Alternative Investments Leeds
An alternative investment refers to an untraditional investment such as real estate, private equity, and venture capital. If you are interested in learning about investments aside from stocks, bonds, and cash, keep reading
Finding the best way to maximise returns and minimise risk is every investor’s goal, and careful asset allocation can go a long way towards achieving such a balanced portfolio. Asset allocation is the process of dividing investments among different types of assets (e.g. equities, bonds, property, commodities, collectables), with the objective of maximising gains while controlling any risks. In other words, it is about not putting all your eggs in one basket.
As the global financial crisis caused the prices of most asset classes to plummet, commodities have been gaining favour among investors. Jenny Lowe explains how increasing numbers of investors are participating in the commodity boom.
An area of tax planning that has become increasingly popular in recent years is the use of business property relief (BPR) in the mitigation of inheritance tax (IHT) liabilities.
Diversifying one’s portfolio is not only prudent, but essential to preserving and growing your investments in changing market conditions. Investing in gold offers one of the safest means of diversifying your portfolio, as it provides the security of a stable, reliable commodity. The annual demand for this precious metal consistently outweighs supply.
Forestry investing is becoming more popular and more accessible for the average individual investor. At one time, direct investment was the most common option and so inevitably the smaller investor tended to be somewhat marginalised. Now there are unit trust, investment trust, exchange-traded fund (ETF) and SIPP options for investment in forestry and timber, as well as more individual investor friendly direct investment packages.
In the current economic climate, where trust in many financial organisations is wearing thin, friendly societies stand out as offering traditional values of fairness and consistency. Although many such societies are small, they have a loyal customer base and have not been slow to develop new products. Conal Gregory examines the range and scope of tax-efficient products provided by friendly societies.
The Alternative Investment Market, or AIM as it is more commonly known, is the London Stock Exchange’s (LSE’s) international market for smaller growing companies. It is here that investors can stumble upon a wide range of businesses, from young, venture capital-backed start-ups to well-established companies looking to expand.
Fund managers say now is the time for investors to make the most of the high-yield potential of corporate bonds. Jenny Lowe investigates. Read on to find more detailed information.
What it is an exchange-traded Fund (ETF)? Put simply, ETFs are index-tracking funds that are listed on the stock market. So while they are structured in a similar way to conventional index-tracking investment funds, they are traded like shares, with prices quoted throughout the trading day through a group of dedicated market-makers.
The profile of homeowners interested in drawing equity out of their home has changed a lot in recent years. The approach today is less focused on the need to raise cash to supplement retirement income and more on practical and viable money management. Indeed, the potential candidate for an equity release scheme is just as likely to be someone in their 50s or 60s as it is someone in their 80s or 90s.
This article highlights sector specific investment themes that might be attractive to investors who don’t mind taking some risk. Read on.
I am not sure that a discretionary trust is appropriate in the situation you are describing. Normally people will use a trust as a sort of management device – to put money or assets into it so that can be used for the benefit of one or more people without their formally being able to get their hands on all the funds.
It is a shame to hear that you have had trouble getting any financial advice because you save on a regular basis, but on the flip side, you obviously do your homework and I hope that you have picked well-managed investments.
Considering the alternatives to equity release should be a fundamental part of any customer’s assessment process. Downsizing, using existing savings, assistance from family and friends, or access to additional state benefits could reduce or eliminate the need to release money from your home.
For investors looking for a cheap and efficient way to manage their market exposure quickly, CFDs can be invaluable. This type of product enables you to draw up a contract with a provider to exchange the difference between the opening and closing price of a share, commodity, currency or index. In this way, you are taking a punt on the direction of the particular market in which you are investing.
After the recent rate cut, what’s the outlook for fixed interest? We look at the background and recent history of fixed interest and assess your current options. Blue-chip corporate bonds, high-yield junk bonds or government gilts? Is fixed-interest about to boom? Read on.
