This article discusses the increasing importance of intangible assets over tangible or physical assets and explains how investors can exploit them to uncover great businesses.One of the iron-clad laws of economics is that high returns on capital are eroded over time by the effects of competition. Reversion to the mean or average is almost as inevitable as death and taxes for most companies.Famed i

Despite recent record power prices, renewable energy-focused investment trusts are now largely trading at material discounts to net asset value. That's created some good buying opportunities in this space, particularly as many of the trusts have historically traded at a premium.Over the long term there is a clear catalyst for growth in renewable energy given global governments have set ambitious t

With the current nil-rate threshold for inheritance tax being frozen at £325,000 until 2028, many investors will be wondering how they can reduce tax liabilities for their estate when they die.In the 2021-22 tax year, inheritance tax receipts jumped 14% to a record £6.1 billion as more people's estates topped the threshold, yet according to a survey by estate planning firm Time Investments only

London's FTSE 100 finished 0.4% higher at 6,737.30 points ahead of the Easter break amid optimism over a reopening of the UK economy.By 4.30pm UK time, the S&P 500 index in the US moved had above 4,000 for the first time, marking a record high after US President Joe Biden proposed a fresh $2 trillion stimulus package. US tech stocks rose on the back of Biden's plan to pump funds into key industrie

London's FTSE 100 traded higher ahead of the Easter bank holiday weekend as investor sentiment turned positive on optimism over the impact of a $2 trillion stimulus package in the US and investors backed shares which will benefit from the reopening plan which is set to gather pace in the UK in April.A strong update from clothing retailer Next (NXT) also added a layer of shine to the index. By noon

London's FTSE 100 started on the front foot ahead of the Easter bank holiday weekend as investor sentiment turned positive on optimism over the impact of a $2 trillion stimulus package in the US, while a strong update from clothing retailer Next (NXT) also added a layer of shine to the index.The UK's benchmark index gained 0.6% to 6,753.85, while the midcap FTSE 250 added 0.7% to 21,671.79.It come

Dividend hungry investors should not pay any price for income as it could result in a capital loss, warn analysts at Stifel as they downgrade the popular Greencoat Renewables (GRP) investment trust to a negative rating.Renewable funds have been in high demand for years due to their generous dividends and environmental friendliness, meaning they often trade at double-digit premiums to their net ass

Demonstrating the buoyant state of the infrastructure market, Octopus Renewables Infrastructure Trust is seeking to raise up to £250m through a placing, offer for subscription and intermediaries offer and list on London's Main Market on 10 December.Infrastructure and renewable energy trusts' enduring popularity with investors is reflected in premiums to net asset value (NAV) and they continue to

Several renewables investment trusts could issue a flood of new shares over the coming months, speculate analysts, after a blitz of project funding.Greencoat Renewables (GRP), Greencoat UK Wind (UKW) and NextEnergy (NESF) are in the frame, while Foresight Solar (FSFL) is expected to refinance circa £70m of existing debt facilities by the end of June.'We have reviewed commitment and leverage level

It wasn't just the weather that was hot in July 2018 - according to data from Winterflood it was also the strongest month for investment trust fundraising so far in 2018 with nearly £1bn raised across the sector.More than half of this amount related to new investment trusts joining the stock market with the remainder coming from existing investment trusts raising more money.The latter includes Gr

This year is set to be the best on record for Britain's renewables electricity network, according to data provided by National Grid (NG.).Thirteen different clean energy records have been broken in 2017 as demand for solar, wind, hydro and biomass-sourced power soars.Achievements during the course of the year include the greenest summer ever; the first full day since the Industrial Revolution wher

Greencoat Renewables (GRP:AIM) has raised €270m, more than the originally hoped-for €250m target, the oversubscription demonstrating investors' hunger for the story.Debut AIM dealings (25 Jul) were beginning as Shares went to press. Greencoat Renewables has been set-up to build a portfolio of clean energy generating projects in Ireland.The investment manager is Greencoat Capital, which a

London stocks open the largely flat with a string of sagging house builders leading the blue-chip pack lower in what some market watchers believe will be a rather lacklustre session. Wall Street rose overnight Friday, and Asia was mixed this morning. Europe is firmly lower.The FTSE 100 index nudges just two points higher to 6,205, although that's better than either the midcaps or the smaller compa

The markets have been slow so far this year to pick up on the compelling investment case being made by building materials specialist Epwin (EPWN:AIM).Epwin, which manufactures extrusions, mouldings and fabricated low maintenance building products, started the year brightly with the announcement of its acquisition of Stormking Plastics.It will pay a total consideration of £27 million for the busin

Investors might take some badly needed encouragement from Epwin (EPWN:AIM) which is up nearly 4% at 136.6p in a session when global markets are finding precious few reasons to be cheerful on the first day of 2016 trading.Epwin, which manufactures extrusions, mouldings and fabricated low maintenance building products, starts the year with the announcement of its acquisition of Stormking Plastics.It

London shares end the week on the back foot as investors continue to fret about the future of the Greek economy after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) pulled the technical team that was negotiating with Athens. In early trade on Friday the FTSE 100 index is down around 30 points, or 0.45%, at 6,814, with midcaps and the wider FTSE All Share posting similar declines.Supermarkets are a weak fea

A team of eight students from Kingdown School in rural Wiltshire have won this year's national Shares4Schools competition making a 37.7% gain which is a £565.58 profit on the original £1,500 investment. Although the school have entered investment teams in the competition since 2008, this year has been their first success story, after being pipped at the post a number of times.Among the group's m

With just a number of weeks left in the competition, the gloves will be coming off as the Shares4Schools teams prepare to put their winning strategies in motion.Over the past five months we have seen five different teams reach the top spot. Some have subsequently tumbled dramatically down the table and others are holding their place in the top 10. Who will throw that all important knockout blow at

China's margin loan bubbleThe Shanghai A-Share index slumped 7.7% on Monday (19 Jan) as regulators imposed restrictions on margin lending. Loans secured on stock nearly doubled to $161 billion in the last six months, according to a New York Times report, prompting concerns of a bubble. (WC)Novae's 6.4% yieldNon-life insurer Novae's (NVA) shareholders are in-line for a special dividend, according t

Eagle Eye (EYE:AIM) 165pAIM is littered with strugglers chasing the mobile commerce dream but Eagle Eye is off to a decent start. SMS marketing and vouchers space has potential, but this is also high-risk territory.Earthport (EPO:AIM) 45.25pNew management is key to ending years of failure and cash calls. Making rapid progress to promised global platform for medium-sized cross-border payments goal.