This is the first time for a long time that Scottish Mortgage (SMT) has underperformed its FTSE All-World Index benchmark over five years, the timeframe the trust's Baillie Gifford manager believes is most useful.It might not be the case as you read this feature, such are the daily ebbs and flows of share prices and indexes, but it was in mid-October 2024. The three-year performance is far uglier,

Martin Currie Global Portfolio Trust (MNP) 375pMarket cap: £241.2 millionFalling inflation and a rate cutting cycle mean better times are ahead for Martin Currie Global Portfolio Trust (MNP), a collection of high-quality growth companies with strong cash flows and robust balance sheets managed by Zehrid Osmani.Higher rates have whipped up headwinds for the long-duration growth stocks favoured by

11% increase in NAV (net asset value)Shareholder total return of 14.3% after discount narrowsSecond interim dividend of 1.75p per share announcedShares in Witan Investment Trust (WTAN) were marginally lower in morning trading at 263p as the investment trust reported a 11% increase in NAV slightly underperforming its composite global benchmark for the six months ending 30 June 2024.The trust attrib

Funds can often be in vogue with investors thanks to a big-name manager or a past reputation, but just how well-earned is the popularity of the UK's most popular funds and investment trusts?In this article we've taken a look at the performance of a select group of funds which regularly feature among the most bought and most widely-held in the market to judge whether they are truly delivering the g

Hot on the heels of the UK election and the float of Raspberry Pi (RPI) comes another highly-anticipated UK IPO (initial public offering), this time on AIM.Rosebank Industries (ROSE:AIM) placed 20 million shares at 250p last week raising £50 million, yet as it stands the company has no assets, revenue or profits ? instead it is a holding company set up to buy, improve and sell other companies.If

Whereas passive funds aim to track the performance of a key benchmark or index, active funds are run by a professional fund manager who selects what goes in the portfolio with the aim of outperforming the market. Active managers are paid a fee by investors for their stock picking expertise, benefit from face-to-face access to company management teams and unlike index trackers, can analyse qualitat

Covid-19 stock market darling Moderna (MRNA) appears to be getting its mojo back with investors following a punishing 85% drop in the shares from their September 2021 highs.Over the last six months Moderna's shares have more than doubled and despite the fall over the past couple of years, they remain one of the best performers in the benchmark S&P 500, notching up gains of 880% over the last five

AI chip giant knocks the lights out againNet profits surges to $15 billionStock blasts past $1,000 for first timeNvidia (NVDA:NASDAQ) continues to knock the ball out of the park and prove the AI (artificial intelligence) revolution is very real. The $2.3 trillion AI powerhouse worshipped by financial markets and Silicon Valley, has to pass increasingly tough tests of investor's faith with every qu

Activist Elliott halves stakeDiscount to NAV narrowed to 6%Elliott maintains big holdingActivist investors usually prepare for a long and hard-fought battle when targeting underperforming companies and management teams. It must therefore be rather pleasing when events conspire to allow a profitable early partial exit.That seems to be the case for Elliott Investment Management after the investor re

The last couple of years have seen outsized returns for stocks, especially those in the US, but that doesn?t mean now is a bad time to invest. The truth is there is never a bad time to invest as long as you are looking to stay invested for the long term.From its inception in 1984 to 2022, the FTSE 100 index has gained around 5.5% per year in price terms and 7.5% per year in terms of total return,

Nelson Peltz?s failure to get a seat on the board of directors at Disney (DIS:NYSE) has raised the question: are activist investors losing their touch?Peltz might have enjoyed success with earlier campaigns at Kraft Heinz (KHC:NASDAQ) and Wendy?s (WEN:NASDAQ), yet he sits alongside big names such as Pershing Square?s (PSH) Bill Ackman where campaigns have not gone their way.Peltz wanted to shake u

Cancer drug gets positive readoutPotential for personalised medicinesModerna has over 45 drugs in developmentUS biotechnology firm Moderna (MRNA:NASDAQ) was the top performer in the S&P 500 on Tuesday (9 April) jumping as much as 10% after its personalised cancer vaccine showed positive results in an early stage trial.The shares closed 6% higher at $11.60, a new three month high, but are down 30%

City of London most bought second month in a rowNvidia tops stock buys againRenewables trust UK Greencoat Wind sparks interestInvestors across the AJ Bell platform have been piling into artificial intelligence (AI) 'darling' Nvidia (NVDA:NASDAQ) and oil giant Shell (SHEL) before the end of the tax year.FTSE 100 aero-engine maker Rolls Royce (RR.) also makes appearance in the top five of most bough

Mercadolibre (MELI:NASDAQ) $1,528.95Market cap: $77.5 billionReaders that have come across MercadoLibre (MELI:NASDAQ) before will likely be familiar with the badge some pin on it ? the ?Amazon (AMZN:NASDAQ) of Latin America?. And just like its US peer, the Uruguay-based business has spent the past couple of decades emerging as one of the region?s ecommerce leaders.It may have started out as a mark

It has been a busy time for shareholders in Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust (SMT), but it has been a fruitful time too with the shares hitting new 12-month highs in March.First, the board announced it would buy back at least £1 billion worth of shares in order to help narrow the discount to NAV (net asset value).Then, Delaware-based Elliott Advisors revealed it had taken a 5% stake in the trus

Unlike investment funds, trusts can trade at a discount or premium to the underlying assets which can be to the advantage of potential buyers but a thorn in the side for existing shareholders and trust boards alike.Poor performance is often a key factor driving the share price below NAV (net asset value). Scottish Mortgage Trust (SMT) and multi-manager Witan Investment Trust (WTAN) sit on double-d

?At least? £1 billion earmarked for buy-insPortfolio delivering strong resultsSignals confidence in portfolio valuationsFallen growth star Scottish Mortgage (SMT) has set aside at least £1 billion for share buybacks over the next two years as the FTSE 100 trust seeks to narrow its wide share price discount to NAV (net asset value), news which sent the shares up 2.1% to 797.2p on Friday morning.F

City of London most bought in FebruaryScottish Mortgage most sold last monthAI winner Nvidia tops stock buysInvestors across the AJ Bell platform have been piling into popular City of London (CTY), JP Morgan Global Growth & Income (JGGI) in February and selling Scottish Mortgage (SMT) and Smithson Investment Trust (SSON).Overall, 11.44% of all buy deals placed on the AJ Bell platform were for City

For the first time in years Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust (SMT) investors are contemplating selling up and moving on. Over the past month, it is the most sold investment trust on the AJ Bell platform, accounting for 14.6% of all trust sales.This is almost unheard of, and it is meaningful too. For most of the 21st Century, long-term investors have backed Scottish Mortgage to the hilt, enjoying

Equity income trusts in demandCity of London most boughtScottish Mortgage, Finsbury Growth & Income divide opinionWith conflict in the Middle East and Ukraine creating uncertainty, and investors grappling with cost-of-living pressures as falling inflation is expected to be a drawn-out process, dependable income trusts have proved popular on the AJ Bell platform over the past month.At the same time