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The following column by our chief economic strategist Gerard Lyons was published in The Telegraph on 6th March, 2025.
The concept of taking risk when investing is often misunderstood. We may be schooled into thinking that even the thought of risk is a bad idea when aiming to hang onto our money. Others advocate going to the fringes of the investment world – perhaps taking substantial risk – if you want to outpace conventional returns. So how should we think about risk and how much should we take to achieve our goals?
Instead of meddling with ISAs the government should be promoting them and looking to raise savings further. That requires not only the right policy approach but the appropriate narrative, too, encouraging savings, investment, risk taking and wealth accumulation.
This profile of our CEO Charlotte Ransom appeared in The Sunday Times on Sunday 23rd February, 2025.
As part of our ongoing commitment to optimising performance for our clients, we periodically review and adjust our portfolios’ strategic allocations to reflect changing market dynamics and economic conditions for our longer-term views. As one of the key decisions of our latest review, we have increased our US equity exposure across our portfolios – and in a way that makes us more diversified and better equipped to adapt to these changes.
In many ways markets in 2025 have started in the same vein as 2024 ended. Equity markets are pushing higher, amid relentless political noise usually driven by events in the US. Bond markets are finely balanced between the dual concerns of future growth and stubborn inflation rates. However, an important consideration against the 24/7 news spin-cycle is that surveys continue to suggest that people have more confidence in their own financial prospects than in the wider picture.
If you are going through a divorce, financial planning might not be the first thing on your mind. It’s a challenging and emotional process, where your everyday routines and plans will be thrown upside down. However, as a major life event it’s a critical time to take stock of where you are and you might find that by reviewing your position and planning for the future you get some clarity on other difficult decisions that need to be made.
President Trump assumes office this week as the 47th President of the US. All the indications are that he will hit the ground running, with a host of new executive orders. Since his victory in November, the reaction among business and in the US financial markets has been positive. In contrast, outside of the US, there has been concern, focused primarily on his tariff policy.
This column by our chief economic strategist Gerard Lyons appeared in The Times on Monday 6th January, 2025.
We can only guess what 2025 holds for the economy, investment markets, society, and our personal lives. Unexpected events will occur, some with more impact than we anticipate, while others may have a milder effect. However, by adopting certain habits, we can better prepare for both predicted and unforeseen challenges.
Team Contributors
Gerard Lyons
Charlotte Ransom
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“I have a £1m house and £500k pension. How can I shield my children from inheritance tax?”
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“How can we limit the tax we pay when taking my partner’s £700k pension?”
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“My wife and I have £200k in our pensions. Are we on track for a good retirement?”
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I’m 68 and retiring soon. How can I limit taxes when I take out my pension?
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“How do I get the highest return taking the lowest risk on my £540,000 pension?”
Thomas Salter
Iain Barnes
Simon McConnell
In The Press
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