Everyone has been touched by the horrific events and unfolding human tragedy in Israel and the Gaza Strip, and many are concerned about how this might escalate into a wider conflict at a time of great uncertainty in the world. People’s immediate focus is, rightly, on the plight of those caught up – either directly or indirectly – in…
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Retiring early is an aspiration for many workers looking forward to greater freedom. If early retirement is something you’re dreaming about, a survey suggests financial planning could help you turn it into a reality and enjoy the next chapter of your life more. A Standard Life study found, on…
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Investing is a crucial part of creating a long-term financial plan. Over the next few months, you can read about the investment essentials you need to know if it’s something you want to start or simply learn more about. Read on to find out what investing means, and why it’s something you should consider if you want to build long-term…
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Over the last year, you may have been affected by soaring inflation, rising interest rates, and volatile market conditions. The good news is that research shows a long-term investment strategy could help you grow your wealth despite a challenging environment. Inflation has been high over the last 12 months, and it could have eroded the value of some of your…
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Unfortunately, we now live in a world of fake news and ‘alternative facts’[1] where parties shamelessly push their own agenda at the cost of salient facts. In order to be heard in the noise of social media, research headlines need to be bigger and more eye-catching. For those investing using an evidence-based approach that means it…
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By and large, behavioral science suggests that human beings make lousy investors. Whilst we are excellent problem solvers, we suffer from a whole host of well-documented biases that, on average, erode the investment returns on offer from markets [1]. Being aware of our biases is a useful exercise if we are to limit the impact that…
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The spectacular work ‘Another Place’ by the British sculptor Antony Gormley[1], of one hundred naked men scattered along 1.5 miles of Crosby Beach in Liverpool, provides a useful twice-daily reminder about hidden risks in the financial world. As Warren Buffet once said about easy money and favourable markets hiding risks: ‘You only find out who…
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The investment management industry loves its legends and there is none bigger than the nonagenarian ‘Oracle of Omaha’ Warren Buffett, CEO of the US-listed firm Berkshire Hathaway. Over the years in that role, Buffett has built a portfolio of directly held companies alongside a portfolio of listed stocks. Today, he is worth over US$100 billion and is the world’s…
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Most investors – at some time – will be either tempted to time when to be in or out of equity markets – or wish they had when markets fall. It would be great to be able to capture the upsides and avoid the downsides, but that is wishful thinking. Investors may well underestimate the rapidity and magnitude…
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Being an investor is never easy because, as humans, we tend to live in the moment responding to our emotions, the environment around us and the circumstances we find ourselves in. From an evolutionary standpoint that has served us well as a species helping us to survive. But as investors, we need to remain focused on the long-term goals…
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