Investing in a forest may seem a rather exotic choice for your portfolio,but there are substantial profits to be made. Jenny Lowe reports. Read on to find more detailed information.
With almost 5,500 funds to choose from, it is difficult to know whether you have chosen the right ones. Read the artical and learn how to find the right one.
Diversifying one’s portfolio is not only prudent, but essential to preserving and growing your investments in changing market conditions. Investing in gold offers one of the safest means of diversifying your portfolio, as it provides the security of a stable, reliable commodity. The annual demand for this precious metal consistently outweighs supply.
It has taken a banking crisis, a stock market collapse, a global credit crunch and interest rates falling to almost zero per cent to make endowments fashionable again. Here Martin Fagan investigates the rise of insurance policies as an attractive defensive asset class.
Many family businesses are excellent wealth generators, and entrepreneurs may consider the risk of having all their financial eggs in one basket to be an inevitable consequence of building a business that they control.
Until the mid 1990s, the only real choice for anyone with a maturing pension plan that wasn’t a final salary (probably occupational) scheme, was to buy an annuity. Annuities came in differing shapes and sizes – single or joint life, with or without inflation proofing, and perhaps including the option of a guaranteed payment period. But they were never what you would call ‘exciting’.
Jenny Lowe investigates the differences between passive and active fund management and asks which is best in the current climate. Read the following article for more detailed information.
Jenny Lowe reveals how one fund manager is hoping to uncover an abundance of property opportunities in the future – and he’s not doing too badly in the present. Read on for more information.
Andrew Merricks highlights sector-specific investment themes that might be attractive to investors who don't mind taking some risk. Read on.
Patrick Reeve knows a lot about making money for investors in venture capital trusts (VCTs). As managing director of Close Ventures Ltd, he heads a team that runs a range of VCTs with total net assets of £250 million. They have already returned a total of £65 million to their shareholders since the group launched its first VCT in 1996.
This fund gives investors access to a range of alternative investment opportunities that are usually only accessible by the very wealthy, and aims to provide investors with long-term capital growth by investing in a range of alternative asset classes.
Structured products are a class of investment product created to offer a return that differs from the returns available directly from the underlying investment. They don’t necessarily take the risk out of investing, but they should be designed in a way that will help you understand easily what the likely outcomes are for your investment. If you don’t understand what the possible outcomes are for a particular product, and can’t get the answers you want, don’t buy it!
In our previous review of alternative trading strategies, we highlighted the ways in which spread betting, contracts for difference (CFDs) and similar forms of trading that have largely been developed out of the derivatives business, could be used by investors adopting a defensive investment strategy. Keiron Root argues that alternative trading strategies can boost portfolio returns if they are approached in the right way.
An area of tax planning that has become increasingly popular in recent years is the use of business property relief (BPR) in the mitigation of inheritance tax (IHT) liabilities.
Offshore investment is neither as dodgy nor as glamorous as some people might think – rather it’s a practical answer to the needs of some private investors.
Every investor should be well-versed in the benefits of a diversified portfolio. What Investment explains how collective investments can help you achieve this. Read on.
Finding the best way to maximise returns and minimise risk is every investor’s goal, and careful asset allocation can go a long way towards achieving such a balanced portfolio. Asset allocation is the process of dividing investments among different types of assets (e.g. equities, bonds, property, commodities, collectables), with the objective of maximising gains while controlling any risks. In other words, it is about not putting all your eggs in one basket.
As the global financial crisis caused the prices of most asset classes to plummet, commodities have been gaining favour among investors. Jenny Lowe explains how increasing numbers of investors are participating in the commodity boom.
Forestry investing is becoming more popular and more accessible for the average individual investor. At one time, direct investment was the most common option and so inevitably the smaller investor tended to be somewhat marginalised. Now there are unit trust, investment trust, exchange-traded fund (ETF) and SIPP options for investment in forestry and timber, as well as more individual investor friendly direct investment packages.
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