Around the world, headlines in early 2020 have been dominated by the outbreak of coronavirus in China. As the virus has spread globally, taking thousands of lives, it has dealt a significant blow to global stock markets. But despite the clear impact that the epidemic has had in China, and now more globally, are global
Read MoreStock-Markets don’t like uncertainty, and the coronavirus is having an effect on global markets and economic growth. Regionally, it was the Asian markets which have seen the greatest falls initially. However, this slump was followed by a rally that made back most of the losses. But the spread of the virus outside of China
Read MoreFor many the lifetime allowance (LTA) on the value of your pension savings will become an increasing concern as the tax net is reaching wider with many more people paying tax on their pension savings then ever before. Awareness of the lifetime allowance and the implications for pension savers is now a key part
Read MoreIntroduction Link Fund Solutions (Link), the authorised corporate director (ACD) of the LF Woodford Equity Income Fund, intends to close this fund by selling its assets and returning the proceeds to investors. This decision is awaiting approval by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Why this has happened The decision to originally suspend dealings in
Read MoreTrade Wars Throughout 2019 the rhetoric between the US and China has become more hard line. On the face of it an impasse in trade talks leads to increased tariffs and slower economic growth as the Chinese have decided to take a firmer line in negotiations, reducing the chances of a deal. At some
Read MoreBoris Johnson, now leader of the Conservative Party enters Downing Street as the leader of a divided country facing a constitutional crisis. He has to date played hard-ball with the EU, with a ‘do or die’ attitude in respect of the 31 October deadline. As that date approaches, given that he now has the job
Read MoreThe Dangers of Brexit Given the unprecedented nature of Brexit, many investors are becoming cautious in their approach, which possibly means they may be inclined to invest elsewhere, which is no doubt influenced by the noise of daily politics. Yet, the truth is that the Brexit uncertainty is well recognised, so while people are
Read MoreToday the base rate rose to its highest level since the financial crisis 10 years ago, with the Bank of England increasing it to 0.75%. All 9 members of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), chaired by Mark Carney, voted to raise the rate. This was widely expected by both the market and commentators, given that
Read MoreStock-Market Volatility – February 2018 After a lengthy stretch of calm, stock market volatility has returned this week. On Monday, the Dow Jones index fell 1,175 points, the single largest one-day drop in history. This has affected the UK stock-markets also. The FTSE 100 has dropped over the last week, with six consecutive days of
Read MoreAs we enter 2018 it is conceivable that the world’s leading economies will continue to display strength and resilience. The US economy is strong and the eurozone economies are improving along with an increase in global trade. This improvement among developed economies should also have a positive impact on the manufacturing economies of East Asia
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