A big question facing growth-oriented investors is whether the popular investment style can regain its mojo and get back to winning ways in a world of high interest rates.Despite a strong recent rally which has seen the technology heavy Nasdaq Composite rise 14% over the last six months, growth stocks have struggled relative to value over the last three years.The arrival of Pfizer?s (PFE:NYSE) Cov

Putting aside some of your disposable income on a regular basis to build up a deposit on a first home and take that initial step onto the property ladder is something everyone strives for, but did you know the government will give you thousands of pounds for free to do it?Launched in April 2017, the Lifetime ISA is one of the less well-publicised savings products, but it can get you to that deposi

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

Among the best kept investment secrets is the fact smaller companies typically outperform larger companies over the medium and long term thanks to characteristics ranging from innovation and faster organic growth to entrepreneurial management, agility in the face of change and the greater likelihood of a takeover bid.Within the UK's small cap funds and investment trusts sectors is an elite cohort

According to data from the Association of Investment Companies (AIC) and fund website FE, three quarters of investment funds have beaten their open-ended rivals over the past 10 years even though they are run by the same manager.In the case of three of the best-performing trusts, the gap between them and the equivalent funds was more than 200%.As Laura Suter, personal finance analyst at investment

Sentiment towards UK stocks has dramatically improved since the December general election vote result, as evidenced by widespread gains among UK-focused funds and investment trusts.FE Fundinfo data mined by Shares shows the most obvious open-ended fund beneficiaries of the 'Boris Bounce' from across the IA UK Equity Income, IA UK All Companies and IA UK Smaller Companies sectors have been the cons

One of the largest and most liquid UK smaller company trusts, yet trading at a 10.2% discount to net asset value (NAV) that suggests value abounds, Henderson Smaller Companies (HSL) has been successfully managed by trained accountant Neil Hermon since 2002.Hermon has established a formidably strong long-term track record by constructing a diversified portfolio with a focus on growth at a reasonabl

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

First half results (18 Jan) from Henderson Smaller Companies Investment Trust (HSL) reveal a rare period of underperformance.But manager Neil Hermon, who has outperformed the benchmark in 14 of the past 15 financial years, insists his universe 'continues to throw up exciting growth opportunities' and M&A 'remains a supportive feature'.For the six months ended 30 November, the trust delivered a net

Investors keen to put money to work with UK equities, yet skittish about the domestic outlook given Brexit uncertainties, might find the 10.4% discount to net asset value (NAV) on Henderson Smaller Companies Trust (HSL) appealing.Given more hesitant GDP growth, higher inflation and a hard-pressed consumer, the UK equities space remains unloved, yet value abounds and this trust's unwavering mission

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 main UK stock market indices have struggled this year and many of the biggest investors rank UK stocks as the most unpopular asset class. Is now the time to go against the grain and increase exposure, buying when others are uninterested? We believe it is.A survey by Bank of America Merrill Lynch of 235 fund managers overseeing $684bn of assets of under management found that institutional inves

Henderson Smaller Companies Investment Trust (HSL) is managed with aplomb by Janus Henderson's Neil Hermon. He has outperformed the Numis Smaller Companies benchmark in thirteen of the last fourteen financial years.Boasting £845m of assets under management, the trust aims to maximise shareholders' total returns by investing in a portfolio of UK-quoted smaller companies. Hermon defines UK smaller

Investment trust shares can trade either at a discount or a premium to their underlying assets or net asset value (NAV), depending on factors such as current market appetite for the strategy or the performance track record of the manager.While share prices that trade at a discount to NAV are quite common for closed-ended funds, sometimes these discounts become unduly wide or narrow and do not adeq

One of the main factors that determines the average investment trust discount in a particular sector is investor sentiment towards that part of the market. The most out-of-favour areas currently include the UK small and mid-cap funds, which creates a contrarian opportunity for those who are prepared to take a long-term view.According to data from Numis Securities Research, the UK Smaller Companies

Investment trusts are the oldest form of managed fund with some dating back more than a hundred years. They are structured as publicly listed companies with their shares quoted on the London Stock Exchange.There are about 400 investment trusts available in the UK and they have a combined market value of around £160bn. The largest are worth more than £3bn each and include the likes of Scottish Mo

The investment companies sector has many constituents trading at steep discounts to their net asset value (NAV).Many of the widest discounts do indicate poor performance, or reflect a sector or style that is currently out of favour for a reason, although a number of consistent performers appear unduly overlooked by the market.They include JPMorgan Smaller Companies (JMI), the capital growth-focuse

Small cap fund managers typically enjoy the privilege of being able to meet company bosses on a regular basis. They get a chance to sit down and properly understand the businesses' risks and opportunities.This can provide valuable information on which to base investment decisions - not just the initial purchase of shares but also to reassess the investment case as time goes on.Unicorn Asset Manage

As a result of its vote in favour of leaving the EU, the UK is probably heading towards a recession'. That warning from Julius Baer's chief economist Janwillem Acket provides a good clue as to why the FTSE 250 has travelled in an opposite direction to the FTSE 100 blue chip index since the Brexit vote was cast.The FTSE 250 is down 5% since the EU referendum vote results on 24 June, versus a 3.8% g