Investment trusts have experienced challenges this year, with discounts remaining wide across various sectors and some consolidation occurring. However, certain trusts have performed well compared to both the wider market and their peer group. This article highlights the top performers across four of the Association of Investment Companies' most widely followed equity-facing sectors.GLOBALAn inves

A central bank interest rate cutting cycle is well underway, the Federal Reserve having slashed US rates by 50 basis points and further cuts expected from the Bank of England following August's 25 basis point reduction. Falling rates mean lower rates on cash and bonds, so this seems like a sensible time for investors searching for long-term income and capital growth to review their portfolios.Help

Value stocks have outperformed growth stocks by 12% since Pfizer (PFE:NYSE) announced the first effective Covid-19 vaccine on 9 November 2020. That's comparing the MSCI World Value index against the MSCI World Growth index.We have reason to believe the value investing style could soon deliver even bigger outperformance given the shift in the backdrop from cheap money to more normalised interest ra

Given present geopolitical and economic uncertainties and the stock market declines seen year-to-date, the portfolio support provided by dividends remain important to investors.Thankfully this year, we have continued to witness a restoration of dividend payments by an array of companies following the hiatus seen in 2020 when firms suspended payouts to preserve cash at the onset of the pandemic.For

Investors seeking a high conviction fund with a track record of attractive total returns should buy Schroder Income Growth Fund (SCF), a portfolio geared into the post-pandemic and UK domestic recovery.Managed by Schroders' head of UK equities Sue Noffke for a decade, the £222 million cap puts money to work with out-of-favour companies with potential to generate strong future returns and offers a

For decades UK stocks were prized by global asset managers but in the last two to three years they have been roundly shunned due to uncertainty over Brexit.The result is that on some measures the UK stock market is now the cheapest it has been for nearly 30 years.With valuations so low, investment trusts are a great way to get broad exposure to the UK market and some well-known trusts are also tra

UK inflation is at its highest level since October 2013, putting a squeeze on consumers' wallets. The latest rate of 2.3% is above the Bank of England's 2% target; and experts believe it will only get worse at the year goes on.With this in mind, you need to ensure your investment returns exceed this rate of inflation to sustain the same standard of living to which you are accustomed.We've written

Mainstream discussions of commodity prices tend to be dominated by energy and metals markets which have been under severe pressure in 2015. Amid all the negative commentary it might surprise you to learn there is a commodity which has actually appreciated in value year-to-date.Cocoa - the crop from which chocolate is derived - is up around 6% so far in 2015 thanks to a combination of increasing gl