Bitcoin is having another moment in the sun on the back of the decision by the US SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) to greenlight exchange-traded funds which track the cryptocurrency. There is no doubting the significance of this move. It will make it easier and potentially cheaper for investors, though crucially only those across the Atlantic for now (of which more later), to invest. Mains

?Exceptional? flow of new ordersNet loss smaller than expectedMost shorted listed UK companyOilfield services group Petrofac (PFC) delivered a triple whammy of good news to investors today with a positive trading update and a narrower projected loss for the full year.The firm also revealed it had secured a performance guarantee for $1.4 billion from Dutch utility company TeneT under a multi-year c

The past week handed investors the answer to the question that has dominated market talk for days, with the US Fed pushing ahead with its campaign of rate rises. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell increased rates by a quarter of a percentage point on 22 March, resisting the urge to pause hikes in the face of banking sector turmoil.The central bank's rate rise took the federal funds rate range to 4.75% to

Tesla (TSLA:NASDAQ) shareholders have backed a move for its stock to be split for the second time in two years. The move should make investing in the company more affordable for small investors.The three-for-one division will see shareholders receive two additional shares for each one owned at the market close on 24 August. Tesla shares will trade at the split-adjusted price when the stock market

Exchange-traded funds have taken another big step in their journey into the mainstream. As of this month, more than 500 ETFs are included in the Investment Association fund sectors.This may sound like an arcane, technical development, and in a way, it is. But it will also make ETFs more visible and comparable with other funds, and they will now sit alongside some of the big names of fund investing

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATUREWe consider gold - with its unique behavioural traits - to be an important building block to consider for any portfolio. The metal can behave defensively which is typically very beneficial in times of economic shocks and the metal also tends to respond well to inflation which can be beneficial in times of economic growth. Like any core component of a portfolio, we mus

Meeting global energy demand will be a key challenge in the decades ahead but it should also create opportunities for investors.In this article we will discuss how you could benefit from some of the long-term trends in the power generation market through both funds and individual stocks.Global energy demand will rise by at least 30% until 2040, according to investment bank UBS.The need to produce

There are two main ways of profiting from the financial markets. The first is to buy and hold assets with the aim of achieving a reasonable and sustainable return. The second is a more high-octane approach, namely to trade in and out of assets for a quick profit.Someone pursuing the former strategy could most accurately be described as an 'investor' while a devotee of the latter is essentially a '

There are two main ways of profiting from the financial markets. The first is to buy and hold assets with the aim of achieving a reasonable and sustainable return. The second, higher risk approach, is to trade in and out of assets for a quick profit.Someone pursuing the former strategy could most accurately be described as an 'investor' while a devotee of the latter is essentially a 'trader'.For m

Gold futures have shot up since the middle of March. The hike has taken forward gold prices from below $1,200 per ounce to about $1,255 as investors fret about multiple geopolitical factors.From Aztecs, Incas and Mayans to Ian Fleming's Goldfinger, gold exercises a curious hold over the human imagination. This is a commodity that behaves like a currency, and in uncertain times, investors typically

You may have heard of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), but have you actually invested in any? Over the next three weeks we will explain their appeal and how they can play an important role in your investment strategy.In the coming weeks we will also discuss how many ETF products are very clever in how they focus on specific factors like value, momentum and quality.Many people only talk about ETFs bei

Oil is in the spotlight once more amid speculation over a production freeze and the price returning to the $50 per barrel level. Exchange-traded products (ETPs) - including higher octane short and leveraged ETPs - can provide a way for investors to play this price volatility.Ministers from production cartel OPEC are set for an informal meeting during an Algerian energy conference from 26 until 28

Be prepared for a surge in inflation. Weakness in the pound will make it more expensive to buy goods from abroad. This extra input cost will more than likely be passed on to consumers, thereby pushing up the cost of living.Inflation can eat into your investment returns and erode the real value of your portfolio. We reveal in this article how to strengthen your investments and ultimately boost your

The market volatility caused by Britain's decision to leave the EU has resulted in investors flocking to so-called 'safe haven' investments.Assets like cash, gold and government bonds can be a useful way of counteracting the inherently risky nature of shares, but panic-selling your equities could be detrimental in the long-term.What are safe-haven investments?CashThe ultimate safe-haven investment

Financial advisers and discretionary wealth managers in the UK are nearly as likely to buy exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and exchange-traded products (ETPs) for their clients as they are traditional mutual funds over the next 12 months. This is according to a recent survey by Source ETF.Around one fifth (22%) of respondents say they are planning to purchase more traditional funds in future while 17

Exchange-traded funds' (ETFs) ability to be traded throughout market hours on an exchange is a key attraction for retail investors. Effectively this makes an ETF more liquid than a mutual fund which is priced on a daily basis at a level you only learn after your trade has settled.Liquidity matters. It determines how easy it is to buy and sell an ETF, whether you will get a fair price and how much

A weak start to the year for equity markets combined with uncertainty over global growth is driving nervous investors towards gold. You can get exposure to gold in a variety of ways via exchange-traded products (ETPs) and each has their pros and cons.Why invest in gold?If you're used to investing in equities it can be difficult to understand the attractions of physical gold. It offers little in th

Originally created as tools for institutional investors, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have proven to be increasingly popular with individual investors. Assets under management went up by 24% year-on-year to €467.4 billion in 2015, according to Morningstar. And those figures are only set to grow further as ETFs are quickly becoming a staple of many investors' portfolios.In 2015 the European ET

Globally important events like the economic slowdown in China or an interest rate decision in the US can move share prices right around the world, but there are lots of other factors that have a much more limited impact and will only affect the local stock market.Those who invest internationally can take advantage of the opportunities that the global news flow creates, whilst reducing their relian

Wild swings in the commodity market are leaving investors in mining stocks scratching their heads as how best to position their trades. For anyone uncomfortable with such high levels of risk, large cap miners are potentially dangerous to chase at present. Exchange-traded products (ETPs) might be a better solution to anyone wanting to play the commodities market.It is not uncommon to see 5% to 10%