Category: Financial plan

Powerful, long-term changes in the global economy and global politics are underway in the world right now. And these changes have implications for investments. Here are four megatrends that are shaping our future world. What’s a megatrend? BlackRock, the world’s largest fund manager, with some $9.5 trillion of assets under advice, describes megatrends as: powerful, … Continued

Moneycube.ie is offering people one per cent cashback on their pensions to encourage them to plan for their retirement. In a first for the pensions market in Ireland, Moneycube wants to put cash back in customers’ pockets, and incentivise people to take charge of their pension savings. Cashback offers are a successful feature of the … Continued

The long hot summer in much of Europe, the western US and China is a reminder that the climate has a major economic effect.  From the need to adapt infrastructure to changing consumer behaviour to population movement, climate change and the move to net zero is influencing investment decisions around the world. At the heart … Continued

There’s a clear chance the world is heading into recession, as higher interest rates put pressure on mortgage holders and debt-laden companies. That’s bad news for the economy. But the stock market is not the economy. No-one wants a recession. But they want inflation even less. If a recession is the price of getting on … Continued

The last six months have had their fair share of drama. There have been bank failures and price falls – but also asset price recoveries in some sectors, an improving inflation trend, and continued economic resilience in most of the developed world. As we approach the half-year mark, it’s time to look at what has … Continued

 The countdown continues.  Today US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen set a date of 5 June as the final date to raise the US debt ceiling. Failure to raise the limit by then will mean the US government would begin to default on its obligations. What is the US debt ceiling? The debt ceiling is the … Continued

Forget bitcoin and the metaverse… even tech firms more generally have had a tough time of it over the last 18 months. But 2023 is surely the year where AI, artificial intelligence, has got real attention.  So should you be investing in artificial intelligence, and if so, how? ChatGPT is just a start What seems … Continued

I’m 64 and I’m about to retire soon. I’m on a defined contribution pension scheme with my company, and my employer’s pension provider is asking me to choose between buying an annuity and an approved retirement fund. I find the subject too complex and I’m afraid if I make the wrong choice that it will … Continued

Inflation in the Eurozone seems to be going in the right direction, falling to 6.9% in March 2023, down from 8.5% the previous month.  What does this mean for interest rates, and your savings and investments? Inflation is still too high Firstly, inflation is still higher than where consumers, businesses or policymakers want it to … Continued