Different types of investments are affected in different ways by factors such as economics, interest rates, politics, conflicts, even weather events. What’s positive for one investment can be negative for another, and when one rises another may fall. This interlinked movement between assets is known as ‘correlation’.
Parents with adult children living under their roof are spending £1,200* more than their Empty Nester counterparts each year on everyday household expenditure, bringing the total annual cost of ‘Full Nest Syndrome’ in the UK to £3.2 billion[1].
New research[1] suggests that UK adults are planning to use equity investments to help them outstrip inflation and manage the rising cost of living. Over half (53%) of UK adults rate the rising cost of living as their number one fear for retirement, and almost a third (32%) of pre-retirees[2] say they would retain some exposure to stocks and shares to offset the negative effects of inflation on their retirement income.
1 Plan for the unexpected
Many believe that markets are much safer today than they were six years ago, thanks in large part to the numerous regulations and safeguards put in place to avoid a repeat of the financial crisis.
Europe has suffered a stream of destabilising news this year. Firstly, there was January’s emerging markets crisis, which slowed the demand for European exports. Then there were EU parliamentary elections in May, which returned a large number of anti-establishment MEPs to Brussels and spurred David Cameron’s attempt to block the appointment of Jean-Claude Juncker as EU president.
In the first half of the year, geo-political unrest has dominated the headlines. There have been significant challenges for investors in recent months – geo-political upheavals, economic growth and monetary policy. Once the summer is out of the way, the attention will turn to domestic political uncertainty.
Inflation figures recently showed a sharper than expected drop in prices, cementing expectations that any rise in interest rates would be delayed until next year.
The new Individual Savings Account (ISA) rules were introduced in July, giving savers and investors more flexibility and a larger tax-efficient allowance than ever before. Four out of ten people told the consumer organisation Which? that they would save more as a result of the annual limit increasing to £15,000, up from £11,880.
1 Always have some money that you can access easily and quickly for emergencies, before looking to invest for the longer term. It’s reassuring to know you’ve got money set aside to cover your rent, mortgage, food and utilities for a number of months.
Investors should not delay in disclosing their assets
With the latest HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) campaign aimed at targeting investors with overseas assets, some investors could be worried about the impact this could have on their overseas investments, and others could be put off from investing overseas altogether. However, it’s not all doom and gloom. Once assets have been appropriately disclosed, there are ways in which the investments can be restructured, or new investments made, to make them more efficient going forwards.