Market Update: The Fed at work and China snubs Putin
Starting with investment concerns, the consequences of a European war continue to dominate our economy and markets, as it does throughout Western Europe and, to some degree Asia. Meanwhile, seemingly unaffected by the rest of the world, the US is blazing its own trail.
How to Reduce Inheritance Tax by Leaving a Gift
When you’ve worked hard and invested carefully to build your wealth, you want to look after it. That’s why it’s important to plan for your wealth preservation and the eventual transfer of that wealth.
Market Update: The End of Eras
With great sadness, we pass from the second Elizabethan age. Our Queen was a constant during this period of intensely rapid change. Across the political spectrum, we can acknowledge her ceaseless responsibility to her people. She retained her dignity as monarch throughout her reign supported by her faith and her humanity that was obvious to all.
Market Update: Waiting for Policy Action
The summer is nearing its end and with it the return of the more typical English late summer climes. It may feel as if markets have taken a hint with their 5-day downdraft until Thursday, although most outsiders will look at the week’s media frenzy and blame the tumble on the truly intimidating outlook for energy bills during the winter heating season.
Show me the money!
It’s not surprising that the world of investing can seem complex, especially in the current global economic climate. Investors face an endless supply of market news, many investment choices and often-changing market conditions.
Market Update: Delicate equilibrium
All eyes were on the world’s central bankers last week, who are guests of the US Federal Reserve (Fed) at its annual conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Markets are particularly eager to hear what Fed chair Jay Powell has to say – hoping that his speech will give hints on the direction of US and global monetary policy.
Market Update: Will a New PM Be Good News for Investors?
We rarely talk about UK politics in our deliberations on the global investment markets. That’s not because we’re not interested. Rather, it is because domestic politics have less of an effect on the broader global assets that we invest in on your behalf.
Getting Set for Retirement
Welcome to our Guide to Getting Set for Retirement. As you approach the last five years before your retirement, there will be a lot of things to consider. You’ll need to think about your finances, your health, your housing situation and your plans for the future to live comfortably in retirement. In recent years, the changes to pensions legislation have created greater freedom and choice over how pension assets can be used. However, with freedom and choice comes complexity.
Summer Team News – Summer is here!
The staff at Vizion Wealth have been enjoying the summer sun and making the most of the lighter evenings. There has been wedding celebrations, birthdays, exam passes and trips away!
Market Update: Fear of Missing Out
Investors are feeling FOMO: the “fear of missing out” once again. Last week was a continuation of the trend from the start of July – which has seen a significant boost to both bond and equity markets. Curiously, the good feeling among investors seems unaffected by the bad news all around.
Is Inflation Eating your Savings?
The word ‘inflation’ had barely featured in the market’s vocabulary in the last three decades until it suddenly started to come back with a vengeance in 2021. As higher inflation looks set to persist in 2022, finding ways to generate a return on investments greater than inflation will be a key investment theme – otherwise your wealth falls in real terms.
DPMS Portfolio Commentary August
The second quarter of 2022 proved to be as volatile as the first, with equities and bonds alike suffering declines as inflation soared to record highs across the globe, above almost all economists’ forecasts. Interest rates also began to see increases in an attempt to combat inflation but did little to curb mammoth increases in the cost-of-living, deepening the risk of recession across global economies. The start of Q3 has proved slightly more positive than expected due to better-than-expected Q2 earnings reports from larger US companies, such as Meta, Twitter and Tesla, and President Biden’s announced Infrastructure plans to help...
Market Update: Markets Bet on a Perfect Landing
Bad news filled the airwaves last week. Faltering global growth, higher inflation forecasts and rising interest rates set a dour tone – capped off by a geopolitical crisis in Taiwan. UK investors were struck by the Bank of England’s dire warnings: a 13% inflation peak and a protracted recession are now in store for Britons, according to Governor Andrew Bailey. Predicted to last for five quarters, the looming UK recession is set to outlast the one following the global financial crisis in 2008/09.
Market Update: Positive Returns Amidst Negative Sentiment
For a second consecutive quarter, the US economy shrank in real terms. Yet the US Federal Reserve (Fed) raised interest rates by another 0.75% on Wednesday because the US economy is too strong.
Market Update: Economy Weakens but Central Banks Persevere
Global investors tend to be quite US-focused, as the world’s largest economy has an outsized impact on trends across the world. Last week though, attention was on the other side of the Atlantic. European economic data caught the eyes of traders – and unfortunately not for the right reasons. Both consumer and business sentiment surveys indicated unexpected weakness, heralding a downturn across the continent.
Getting ready to retire?
Have you ever wondered what you need to consider as you approach retirement? Whatever your concept of what is a good pension pot, one certainty is that relying on the State Pension alone will not give you a good enough pension to live on comfortably through your retirement.
Market Update: Too Hot, Too Cold
Investors’ rough ride continued over the last week. Markets are being buffeted by the ups and downs of economic data and the resultant changing expectations for central banks. We had unexpectedly positive UK economic growth during May, while the continued decline in oil and general commodity prices (resources and food) paints a picture of receding inflation pressures.
Summer Team News – Summer is here!
Summer time is most certainly here with some great weather in July! The Vizion Wealth team have been enjoying the summer months with lots of fun activities (and working / studying hard of course!)
Market Update: Energy Price Shock Turns Into Central Bank Focal Point
More than two years since the COVID virus hit Europe, it is clear that most peoples’ livelihoods have been affected more by the policy ‘medicine’ than the virus itself. Of course, without those interventions which were needed until vaccinations become prevalent, it most likely would have been the other way around.
DPMS Portfolio Commentary September
Q3 of 2022 has proved much more positive than the first half of the year despite the backdrop of recessionary warnings across the globe. Whilst Central Banks have continued to push interest rates higher at each opportunity, global inflationary figures have started to look as though they are starting to peak, with the US proving the key indicator for global inflation. However, there remain concerns for economic growth forecasts across developed economies being dampened by inflationary pressure and subsequent interest rate rises.