The key lessons 2017 taught investors
With 2017 in the rear-view mirror, what lessons (if any) have investors learned that will shape the way for the next 12 months?
Analysis
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What does the end of easy money mean for managers?
After a decade of uber-low interest rates and loose monetary policy, consensus is that central banks around the world will continue to tighten their belts in 2018, so how best to tackle the shift?
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How prepared is the industry for Mifid II?
After months of talking and planning, Mifid II is finally here, but is the asset management industry ready for the bombshell to land?
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Year in review: Fixed income
Despite a lacklustre year for returns, investors flocked into fixed income funds in 2017 with some £11bn invested into the various Investment Association sectors until the end of October.
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Equity allocations rise as sentiment turns
As markets continued to rise, past unease about the sky-high valuations seemed to waver among managers of medium-risk portfolios during Q3.
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Year in review: The UK
In an environment of protracted Brexit negotiations, continued political uncertainty and weaker economic growth, investors generally lost faith in UK equities in 2017 with many migrating to global and absolute return funds.
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Why bullish managers are stockpiling cash
The use of cash by fund managers has been attracting the headlines recently, with November’s BofA Merrill Lynch global fund manager survey showing a record percentage of global fund managers were taking above-normal levels of risk in their investments.
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Year in review: Europe
Despite concerns about heightened political volatility, 2017 proved a strong year for funds investing in Europe with no funds in the IA Europe ex UK sector losing money.
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What can central banks do next?
It could be said that 2017 marked the beginning of the end of easy money as central banks started to move towards a tighter policy towards quantitative easing and interest rates. So, what is to come next?
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Year in review: US
Despite a strong year for US stock markets in 2017, a strengthening pound has taken some of the gloss from returns for UK-based investors.
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Could China cause the next global crisis?
Enthusiasm for investing in China has never been higher than in 2017 and fears of a slowdown have largely receded from the public discourse. But have investors taken their eye off the region just when it matters most?
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Year in review: Japan
With an average return of 16.11% in sterling terms, the IA Japan sector well rewarded investors in 2017, with the best performing fund up nearly 40%.
