Remember your reasons for investing in the first place Stock markets can be unpredictable. They move frequently – and sometimes sharply – in both directions. It is important to take a long-term view (typically ten years or more) and remember your reasons for investing in the first place.

One of the most important investment decisions you ever make How you choose to allocate your wealth between different asset classes will be one of the most important investment decisions you ever make. Asset allocation can account for the majority of your portfolio returns over the long term, so it’s essential that you achieve the […]

Protecting your money from adverse market conditions Today’s markets are as uncertain as ever. But there is one certainty – the future is coming. It may no longer be enough to simply preserve what you have today; you also have to build what you will need for tomorrow. When deciding whether to invest, it is […]

Generalisation groupings should be viewed with caution Investors like to sort things into neat categories; it helps make sense of a highly complex world. Categories like ‘Emerging Markets’, ‘BRICs’ – Brazil, Russia, India, China – and the ‘Fragile Five’ have all been invented as easy-to-understand groupings of supposedly similar countries. Yet we have to be […]

Understanding asset classes Cash This involves putting your money into a savings account, with a bank, building society or credit union. Your money may not hold its spending power if inflation is higher than the interest rate. Cash is the most basic of all investment forms. Saving money into a deposit account with a bank, building […]

Allow your lifestyle to dictate your investment approach To make the most of your investment opportunities, allow your lifestyle and not stock market fluctuations to dictate your investment approach. Your goals are what count, so keep them firmly in mind when you make financial decisions. 

Are investors failing to think long-term about their futures? Boosting retirement saving is the key goal for investors in 2014, yet despite this long-term objective, almost three fifths (61%) of those surveyed say they are looking for satisfactory investment returns within just five years, with just 5% taking a longer-term view of ten years or […]

More than twice as many men choose the highest possible risk option to boost their savings compared to women Findings recently published in the Zurich Wealth Risk Report show that more than twice as many men choose the highest possible risk option to boost their savings compared to women (13% vs 6%)[1].

Higher returns generally come with higher risk It seems incredible that the Bank of England base rate has stood at 0.5% since March 2009. It’s made unhappy headlines for savers looking to generate income over the previous five years.

A tax-efficient way to help you minimise the tax you pay No one knew back in 1999 how popular Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) would become but with £443 billion[1] now held in ISAs, they’ve established themselves as a core option for saving and investing in a tax-efficient way to help minimise the tax you pay […]