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“Why the 60/40 portfolio ‘should be dead'”
Sounds a bit investment/tech/nerdy, I know. The ’60/40’ portfolio is what we call ‘Balanced’, with 60% in shares, 40% in fixed interest bonds, loans to companies and governments.
“Sixteen convicted over £42m cash smuggling from UK to Dubai”
I can recommend the excellent BBC series “The Gold”, which tells the story of the Brinks Mat gold bullion robbery in the 1980s. It’s not the robbery which is the story, rather the laundering of the proceeds, most of which have never been recovered.
“Blend of digital, hybrid and traditional advice key to lowering costs”
I learned this week that 80% of financial advisers charge more than us. To put it another way, less than 20% of us are charging our clients 0.5% or less of the value of their investments as an annual fee.
“Jeremy Hunt ‘comfortable’ with recession to bring down inflation”
‘If it isn’t hurting, it isn’t working’ said another Tory Chancellor, Norman Lamont, at the height of another recession some 30 years ago.
Economic news
“Jeremy Hunt ‘comfortable’ with recession to bring down inflation”
‘If it isn’t hurting, it isn’t working’ said another Tory Chancellor, Norman Lamont, at the height of another recession some 30 years ago.
“Argentina raises interest rate to 97% as it struggles to tackle inflation”
This should put our moans about inflation and interest rates in some context. Putin and Truss-enomics may have messed things up for our economy, but spare more than a thought (or ‘do cry’) for Argentina, where to combat inflation of over 100%
“UK economy to shrink by 0.3% – the worst of any G7 country, as IMF warns of more turmoil”
An ‘alternative’ (GB News) headline spoke of doom-mongering, Johnny-foreigners talking down our great economy. Yet on the same day The Economist told us that the US economy is going ‘from strength to strength’, and lies, damned lies and statistics aside, there’s no doubt we’re doing worse than most.
“Interest rate rises to 4.25% after jump in inflation”
I think most civilised teachers and parents know that corporal punishment doesn’t work and just breeds another generation of parents who think it’s OK to beat their kids. And capital punishment has never done much for the murder rate in the US.
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Financial Services
“Advice firms show limited appetite for four-day working week”
I would say that our profession is ideally suited to flexible working. Our business in particular, as we all work remotely with no head office to which to troll every day and the theoretical ability to do most of our job (apart from sitting on your sofa) from any beach with a good wifi signal.
“Bank of mum and dad drives economic inequalities”
Not sure if there are any surprises or changes to the world order here. It was ever thus, that more educated and affluent parents can give their kids better life choices and opportunities…
“EU bid to ban financial product commissions faces resistance”
The banning of commission on the sale of pensions and investments was not some piece of bureaucracy hoisted upon us by faceless Brussels mandarins ten years ago, but rather the brainchild of our very own regulator.
“‘Dying books of business’ haunt advice firms without next gen clients”
So, joy of joys, we’re not in a recession. Or have ‘narrowly avoided’ one, although ‘we’re not out of the woods yet’, according to Chancellor Safe-Hands-Hunt.
“Advice is ‘too expensive’ and ‘for the wealthy’, Brits claim”
Is this the fault of advisers, overpricing their advice? Are the ignorant masses to blame, not knowing what’s good for them? The answer I think, is neither, or perhaps a bit of both and a bit of ‘the other’.
Stockmarket
Will the new Roaring ’20s end in a Crash?
The Great Gatsby was one of my favourite books, and I even had a soft spot for the Robert Redford movie (really don’t bother with the new one). All the fun and glamour was doomed to end, and we know how badly it ended, Gatsby in the swimming pool (spoiler),...
“John Lewis looks to tap into DIY investing boom with Nutmeg partnership”
M&S sold ISAs and pensions for while in the ‘90s. Richard Branson had a go. Halifax and the Pru made millionaires of quite a few estate agents when they bought them out, thinking it would be an easy way to flog mortgages and endowments. John Lewis has seen that...
“FCA lays out plan to shake up listing rules”
Great! A shake up of the rules to ensure that the City of London remains one of the world’s leading stockmarkets. Encouraging entrepreneurs and giving investors more great wealth creating opportunities. Alternative view: You’ll be able to float your business and only...
“Is human ‘hybrid’ advice set to succeed where the ‘robos’ failed?”
Sajid Javid says his top priority is to sort out the NHS’s tech, so that they can ‘make smarter use of data to improve patient care’. For years we’ve been told that the future of financial services is digital, that online advice will help to engage the unadvised...
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