At the end of last year the market was pricing in 1.7% worth of US rate cuts for 2024 but here we are in late August and the Federal Reserve is yet to pull the trigger, largely due to stickier-than-expected inflation.However, after a series of false dawns, we may finally be approaching the point where the Fed acts, with a rate cut widely expected on 18 September. The debate largely centres on whet

On 23 July, India announced its first budget under a new coalition government led by Narendra Modi, who became prime minister for the third time albeit with a reduced majority of 293 MPs for his BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party).In the Indian general election held between 19 April to 1 June, 642 million people voted out of a total population of 1.4 billion.WHAT WERE THE KEY POINTS?India's finance minis

Luxury car maker Aston Martin Lagonda (AML) is set to report its 2023 results on 28 February under something of a cloud, with its shares close to 52-week lows and trading at just a fraction of their value at the time of the IPO in October 2018.Meanwhile, the optimistic comparisons the company made for itself with Ferrari (RACE:NYSE) look as pie in the sky as they ever did.Clearly, investor optimis

Mega-cap tech stocks drove the bulk of US stock market gains in 2023, but can the so-called ?Magnificent Seven? repeat the trick in 2024?While the odds seem stacked against a re-run of last year?s blistering capital returns over the next 12 months, Shares believes that the ?Magnificent Seven? will continue to beat S&P 500 rivals and top index averages. If you want high-quality growth in your portf

For those in retirement who either don't have a significant pension pot or aren't set up to receive a steady stream of income from their investments, drawing on their capital may be the only solution to supplementing the state pension.The question is, how much should they withdraw each year, and should they vary the amount given investments can go down as well as up in value and inflation is runni

Market focus as the end of the week was on a key inflation reading in the US, as the Federal Reserve leads central banks around the world in raising interest rates.Not boding well for price pressure, the Brent crude oil price edged above $124 a barrel on Friday.The US consumer price index report is at 1330 BST.The FTSE 100 index was down 87.83 points, or 1.2%, at 7,388.48 midday Friday in London.

Some well-received corporate earnings saw the FTSE 100 on Tuesday cautiously recoup some recent losses, but a sustained rebound seemed unlikely with Russia facing international fury over its move into eastern Ukraine.The FTSE 100 index closed down 9.88 points, or 0.1%, at 7,494.21. The FTSE 250 ended down 103.86 points or 0.5%, at 20,993.33, and the AIM All-Share closed down 9.91 points, or 1.0%,

Equity markets were unsettled globally on Tuesday, after Russia recognised two breakaway regions of Ukraine and sent in troops, but the FTSE 100 managed a small gain by midday thanks to higher oil prices.Russian troops were believed to be deploying into Donetsk and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine, after President Vladimir Putin issued decrees ordering his army to assume 'peacekeeping' functions in the

Oil and gold prices rose, while stock markets dropped, as Western nations prepared to impose immediate economic sanctions on Russia for moving troops into a separatist region of Ukraine.Brent crude headed toward $100 a barrel, lifting oil producers Shell and BP.EU foreign ministers on Tuesday will adopt sanctions against Russia over its recognition of Ukrainian separatist regions and further deplo

The sustainable, impact, ethical and broader ESG investing space has become a bit busy and investors increasingly want to move away from the crowd. Rather than be in the obvious names, it often pays to look elsewhere for opportunities and Shares has spotted a very interesting fund that might be the solution.Artemis Positive Future Fund (BMVH597) invests in companies helping to make the world a bet

Investors seeking to add glitz, glamour and growth to their portfolios should buy shares in Revolution Beauty (REVB:AIM). This fast-growing make-up, skincare and haircare brand will capitalise on a buoyant mass beauty market once Covid-19 restrictions around the world are fully removed, the global vaccine take-up gathers pace and consumers begin to go out, socialise and glam themselves up once mor

The gradual reopening of the UK economy has been matched in the property investment space by a similarly gradual reopening of open-ended real estate funds. This follows a long period when trading in numerous property funds was suspended due to the difficulty of valuing their holdings in the pandemic.There are mounting arguments that these vehicles are becoming 'uninvestable' thanks to the mismatch

It's impossible to ignore the tremendous attention to environmental matters that has emerged across the globe in recent years.Campaigners and activists have put green credentials on the priority list for most politicians, with Boris Johnson recently reinforcing his pledge to make the UK greener with £160 million of investment in wind energy.The Covid-19 crisis may have overshadowed the activities

London's FTSE 100 edged 8.6 points higher to 7,549.4 on Thursday with investors in cautious mood ahead of the holiday season and the Bank of England's interest rate decision at midday, with no change to the cost of borrowing anticipated. Markets seemed to shrug their shoulders following the impeachment of Donald Trump, who became only the third President in US history to be impeached.Family-contro

Investors appear to be regaining confidence after a volatile period last week with markets marching forward across the UK, mainland Europe and Asia on Monday morning, the FTSE 100 climbing 26.4 points higher to 7,040.3 and the FTSE 250 up almost 140 points at 18,729.Industrial components distributor Diploma (DPLM) ticks up 7.3% to £13.90 on strong full year results revealing 9% growth in adjusted

Now the dust has settled on the acrimonious exit of former WPP (WPP) chief executive Martin Sorrell it is a good time to assess the position the business finds itself in.Despite recent weakness the shares are trading materially above the lows from earlier this year and we think it is time to sell. There looks to be a big risk of dividend disappointment, with an incoming CEO having every incentive

The typical UK adult is now set to work for 11 different companies over the course of their career. The concept of a job for life is a rare one these days and, as a result, workers will tend to accumulate several smaller pension pots over their working life rather than just one. Keeping track of them can be tricky.Auto-enrolment has got more people saving for retirement than ever before but many s

Figuring out what to do with your tax-free pension lump sum is a complex but extremely important decision.If you've built up a sizeable pension pot, your lump sum could be worth more than £100,000 so it's vital to ensure you use it wisely.WHAT IS THE TAX-FREE CASH LUMP SUM?You can start taking money from a workplace pension scheme or self-invested personal pension (SIPP) from age 55 under current

Increasingly sophisticated technology and the introduction of pension freedoms are leading to a rise in the number of financial scams.Fraudsters target people of all backgrounds, ages and income levels, which means anyone reading this article could be a potential victim.We spoke to the experts to find out what you should look out for and how you can protect yourself.BEWARE PENSION SCAMSThe Govern

For many investors the thought of funding a lengthy retirement is a stressful one.Experts suggest aiming for retirement income of 70% of your current earnings, so someone earning £40,000 would target a pension of £28,000 a year. This translates to a pension pot of around £600,000.It's a lot of money, but fortunately there are some simple steps you can take to ensure your retirement income match