Another month, another Covid variant. To date, each new strain has caused less economic damage than its forerunner. Whether Omicron follows this pattern remains to be seen although anecdotal evidence suggests that while it appears more infectious, it is ultimately less dangerous to vulnerable patients. It is, of course, entirely predictable that the virus is…
Markets have shown little enthusiasm to break out of the narrow trading ranges established over recent months. The US Federal Reserve said it would begin tapering its monthly asset purchases to $105bn from $120bn, with another $15bn reduction this month. Note, it’s only reducing the amount of assets bought with resources conjured out of thin…
In Episode 8 of the Just Williams Podcast, Williams Investment Management Partners Duncan Williams and John Newsome discuss current investment topics including: The effect of emerging new Covid variants on the stock market Buying gold bullion and mining company shares The causes and effects of current inflation rates
Markets continue to trade within narrow ranges. The reopening of economies has delivered a strange brew of supply chain issues, shortages, stuttering industrial production and inflation. Supply chain problems will eventually sort themselves, as will shortages but as we’ve said many times before, we doubt inflation will be quite so easy to fix, All major…
In episode 7 of the Just Williams Podcast, Williams Investment Management partners Duncan Williams, Robert Ash and John Newsome discuss questions from Ian Shuttleworth covering: The effect of company takeovers on investments & CGT What is inflation Inflation & rebalancing Lessons from Woodford Tracker funds
I don’t think Stealers Wheel were referring to central bankers in their 1973 hit ‘Stuck in the middle with you’ although I could well be mistaken. However, everywhere one cares to look at present, the law of unintended consequences appears eager for a fight. Or, to put it another way, Murphy’s Law is alive and…
Not for the first time, this month we find ourselves writing something very similar to what was written the previous month and indeed, the months before that. Markets recognise economic recovery is clearly on the march but Covid-19 outbreaks (and variants thereof) together with higher inflation, temper optimism. If rising prices are indeed temporary, herd…
Mrs Newsome enjoys watching ‘Grand Designs’, fronted by Kevin McCloud. I occasionally watch it and sometimes it’s interesting to see how a family of six now live in an old ship’s funnel, up a tree in the Cotswolds. However, there’s something about him I just don’t like. Pretentious? Airy fairy? Head in the (Mc) clouds?…
In episode 6 of the Just Williams Podcast, Williams Investment Management partners Duncan Williams and John Newsome discuss questions from Ian Shuttleworth covering: How long it takes to execute transaction instructions Regulatory requirements for recording telephone calls when receiving instructions Making complaints How soon can money be received when selling shares Monitoring your share portfolio…
Markets remain range bound. Central banks continue to emphasise support (or is it endless subsidy?) despite economies reopening. On the other hand, Covid flareups are still happening and while the Biden administration’s chief medical officer, Dr Anthony Fauci, made it clear he didn’t expect a return to lockdowns, he commented that “things are going to…