What do falling interest rates mean for your investments?

Interest rates are finally being cut across developed markets. The European Central Bank met today and cut rates by 0.25% to 3.5%. The Federal Reserve is expected to cut US rates by the same amount, or maybe double, next week. And the Bank of England meets in a week’s time to consider the same question. … Continued

What’s happening in stock markets right now?

August has begun with a strong selloff in global stock markets. What’s going on, and what should you do? Before we start: financial markets change all the time, reacting to events as they unfold.  This short briefing note represents Moneycube’s views as at 1000 on Tuesday 6 August and has not been updated since. What’s … Continued

Moneycube’s midyear market review 2024

Investors in risk assets will be pretty satisfied with the first half of 2024.  Most funds delivered sustained positive results.  Investors were rewarded in almost all asset classes, with equities up over 15% in Euro terms, bonds delivering continued yield, and gold and silver both reaching their highest prices in over a decade. Read Moneycube’s … Continued

Question of the month: how do I set up a trust fund?

My wife passed away recently and asked me to set up a form of trust fund for our four grandchildren, aged 18 months to eight years old. She didn’t want them to get access to this until they reach 28 years old. Who would be best to advise on this and where should it be … Continued

Taking the temperature in Silicon Valley

Silicon Valley is a storied part of the US economy, and even the American dream. It has been the birthplace of numerous world-beating businesses for decades, from Hewlett-Packard and Intel in the twentieth century to Nvidia and Apple today.  What’s made the San Francisco Bay Area so successful? Its success is built on a fertile … Continued

Starting a pension when you’re self employed and in your 40s

If you work for yourself, funding a self-employed pension is something that can get left behind.  There are plenty of competing demands on your cash, especially in the early years of trading.  Here’s how you can make a start on your pension if you’re in your 40s and self-employed. Some good news to begin with … Continued

What would it take to accelerate your retirement?

Most people let retirement happen to them.  Typically, it happens following a big birthday. But it doesn’t have to be that way. These days, our jobs are often shorter in duration, and careers more flexible, with several iterations. There’s much more opportunity to control the time you’ll retire. So what would it take to be … Continued