrative is good for UK stocks
Thursday 28 Sep 2023UK fund managers say we have got a once in a generation opportunity to buy great companies cheaply. This is all very well, but when is the UK stock market going to deliver a decent performance? We need a catalyst to trigger more buyers to bid up the shares. One such catalyst is the Bank of England...
Is the end in sight for Hipgnosis Songs Fund after years of misery for investors?
Thursday 21 Sep 2023Investing in Hipgnosis Songs Fund (SONG) was meant to have been a no-brainer. Sadly, that has been far from the truth. The investment trust owns the rights to certain popular songs. It gets paid every time these songs are featured in a film, TV show or advert; played on the radio or in a public...
Want to turbocharge your returns over the long term? Here’s a handy tip
Thursday 14 Sep 2023There is a misconception that dividends only matter to people who rely on their investments to generate a steady income in cash. What is underappreciated is how dividends play a role in building wealth over a long time. They are as important to someone in their 30s or 40s looking to save in their...