Category: Wealth in Practice

For much of the 2010s, investors stuck loyally to TINA.  The mantra was that in an era of rock-bottom interest rates, There Is No Alternative to investing in equities. But with central bank interest rate hikes over the last three years, investment wags pointed out that TARA had arrived on the scene: There Are Reasonable … Continued

China’s stock market hit a five-year low in February. As China celebrates new year, what’s gone wrong? It’s not long since investing in China was the big new opportunity in investment markets.  Alongside the west coast of the US, it was a region of the world capable of building trillion-dollar tech firms.  It had a … Continued

Until six months ago, the Magnificent Seven was a film.  And though there were once the Seven Sisters, these seven companies which dominated the global energy industry – and the stock market – have long faded in prominence. But the exceptional growth in seven mainly technology stocks during 2023 has seen them take the title. … Continued

2023 is ending with momentum. Markets have enjoyed a sustained rally over the last eight weeks, spurred by growing hopes that a ‘soft landing’ can be achieved for the economy while inflation is tamed and interest rates fall. But that disguises a year that was far from plain sailing for investors.  Even at the halfway … Continued

Recovery in the equity markets is spurring hopes that the market for IPOs will pick up in the year ahead.  Read on to discover what that could mean for investors. November was a strong month in investment markets, with Europe recording its best growth since January (the Eurostoxx 600 was up 6.4%), and US markets … Continued

2022 was the worst year for bonds in decades, and the wait for a recovery has continued for most of 2023.  Now there are signs that’s changing. Stabilising inflation, more sensible pricing, and the prospect of interest rate cuts in 2024 makes the bond market look more interesting as the year draws to a close. … Continued

Everything you need to know to make a last-minute pension contribution ahead of the 2022 income tax deadline Making a lump sum pension contribution is a great way to rapidly increase your pension provision and secure your financial future. And now is a great time to top up your pension – sometimes called an Additional … 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

Auto-enrolment in Ireland: if you’re serious about your pension, Ireland’s auto-enrolment solution won’t get you there Moneycube’s calculations indicate a regular person can hope for a retirement income of just under €12,000 per year using Ireland’s promised auto-enrolment programme.   On 29 March the government announced auto-enrolment really is coming to Ireland – in 2024. … Continued