Should investors fear an interest rate rise?

Enable’s experienced IFAs in Bishops Stortford can see that the days of record low interest rates look set to be drawing to a close with financial markets pricing in a Base Rate rise in the first half of 2016. There has been much speculation that it could happen sooner that now looks pretty unlikely but it doesn’t stop investors being increasingly anxious about the impact on their portfolios.

But according to Hargreaves Lansdown there may not be much of an historical president to worry about. If we look back history indicates the best strategy is to do nothing. For the last six  main periods of Base Rate rises since 1988 Britain’s leading share index, the FTSE 100, has not suffered a severe selloff and for half of the time the index was flat, or posting small losses, and on the other three occasions the market even  responded positively.

Laith Khalaf, a senior analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, who helped compile this data, said: “a period of rising interest rates does not necessarily mean poor returns from the stock market. If a central bank is raising interest rates it is generally doing so to curb economic activity, because it believes the economy is in danger of overheating. In other words, economic growth is strong, which is a positive backdrop for companies to do business in." "There are of course negative impacts on companies from higher interest rates. They have to pay more to borrow money, and if consumers have to pay more for their mortgages, they may have less to spend on goods and services that British businesses sell."

The speed of the interest rate rises is also important and Financial markets are expecting rates to go up slowly and gently rather than jump up overnight.

Issued by: Enable Independent Financial Life Planners 
25c North Street, Bishops Stortford, Herts CM23 2LD
Telephone: 01279 755950 - Fax: 01279 657339
 Enable Independent Financial Life Planners is a trading style of Enable Independent Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
It is important always to seek independent financial advice before making any decision regarding your finances. If you would like any assistance, please contact us.
NOTHING CONTAINED IN THE ARTICLES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS GIVING INDIVIDUAL FINANCIAL ADVICE 

Managing your own investments?

It is understandable that since the introduction of new regulatory rules to make the true cost of financial advice transparent, people have become wary of advice but it should be remembered there are still a lot of potential pitfalls when managing your own investments.

When making a new investment it is important to keep in mind your personal goals, time horizon and circumstances. However, the huge number of topical articles and write-ups heavily tipping particular funds can make this really difficult. Often something that might sound attractive may not really be suitable for your circumstances. What’s more, investing without advice carries less regulatory protection than taking it, so having a well thought out strategy and making decisions based on the context of how an investment fits alongside your portfolio is vital. It is also the case that buying investments on an ad hoc basis can lead to unnecessary levels of risk and a lack of overall balance.

One thing that seems obvious is to choose funds that top a performance league table or have the lowest costs. That may seem like an easy way of building a successful portfolio but unfortunately, the past is no guarantee of the future, so selecting a fund on backward-looking data alone is like trying to drive a car by only staring in the rear-view mirror. Having access to quality research rather than relentless marketing will help you make informed decisions and should be an important consideration when choosing who to invest with.  It might also be the case that you simply do not have the time.  Enable’s IFAs are happy to explain any fees or charges before moving forward.


Issued by: Enable Independent Financial Life Planners
25c North Street, Bishops Stortford, Herts CM23 2LD
Telephone: 01279 755950 - Fax: 01279 657339
Enable Independent Financial Life Planners is a trading style of Enable Independent Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
It is important always to seek independent financial advice before making any decision regarding your finances. If you would like any assistance, please contact us.
NOTHING CONTAINED IN THE ARTICLES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS GIVING INDIVIDUAL FINANCIAL ADVICE