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Do Autocallables have a place in your retirement portfolio?
Autocallables are often sold as a way of receiving a steady income with limited downsides. We investigate to see if there are downsides.
2 days ago10 min read


The "No-Brainer" portfolio - a stupid idea?
Surely successful investing outcomes require complexity? The No-Brainer portfolio shows why this isn't necessarily the case.
May 56 min read


Ten tips for investing success in 2025
Investing is simple but not easy. We identify ten things to consider that will help you have a better retirement outcome in 2025.
Apr 303 min read


The Pain Index: How much can you take?
Investors are understandably often unnerved when encountering periodic market turbulence. We put recent events in context.
Apr 136 min read


What bonds should I include in my retirement portfolio?
Bonds are a key building block in a retirement portfolio. We evaluate how different bond styles influence portfolio outcomes.
Apr 126 min read


Apples to oranges? What to consider when evaluating bond funds
As with equity funds, it's important to consider the various factors that drive returns when evaluating bond funds, including credit risk.
Feb 44 min read


Bonds: How bad have the last five years been for my retirement portfolio?
Bond investors have endured a challenging few years. We analyse historical market returns to put recent events in context
Feb 35 min read


How exposed is my portfolio to the U.S. stock markets?
We select a range of portfolios, examine how they are exposed to U.S. markets and the simple steps to increase portfolio diversification.
Nov 12, 20244 min read


Renaissance Technologies. The greatest hedge fund of all? Updated for 2024
We examine what many consider the greatest hedge fund of all time: Renaissance Technologies. What's its secret?
Sep 8, 20247 min read


Book Review: 'Smarter Investing' (4th Edition) by Tim Hale
Tim Hale's book gives you all you need to build a robust portfolio, taking you all the steps from the evidence to actual implementation.
Sep 8, 20243 min read


Factor investing hasn't worked for 15 years. Why do we still use it?
We take a deep dive into all things factor-related. Performance over the last decade hasn't been great. So why do we stick with it?
Jul 29, 20249 min read


Are stock markets efficient? No, but they are for you!
Market efficiency is often talked about in binary terms, being described as "efficient" or "not efficient". Our view: "It's complicated!"
Jul 29, 20247 min read


Investing: what is working now? Summer 2024 edition
We examine recent investment trends over the last few years and use the Scoville scale to compare their relative "hotness"
Jun 20, 20245 min read


Could a star fund manager send your retirement into a black hole?
Investing your retirement portfolio with "market-beating" star fund managers can seem very appealing. Does the reality live up to the hype?
Jun 10, 20248 min read


The most efficient way to blow up your retirement plan
In a perfect world, retirees would hold diversified portfolios, pay low fees and not misbehave. How might things look in an imperfect world?
May 26, 20246 min read


Smoothed funds - the holy grail of retirement planning?
Smoothed funds are often claimed to reduce portfolio volatility during turbulent markets. We investigate whether these claims stack up.
May 7, 20243 min read


Using a natural income strategy. The natural choice?
The natural income strategy involves a retiree living off the income from their portfolio. We examine the downsides.
Apr 27, 20245 min read


Buffett's $1m bet with the hedge funds. What did it really teach us?
In 2008, Warren Buffett wagered that the S&P 500 would outperform a basket of hedge funds over the decade. What can we learn from this?
Mar 31, 20244 min read


The S&P 500 lost decade - how to protect your retirement
The S&P 500 has generated strong returns in recent years. But should you invest all of your retirement savings in this index?
Feb 27, 20247 min read


D.I.Why? When financial advice costs less than Doing It Yourself
Our retirement planning offering can often be more cost-effective than managing retirement on a D.I.Y. basis. We look at a recent example.
Feb 10, 20243 min read

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