The cryptocurrency (crypto) landscape, and that of other digital assets, continues to evolve. Recent headlines – coinciding with the rise in the price of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin - have reignited interest. Technological innovations in the crypto space are, without a doubt, exciting. Yet, despite the noise, my message remains consistent: for most investors, there is no need to alter portfolios to gain exposure to this volatile and speculative investment opportunity.

It’s a pattern we see time and again. 

A fund manager delivers spectacular early returns, the press dubs them “the next Warren Buffett,” and the money pours in – often just before their performance falters, leaving investors disappointed and poorer.

Few stories illustrate this cycle more clearly than the rise and fall of Neil Woodford, Cathie Wood, and even Terry Smith. Their stories offer a stark reminder of why chasing star fund managers based on past performance can be a costly mistake.

The numbers confirm that. 

It’s easy to forget, after a decade dominated by US stocks, that investing is not about chasing what has just done well, but about building a portfolio that is robust across a wide range of possible futures. Emerging markets have, for some time, lagged their developed market counterparts - particularly the US. This has led some to question their place in a diversified portfolio. This underperformance is not a reason to abandon them. In fact, it’s precisely why they remain important.

In the ever evolving world of investing, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a buzzword synonymous with innovation and the promise of high returns. But its integration into investment portfolios raises important questions: Should investors back companies adopting AI technologies (who isn’t, at this point?) because they might gain an edge? What about firms producing raw materials used to meet the increasing demand for infrastructure to power AI models? The list goes on.

Currency movements can affect investing outcomes. Investors owning overseas assets therefore are naturally concerned about what to do with this risk. The two options are to accept currency risk, or transfer it to another party willing to accept it, for a cost. The decision of what to do with currency exposure differs based on the role of the asset class in the portfolio.

As a financial planner, I often receive questions from clients about various trust structures and their benefits and I have observed a recent surge in snappy videos on Facebook and TikTok promoting these ideas under various guises and marketing gimmicks. One topic that has garnered significant interest is Asset Protection Trusts (APTs). In this blog, we'll explore what APTs are, how they differ from other trusts, and the potential risks and benefits associated with them.

Our Investment Committee, which is responsible for the ongoing oversight of the investment solutions my firm, Capital Asset Management offer, considers itself to be a risk manager, rather than a performance manager. What is meant by this is that we manage risks tightly, rather than building a solution based solely on what has performed well. Well understood, and tightly managed, risks should be compensated accordingly.

Rebalancing is the practice of realigning the components of a portfolio of investments back to a target allocation from which it has drifted away. Naturally, the process is contrarian and results in selling the things that have done well and buying more of what has done less well. To some, this may feel painful, but it is good practice and sensible behaviour your adviser can certainly support you with.

As the UK gears up for potential fiscal reforms, all eyes are on Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves and her possible plans for pension taxation. A recent report suggests that HMRC is exploring changes to salary sacrifice schemes—raising questions about whether a broader tax raid on pensions is in the works.

As the global population ages and life expectancy continues to rise, governments are grappling with how to keep pension systems sustainable. Denmark has taken a bold step by announcing plans to raise its retirement age to 70 by 2040—sparking debate across Europe, including here in the UK.

In the world of financial planning, few things are as critical yet often overlooked as estate planning. A recent case brought to my attention highlights the potential pitfalls and complexities that can arise when proper estate planning is neglected. This cautionary tale serves as a reminder of the importance of having a well-documented and legally sound estate plan and that can mean more than just having a Will.

In this note, we explore the recent dominance of U.S. equities - particularly the extraordinary performance of the "Magnificent Seven" tech firms - and assess whether this trend reflects a resilient economic reality or a potentially risky illusion. The analysis highlights how U.S. stocks have significantly outperformed global peers over the past decade - driven by strong earnings and rising valuations. However, it cautions that this period of 'exceptionalism' may not be sustainable - pointing to geopolitical risks, fiscal imbalances, and intensifying global competition.

When markets feel as shaky as they do now in the US, it is normal to ask: Is this time different?

After all, the S&P 500 Index is down some 4% already this year and there is considerable economic uncertainty. But anxious investors today should consider where the market was five years ago, and how well those who tuned out the noise performed.

Then, the COVID-19 pandemic had spread rapidly, and the US stock market dropped 34% in just 23 days—faster than ever before The VIX index, a measure of investor expectations of volatility often called Wall Street’s “fear gauge,” hit a record high.

Individuals have been obsessed with property for several decades. Is buy-to-let property really a substitute for a well-invested pension pot?  Is it a sensible choice in the face of low yields from deposits? When one takes a closer look at the financial and emotional burdens of managing buy-to-let property, the case for property may be less clear cut than some imagine.  Sensibly structured pensions invested in robustly structured portfolios have a central role to play in most investors’ retirement planning.

Investing is not a ‘set and forget’ process. Good investing requires one to be open-minded to evolutions in the approach through a constant process of challenge. At our internal Investment Committee meetings, we continuously monitor investment research to identify if there is anything out there that might enhance the experience we deliver, be it risk reducing, performance enhancing, or a combination of the two.

On the 2nd April, colloquially now ‘Liberation Day’, Trump proclaimed that he was levying an assortment of tariffs across the international landscape. Trump claims this is due to current tariffs levied by other countries on American exports, and so these are ‘reciprocal’ tariffs. In this piece, we aim to explain the theory behind the tariffs and what they mean for the global markets moving forward. As this is an ever-evolving story, some of the figures in this piece may become outdated almost immediately after publication. We would recommend keeping the theory in mind, rather than focusing on the numbers quoted within this piece.

The annual returns of markets are unpredictable and can vary significantly from year to year. This randomness is a fundamental characteristic of financial markets.

Trade tariffs have long been a tool used by governments to protect domestic industries and address trade imbalances. Recently, President Donald Trump has taken this approach to new heights, imposing sweeping tariffs on numerous countries. This move has sparked significant debate and speculation about his underlying motives, particularly the suggestion that he may be intentionally causing a stock market collapse to pressure the Federal Reserve into cutting interest rates. In this blog, we will explore the reasons behind Trump's tariffs, the potential strategy of forcing a market collapse, and how this could influence the Fed's decisions on interest rates. 

It is understandable that the recent volatility in the stock markets, witnessed particularly in the last few weeks, may have caused concern for some. I am writing to you to remind investors that such fluctuations are normal and part and parcel in investing and, while unsettling, they are factored into the comprehensive financial planning process we undertake.

 The stock market has always been a barometer of economic health and investor sentiment. Over the past century, it has experienced dramatic highs and devastating lows, reflecting the impact of various economic, political, and social events. In this blog, we will explore the top 7 stock market falls and their subsequent recoveries since 1900, using the FTSE All-Share and S&P 500 as reference points. By examining these significant events, we can gain insights into the resilience and volatility of financial markets and understand how they have rebounded from major crises.