As memories of the Beast from beast from the eastthe East fade and the doom-mongers predicting a meltdown in stock markets following the wobble earlier in the year put away their sandwich boards, there remains an eerie calm.

 

The next time the City-type at the golf club tells you that there’s nothing new in markets, everything is cyclical and they’ve seen it all before, you may gently remind him of some of the seismic geo-political events that we are almost becoming inured to; each with the potential to dramatically impact upon markets and the global economy.

Amid much sabre rattling, a trade war between China and the US remains a possibility with commentators agreeing to disagree about its potential impact; President Trump’s planned meeting with Kim Jong Un is unprecedented and comes at a time when many are questioning just how ‘special’ our relationship is on the basis that the Donald has just slapped tariffs on EU steel and aluminium imports.

With 29th March 2019 bearing down on us, a Brexit deal still looks a long way off, with Mr Corbyn announcing that Labour is now in favour of a ‘softer’ withdrawal; meantime in Italy, newly installed populist PM Giuseppe Conte, is setting about fundamentally challenging the EU at a time when the cracks are there for all to see.

As a DIY investor, could the need for information, expert opinion and education have ever been greater?

In this issue we revisit the crucial active vs passive debate; low cost trackers may tick a lot of boxes in terms of cost, but if markets are to down turn is that the time to reconsider active management?

If a correction is anything other than uniform, can the fund managers currently scouring the globe for investment opportunities deliver the market beating performance they aspire to; we also look at opportunities arising from emerging technologies.

JP Morgan offers us seven considerations for the income investor and Polar Capital looks at investing in financials; Janus Henderson explains how The Bankers Investment Trust is finding value in American growth, whilst closer to home, Old Mutual is seeking unloved opportunities in UK equities.

Jupiter’s India Fund describes the modernisation that has impacted the country; Saltydog Investor looks at momentum investing and cutting edge technology such as quantum computing.

Then we hear from those at the coal face – DIY investors investing their hard-earned; Wheelie Dealer has identified that the less he tinkers with his portfolio, the better it performs; Matt Bird considers how many stocks represent a diversified portfolio and in the Great British Trade Off, Humbug (investing) has started to claw his money back, but Fagin (trading) is hot, hot, hot.

Elsewhere, in his inimitable style, Mr Bond looks at the choice facing holders of Wasps 6.5% 2022 and justETF weighs the relative merits of constructing a DIY portfolio of ETFs rather than outsourcing it.

Those of you packing the grand tourer and heading for sunnier climes may take comfort from the fact that technology now allows you to be in constant contact, should events suggest an immediate response; whether that is a good thing from the markets’ perspective is a moot point.

However, for those with a cool head and a long investment horizon, there will be a way to navigate these uncharted waters; this is where we hope that the expert opinion and practical experience delivered by DIY Investor comes to the fore.

 

Click the image to view DIY Investor Magazine 19

 

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