Hotter-than expected UK inflation for January, with headline CPI up 3% year-on-year versus the 2.8% expected, combined with a volatile geopolitical backdrop, means investors should be seeking ways to protect their income.Shares has long championed the unique advantage investment trusts have when it comes to paying regular and progressive dividends, since these funds are able to hold back up to 15%

On 22 January, as Shares was preparing to go to print, the board of Herald Investment Trust (HRI) announced all of the resolutions put forward by activist investor Saba Capital had been defeated.The meeting was a first test of whether shareholders would stand by the boards of the trusts called out by US activist hedge fund Saba for underperforming. Votes against the resolutions totalled more than

Blue chip stock prices in London, Paris and Frankfurt were in the green at Wednesday midday, while British pub operator JD Wetherspoon was down a notch as it warned on higher costs amid an incoming increase in national insurance contributions for UK employers.The UK Chancellor is unlikely to be celebrating after public sector net borrowing rose to £17.81 billion in December, far outpacing FXStree

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATUREInvestors have turned away from UK smaller companies since the start of 2022. Predicting a turning point is tough, says the Team behind the BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust, but there are more optimistic signs.Capital at risk. The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise and are not guaranteed. Investors may not get back the amount origi

Based on the number of deals placed by AJ Bell customers in the past month, Pacific Horizon (PHI) was the most popular investment trust purchase as bargain-hunters sought exposure to Asia Pacific growth opportunities at a discount.Hot on its heels in terms of the number of buy orders placed was BlackRock Smaller Companies (BRSC), as investors wagered the double-digit discount to net asset value (N

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

The year so far has seen significant volatility for global stock markets driven by concerns over red-hot inflation, the impact on share prices of rising interest rates and war in Ukraine.Crunching the latest data from Winterflood Investment Trusts, Shares has spotted that discounts to net asset value have widened on a variety of trusts with interesting strategies and prospects.BANKERS ON SALEFor i

UK investors have witnessed a steady if unspectacular pandemic recovery for UK shares in the main. But some parts of the market have bounced further and faster, and the BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust (BRSC) is a great way to tap into the strength of the UK smaller company universe at a larger than usual discount to net asset value.In 2021 the FTSE Small Cap index has risen 22% while the FTSE 25

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATURERoland Arnold, Portfolio Manager of the BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust plc, explains how he uncovers companies that could grow their earnings for the long term.Capital at risk. The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise and are not guaranteed. Investors may not get back the amount originally invested.In the short term, share prices f

Despite healthy double-digit gains in 2021, driven by successful vaccination rollouts and recovering economies, major stock markets around the world appear to have stalled since early May.London's FTSE 100, the Standard and Poors 500, Japan's Nikkei 225 the Nasdaq 100 indices have failed so far to push on from recent highs.The exception is emerging markets with Brazil's Bovespa index up 6%, while

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING PROMOTIONMarkets may have moved higher, but many businesses are still operating below their peak. For investors with a long-term perspective, this presents real opportunities, says Roland Arnold, Portfolio Manager of the BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust plc. Capital at risk. The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise and are not guaranteed.

Strong historical performance data doesn't guarantee a fund will continue to do well in the future, so investors shouldn't buy an investment trust solely based on how it has done in the past expecting similar returns in the future.However, past performance, particularly over the long term, is still worth considering as it provides evidence of how well a trust has done in a variety of market condit

Investors who prefer to entrust capital allocation decisions to a professional money manager as opposed to buying individual stocks are exceptionally well served by the FTSE 350. Within its ranks, you'll find a highly-diverse batch of investment trusts spanning all the key asset classes.Shares' number-crunching reveals a grand total of 57 investment trusts within the FTSE 350 - that is with some v

A desire to generate returns through income and/or growth is a long-standing goal for investors but do you know the most popular investment products to achieve this goal?We've looked at the 30 most widely-held investment trusts among AJ Bell Youinvest customers to see which products resonate with UK investors and why they might be attracted to them.THE SEARCH FOR RISING INCOMEDelivering a high and

Mike Prentis will step down as manager of BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust (BRSC) at the company's June AGM, calling time on a distinguished 32-year fund management career.Prentis has managed the fund since August 2002, originally at 3i Investments, then for 14 years at BlackRock. Under his stewardship, the portfolio has delivered sparkling NAV total returns of 957% or 15.3% per year, substantial

Should fund managers really need any extra incentive to deliver for investors given they are already being paid a fee to do their job? Until recently it was commonplace for the managers of investment trusts to receive a performance fee on top of their management fee if they exceeded a specified level of return.Increasingly, this structure is being abandoned by trusts, though around a third of equi

Investment trusts offer numerous benefits for those who take the time to understand them, but too often investors miss out on the opportunities offered by these investment gems, put off because they can seem complicated.In fact, an investment trust is incredibly similar to a fund - the major difference is it is listed on the stock market and you buy shares rather than units. The price of these sha

With a new sole portfolio manager in charge of the investment decisions and a discount that has narrowed from 15.7% at as 30 November to 6.3% at the time of writing, Shares believes this is an exciting time for shareholders in the BlackRock Throgmorton Trust (THRG).Often overlooked, despite boasting the best ten-year share price total return performance record in the Association of Investment Comp

Income-seeking investors should consider investment trusts to boost their income and capital returns, as new research shows an elite group of trusts yield up to 10% on a 10-year basis.A select group of investment trusts have been given 'Dividend Hero' status, denoting those that have generated dividend increases every year for 10 consecutive years or more.However, looking at the trusts' current di

The first Government bonuses are now being paid into Lifetime ISA accounts, so how should you deploy the money? We discuss the potential strategies for individuals depending on whether you are saving up to buy your first home or keeping the money locked away until you turn 60.We debate the merits of keeping your Lifetime ISA in cash or investing the money in the markets. We also give 10 investment