This February Julian Menges and the team rebalanced the Casterbridge Managed Portfolios. In his latest video update (3:56) Julian shares his tactical allocation changes and our positivity on the opportunities in equities on the back of strong employment and wages whilst still being prudent on how much risk we can take at present given the …
We have been working hard across the group to review our strategic asset allocation (SAA), the investment decisions we make on a two- to five-year view that are core to our investment process. Since the winter of 2022, we have been at a historically low allocation to fixed interest (bonds) investments, particularly versus our peers, …
What has happened over the last 12 months… As we bid farewell to 2023, we take stock of another year packed full of geopolitical, macroeconomic and market surprises. War in Ukraine continued to rage through 2023 and a new threat to global stability broke out between Israel and Hamas following the terrorist atrocities in October. …
Monthly Investment Briefing:
Themes of ’23 and Targets of ’24 Read More »
As Consumer Duty becomes live for firms with new and existing products and services Matt Austen speaks to Casterbridge’s Compliance Officer Claude Weston to discuss what consumers can expect in the future. He shares Casterbridge’s own compliance journey and how opportunities to further enhance client outcomes have been found. To hear the full podcast on …
What Impact Will Consumer Duty have For UK Financial Services? Read More »
Key Points What has happened over the last 12 months… This time last year the UK economy and markets were still reeling from the disastrous aftershocks of the Liz Truss ‘Mini-Budget,’ sending both UK equity and UK bond markets into a tailspin. At Casterbridge we had been more cautious throughout 2022 and during this period …
Monthly Investment Briefing
It’s Still Grey Out There Read More »
Key Points Last 12 Months We understand that this last few years have been difficult for clients, the volatility brought on by the pandemic, Russian invasion of Ukraine, the breaking down of supply chains and the high levels on debt taken on by the globe to fund the pandemic fight , that then drove inflation …
Key Points Last 12 months – It was a game of two halves, we defended the capital by holding cash into the low of October 2022, the last six months have seen a mini-banking crisis, followed by an AI driven rise in prices in the large US tech stocks. Recent Activity Buys – Where appropriate …
Monthly Investment Briefing:
A Game Of Two Halves Read More »
Ever wondered what funds your portfolio holds? Why they are there? And what they do? Our new ‘Casterbridge Funds in Focus’ is a selection of short video interviews, asking your most pressing client and adviser questions to leading Fund Managers. Important Information This video is for information only and does not constitute advice or recommendation …
Key Points The US bull market continued, as markets reacted positively to any good news they could find, along with high hopes for the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Inflation continued to be elevated although the trajectory in the US appears to be downwards. The FED “skipped” a rate hike this month, although insisted …
Monthly Investment Briefing- Shepherd Boy has cried Wolf Read More »
Key Points Global Political Risk is still tiring. Biden’s Pocketbook is leaking red ink. UK consumer is still spending, which isn’t great- buy less Rose wine, one less sausage on the barbecue – every little bit helps, please. The wrong people are paying the price. Debt Ceiling- the science bit of the commercial. Equity market …
Monthly Investment Briefing-‘Will Everybody Please Play Nice’ Read More »
