Tag: markets
A look at what IFP do for our clients…
This section of our quarterly newsletter will look at a specific case study and demonstrate how you can identify which of your clients we may be able to help, how we provide our services and the results of providing high quality independent professional financial advice. The Retiring Business Owner Case Study Mr Owner aged 57 and [...]
Read moreMay Market Commentary
Wednesday April 25th must have been the morning David Cameron felt like phoning in sick. The Office of National Statistics officially confirmed that a shock 0.2% contraction in growth had pushed the UK into its first double dip recession since the 1970s. Meanwhile the Levenson Inquiry rumbled on with Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt facing calls to [...]
Read more5 Qualities an IFA brings to your investment portfolio
Let’s assume for a moment that you’re in the happy position of having £100,000 to invest. What would you do? Play absolutely safe and put the money on deposit? Or go all out for capital growth and put your windfall into a fund that could give you a sky-high return – but that carries an [...]
Read moreApril Market Commentary
March was a month which began with headlines about the Greek debt crisis and the impending ‘final deadline.’ By the end of the month the focus – in Britain at least – had shifted to Granny Tax, Cornish Pasties and the shortage of petrol. On March 7th world stock markets suffered some of their worst [...]
Read moreMarket Commentary – February ’12
On Monday February 27th the German Bundestag approved the Greek bailout by 496 votes to 90. A few days earlier consent had finally been wrung from the Greek politicians, and the €130bn bailout now looks to be in place. Is the Greek debt crisis – the constant theme running through this monthly review – over [...]
Read moreWhat does the Bank of England MPC do?
A very powerful voice in the world of UK business and finance, the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) sets interest rates. In setting an interest rate, the MPC judges that the rate will enable the UK’s inflation target to be met. The Monetary Policy Committee, MPC, is made up of nine members – the Governor, Sir [...]
Read moreMarket Commentary – January ’12
January got off to a predictably slow start, at least in Europe and it was January 9th before Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy met for talks. Unsurprisingly, they were worried about the credit crunch and – no surprise here either – Greek debt. Other countries greeted 2012 less sluggishly and China and India reported a [...]
Read moreTen New Year’s Resolutions for your Financial Planning
Around 50% of us make New Year’s Resolutions and ‘sort the finances out’ must be one of the most popular: but that’s a little vague – it’s more a wish than a firm commitment to take action. The main subject of many of our January appointments with both new and existing clients seem to have [...]
Read moreMarket Commentary – December ’11
December saw the death of North Korea’s ‘dear leader’ Kim Jong-il, with command of the country seemingly passing to his youngest son – the ‘great successor’ – Kim Jong-un. But with sundry generals peering over the younger Kim’s shoulder, tensions are likely to remain high, especially around the border with South Korea. 4,000 miles away [...]
Read moreMarket Commentary – November ’11
When you realise that the ‘Italian 10’ trending on Twitter refers not to Antonio Cassano’s goal against Northern Ireland but to the yield on the Italian 10 Year Bond, then you know the European debt crisis – and the consequent turmoil on the world stock markets – remains alive and well. November was the month [...]
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