Prices and Markets

In recent months, Shires Income Trust (SHRS) has been expanding for the first time since 2012. SHRS can boast both an attractive yield and outperformance of both its benchmark and the average of competing listedUK equity income funds (see Figure 15 on page 7, which shows SHRS outperforming over every time period). This appears to be winning new fans for the company. The expansion could help improve liquidity in the shares and lower the trust’s ongoing charges ratio (as fixed costs are spread over a wider base)....

Standard Life Private Equity Trust (SLPE), has made its first co-investment – a stake in Mademoiselle Desserts, made alongside IK Investment Partners – with more set to follow (up to 20% of NAV over time).... Read more Shareholders approved a change to SLPE’s investment policy in January to permit it to make co-investments. These are direct investments into private companies made alongside a private equity manager. This is an area in which the manager has a successful track record. The...

With exclusive platforms and cutting-edge technologies allowing you to plan your budget and invest money in just a couple of clicks, investing has never been easier. This could be a double-edged sword, though, since many people start investing with no prior knowledge about this activity. First of all, you should understand that investment is not an easy thing to do, however practical it may seem right now. It takes hundreds of hours of studying, practice, and, most importantly, readiness to...

The North American Income Trust (NAIT) has been generating an attractive and increasing dividend (up 9% for the year ended 31 January 2019). It is also generating reasonable capital growth, despite an environment that has been favouring low-yielding, high-growth companies. The manager, Fran Radano, is not unduly concerned about the health of the US economy. He continues to recycle the portfolio into stocks that he believes are good quality that offer the prospect of reasonable dividend growth and should prove resilient in the event...

Performance data – it was notable that risk appetite increased in April, which pushed up growth-focused trusts such as Lindsell Train and Montanaro UK Smaller Companies.. Read more Money in and out – US Solar Fund launched in April, raising £153m in a well received IPO. Including this launch, net inflows into the sector totalled more than £350m. In absolute terms, Renewables Infrastructure Group led the way, reflecting ongoing interest in the renewable energy space. Elsewhere, Globalworth Real Estate Investments’ near £300m raise...

A new survey commissioned by cryptocurrency exchange bitFlyer has revealed some interesting insights about the way Europeans view the world's most recent asset class. The details of the survey show that close to two-thirds of Europeans believe cryptocurrencies will still be around in ten years’ time; however, opinions vary by country about which crypto assets will be at the top and how they’ll be used in the economy. For the survey, bitFlyer reportedly polled 10,000 respondents throughout Europe across ten...

Apple is now firmly ensconced as a major player in the financial sector, with the recent launch of its Apple Card in conjunction with Goldman Sachs and Mastercard. It’s unlikely that traditional banks are happy with this news. There have been years of speculation as to whether Big Tech giants will take the plunge into this area. And now Apple Card could be destined to smash the Fintech competition. How will Apple Card affect the Fintech sector? The Apple Card...

Leave or remain? That is the question, once again. But this time it’s not in an advisory referendum that attracts 46,500,001 members of the great British public, but one that involves a more niche group of people – the bankers. Indeed, financial institutions the world over have had to plan and re-plan over the various models of Brexit they have been expecting. Many planned their next moves based on the 29 March leaving date, but the delays have no doubt thrown...

Did you know that, if done right, network marketing has the potential to be one of the most powerful marketing business models? Network marketing is officially defined as a business model that depends on person-to-person sales by independent representatives, (often working from home). Also known as affiliate marketing or consumer direct marketing, the appeal behind it is that an individual with a lot of energy and good sales skills can create a profitable business with a modest investment. And if...