One of the hardest concepts to grasp in investing is that a ‘good’ company is not always a better investment opportunity than a ‘bad’ company. If we believe that markets work pretty well – not unreasonable given that few investment professionals beat the market over time - and that they incorporate all public information into prices pretty quickly and efficiently, all of the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ news should already be reflected in these prices.
Read MoreWhat is the impact of this pandemic on my investment portfolio? And what can you do to protect your future wealth?
As always, I will remind you we cannot predict the future. That is not our job. But what we can do is try and find similar issues in the past and see what strategy we can adopt today.
Read MoreA Venture Capital Trust (VCT) is a listed company, run by a fund manager, that invests in smaller companies that are not typically quoted on stock exchanges. Investments in Venture Capital Trusts carry tax reliefs to encourage you to invest in these smaller, higher risk companies. By pooling your investments with those of other customers, VCTs allow you to spread the risk over a number of small companies.
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Markets will move again – down or up – based on the release of new information, which in itself is random. Second guessing random events is futile.
Read MoreHow the new tapered annual allowance has changed in the Spring Budget. There are some winners and some losers.
Read MoreIn my time as a financial professional, I have seen many downturns, some more significant than others. I started work in this world of finance in May 1988 and since then these are the ones that have stuck in my head
Read MoreHuman beings are hard-wired to focus on the here and now. We’re much more concerned about immediate threats than longer-term dangers such as failing to save enough money for retirement.
Read MoreThere is plenty of evidence to show that mindfulness has a range of health benefits. But can it also help us to become better investors?
Read MoreIt’s very important that you have absolute trust in your financial adviser. But how do you go about choosing one?
Read MoreI cannot tell you how bad things will get in the future for this virus or tell you how much it will affect your investments. My advice as always is to simply sit tight. If it gets really cheap, there is a potential opportunity and we will advise accordingly.
Read MoreWhile it might make intuitive sense that there should be a close link between how a country's economy performs and the returns from its stock market, the historical evidence shows otherwise.
Read MoreWe’ve all heard the saying, “patience is a virtue”, and it’s one especially applicable to investors. Resisting the urge to constantly change and fiddle with your portfolio can allow your assets to grow over time.
Read MoreGenerally speaking, it’s good to have a positive outlook on life. But too much optimism, or overconfidence, can be a problem, particularly when it comes to investing.
Read MoreAndy, his wife Sally and their son Jack have been Ifamax clients since early 2018. After qualifying as an accountant following university, Andy then worked his way through the financial services industry as a sales and commercial director.
Read MoreThe South Sea Bubble was one of the first, and one of the worst, financial crashes in history. The lessons from that episode are as important today as they were 300 years ago.
Read MoreSome financial professionals are dismissive of academic research, arguing that it’s too far removed from the realities of today’s financial markets. True, academic models are, by their nature, theoretical. But that doesn’t mean investors can’t learn practical lessons from them.
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While the temptation to try to pick stocks can be great because the rewards can be high, the odds are not in your favour. It is much better to trust the market as a whole.
Read MoreThere’s been a big increase in interest in sustainable investing in recent years. But what exactly does do we mean by sustainable investing? And, if we invest with our conscience, can we expect to receive lower returns?
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