The team has been working hard on reviewing client portfolios, something that is less straightforward than is normally the case due to the impact of the pandemic. We are looking closely at the balance between different assets, what should stay the same and what should change. The broad message is that portfolios have held up […]
The markets have held up reasonably well in the face of the worst crisis the world has seen since World War II. They are demonstrating decent levels of confidence, not back to pre-coronavirus levels but not as bad as some of the commentators were predicting a few weeks ago. There is still volatility, much more […]
Regular readers of our newsletters will have heard of the remarkable Dr Anne Merriman MBE. Anne is the founder of Hospice Africa, a Liverpool-based charity. Only last year she appeared on BBC’s North West Tonight talking about her work. You can watch the film here. Anne is dependent on the generous donations the charity receives […]
This latest newsletter comes to you as we approach the end of our sixth week in lock-down. It has been a remarkable and challenging few weeks in lots of ways. Prime Minister Boris Johnson knows this more than most – having experienced the extreme low of being an intensive care patient struck down by this […]
There has been a barrage of support for business launched by the Chancellor Rishi Sunak, starting with the Budget on March 10 and continuing throughout the month, with the latest piece of the jigsaw, support for the self- employed expected shortly. Our sister company Phillip Bates & Co Chartered Accountants are quickly becoming expert on […]
Like other businesses, we have been busy implementing the Covid-19 working arrangements. This has meant decamping to our kitchens, dining rooms and bedrooms to set up temporary home offices. The team all tell me they are working harder than ever, and, in all seriousness, we are committed to providing a level of service, support and […]
One of the privileges of our role is to get to know clients well and play a small part in their lives. We get to know their families, their hopes and fears and, importantly, how they are feeling. It follows then that occasionally, with sadness, we have the opportunity to pay our last respects. One […]
History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes. We all remember Tony Blair saying this is not a time for soundbites and then launching into a soundbite. Can I apologise if I fail also to follow his advice? History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes. We must understand what has happened before to inform […]
New Chancellor Rishi Sunak delivered a Budget that the Government believes will help to protect the economy amid the continuing Coronavirus outbreak. The raft of spending pledges made by Mr Sunak, who has only been in the job for four weeks, were aimed at trying to minimise the impact of the outbreak and market turbulence […]
The continuing spread of Coronavirus in the UK and elsewhere has inevitably caused turbulence on the global markets. Last week, the major stock markets saw their worst performance since the 2008 financial crisis. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is predicting that the global economy could grow at its lowest rate for over […]
