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Why taking too little investment risk could harm your goals

When you imagine the worries that might come with taking investment risk, it’s probably “taking too much” that comes to mind. After all, you’ve likely heard stories of people that have invested in high-risk opportunities and lost some or all their money.  However, when you’re investing for the long term, taking too little risk can also be damaging.  As inflation …

Women are investing earlier than men, and it could close the wealth gap

The gender wealth gap is a widely acknowledged issue in the UK, particularly in the context of pension savings and women’s ability to retire.  Indeed, a report by Now Pensions and published by consumer group Which? suggested that on average, women would need to work an additional 18 years more than men to close the gender pension gap alone.  Yet …

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Investment market update: May 2022

Investment markets in May experienced volatility amid concerns that economies could fall into a recession as inflation pressure remains high. While you may be worried about the volatility your investments have experienced, keep your long-term goals in mind. A long-term time frame can help smooth out the peaks and troughs of markets. This is because, historically, markets have recovered when …

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Investment market update: April 2022

The conflict in Ukraine is continuing to affect markets and economies around the world. According to a report from the Kiel Institute of the World Economy, the war led to global trade falling 2.8% between February and March. The effect has led to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) downgrading its global growth forecast too. In 2022, the global economy is …

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3 interesting pieces of data that show why you shouldn’t panic during market volatility

Over the last two years, investors have experienced a lot of volatility. If you’ve been tempted to change long-term plans, data can highlight why you shouldn’t panic. At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, markets fell sharply, and investors continued to experience volatility as the situation and restrictions changed. Just as things were slowly getting back to “normal”, tensions with …

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Want to invest but don’t know where to start? Here are the basics

Have you thought about investing but are worried you don’t know enough to start? Research suggests that if you do, you’re not alone, but getting to grips with the basics doesn’t have to be challenging. According to a Royal Mint survey, more than half of UK adults want to get into investing. It’s a step that can help them grow …

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Investment market update: December 2021

As 2021 drew to a close, the Covid-19 pandemic and its consequences continued to affect economies. The first case of the Omicron variant was reported in South Africa at the end of November 2021. It quickly spread and some counties began to reintroduce restrictions and offer booster vaccine shots. As before, the measures taken to reduce the spread of Omicron …