On 1 August the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee made a 5-4 decision to kickstart its rate-cutting cycle. A 25 basis point reduction in the base rate to 5% marking The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street's first cut since March 2020.This means cash savings rates are heading in one direction, down. And the lower-than-expected jump in UK inflation reported on 14 August only boosted market exp

September was a bad month for stocks in general, but it was especially poor for UK REITs (real estate investment trusts), with 77% of the sector by market cap being derated according to analysts at Winterflood, leaving 24 out of 32 trusts down over nine months.With worries over the economy, discounts to NAV (net asset value) continuing to widen and retail investors exiting the sector in their drov

In news that surprised everyone from shoppers to investors, general retailer Wilko announced in early August it had filed a 'notice of intention' to appoint administrators due to mounting cash pressures on the business.The firm, whose stores are a feature on most UK high streets, is reportedly losing market share to rivals such as B&M European Value (BME), Home Bargains and The Range.Compounding i

We suggested at the start of 2023 that commercial property stocks could prove to be a good bet this year, with valuations offering significant upward reversion potential from their depressed levels and dividend yields at the top end of their historic range.While valuations have improved slightly, if anything sentiment is even more negative than it was in January, especially after April's stubbornl

As investors in the property sector will know, REITs or real estate investment trusts have been one of the worst parts of the market as interest rates expectations have climbed in recent weeks.Since the middle of September, the average REIT has lost more than 20% with some racking up losses of nearly 30% regardless of whether they are specialist or generalist and regardless of the quality of their

During volatile market conditions and high inflation, investors are looking for ways to protect their income. Investment trusts have an income advantage which is particularly important for seekers of rising payouts.This is because they are able to hold back up to 15% of the income they receive from their investments in their revenue reserves. They can use these reserves to boost dividends during l

It is one thing for analysts to forecast which stocks and sectors will do well in a rising-rate or inflationary environment, but when it actually comes to pass it's always fascinating to see what works in practice.Judging by the list of stocks making 12-month highs over the past week, those who favoured real assets were on the money.Standing tall are 3i Infrastructure (3IN), AEW UK REIT (AEWU), GC

In the end 2021 proved a rewarding year for stock markets as vaccines were rolled out and economies began to recover from the worst ravages of the pandemic. In the early part of the year, growth was shunned for value before bouncing back into fashion as the year progressed.On the whole, this was a volatile period, with investors contending with concerns over inflation and the rising interest rates

For most people, the attraction of investing in real estate investments trusts, or REITs for short, is that they offer a stable and consistent stream of income.They are also a good way of getting exposure to real assets which in theory should behave differently to stocks and bonds, and provide some diversity in a portfolio.The permanent capital structure and closed-end nature of investment trusts

The simple option for investors these days is to choose a tracker fund which mirrors a certain part of the market. Therefore, actively managed funds really need to add value and deliver market-beating returns if they are to convince investors not to go for the easy option of a tracker fund.There are numerous investment trusts offering broad exposure to specific geographies or investment styles lik

How does a 5% return on your money sound right now? With UK interest rates showing little sign of increasing from rock bottom levels despite mounting inflation, a 5% rate is certainly appealing.If you are using your investments to pay the bills or to fund your living expenses in retirement the income you receive is vital. The great news is that the dividends from stocks and shares can offer invest

Little is more satisfying in investing than receiving a dividend payment from one of your holdings and investment trusts have an excellent track record of delivering a regular stream of income.Some trusts offer very attractive yields too. According to industry body the Association of Investment Companies, the average for all trusts is 3.2% but there are a significant number of trusts which offer d

The real estate space is grabbing investors' attention once again. Shares in housebuilders are marching higher on the promise of further state support for the sector and two real estate investment trusts (REITs) have announced substantial fundraising plans.Among the key early takeaways from the Conservatives' annual conference in Manchester was a £10bn extension to the 'Help to Buy' programme as

Retail investors have another opportunity to participate in the IPO of a new real estate investment trust (REIT) which is heading for the UK stock market.The launch of AEW UK Long Lease REIT follows on from the PRS REIT which we analyse in the new issue of Shares.TARGETING 'UNDER-REPRESENTED' SECTORSIt is seeking to raise £150m to invest in sectors which it says are 'underrepresented' in institut