Latest - The Investment Committee

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  Is resurgent inflation on the horizon?

  14 January 2021

  Smith & Williamson Investment Management has added BlackRock Gold & General to its Managed Portfolio Service (MPS) in anticipation of resurgent inflation over the next few years.  While many drivers of inflation went into reverse in 2020 as global economies dealt with the fall out from the Covid-19 pandemic, the outlook has shifted according...

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  Aegon UK commits to net zero carbon emissions across pension default funds 

  14 January 2021

  Aegon UK has committed to acheiving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 across its pension default funds.   The assurer said that the threat of climate change is such that the company is exploring the practicability of achieving the milestone of halving emissions in the next decade.  At the end of 2020 Aegon had confirmed that those invested in its LifePath strategies, the default for the TargetPlan occupational schemes and Master Trust, would see “a significant boost” to its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) exposure. By mid-way through 2021,...

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  Asian economy to strengthen in 2021

  13 January 2021

  Economic recovery in Asia will continue to strengthen this year, after Asia ex-Japan became the best performing region in global equity markets through 2020, according to Nomura Asset Management. Min Feng, senior investment specialist, Nomura Asset Management, said the region’s ability to contain the pandemic faster and better than many other regions was a...

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  Firms remove VAT from Model Portfolio Services

  13 January 2021

  7IM and AJ Bell have announced they are cutting VAT from their model portfolio ranges. This, they say, will give advisers and their clients a cost-effective way to build a diversified portfolio. For 7IM, the changes mean the 7IM Active and Passive model portfolios will have an all-in cost of 0.25% going forward, while...

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  Govt looks for £800m through new Dormant Assets Scheme

  11 January 2021

  The UK Government has announced an expansion of its Dormant Assets Scheme, which will unlock more than £800 million to support the UK’s recovery from Covid-19. Dormant assets across the insurance and pensions, investment, wealth management and securities sectors are set to be unlocked, following a four-year review and public consultation. While the scheme’s...

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  Brexit reality over risk

  10 January 2021

  The short-run impact of Brexit on the UK economy will have a limited impact on portfolios, according to William Dinning, chief investment officer, Waverton Investment Management. The firm’s Waverton Portfolio Fund has increased its exposure both to the UK and to sterling, in addition to alternative investments that are dominated in or hedged back...

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  Negative interest rates threaten money market sector

  7 January 2021

  Negative interest rates could pose a threat to the £47 billion money market fund sector, warns AXA Investment Managers’ Nicolas Trindade. The sector, which allows investors to earn a small amount of interest while having ready access to their cash, saw outflows of £1.7 billion during the course of the summer amid talk from...

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  Albion Capital opens VCTs to top-up funding

  7 January 2021

  Albion Capital is looking to raise up to £45 million through top up offers for five of its venture capital trusts. The fundraising targets the following amounts across the Albion VCT range: Albion Technology & General VCT PLC    £14m Kings Arms Yard VCT PLC           £12m Albion Development VCT PLC    £7m Albion Enterprise VCT PLC        ...

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