Keep washing your hands – virtually Email scams and bogus websites Use strong passwords and protect your devices The cloud is safer than you think Shopping online is not without risk Be naturally sceptical   Keep washing your hands – virtually Over the last couple of years, we have spent a great deal of time […]

Stress and tension exacerbated by geopolitics A worsening Russian economy Asia and Big Tech have their own problems to content with Now is a good time to grab cheap stock If your investments are sound… then you need do nothing Stress and tension exacerbated by geopolitics Global stock markets have shown further signs of stress […]

What does the conflict mean for energy policy? Rising raw material prices – an additional factor Now is the time for sustainable investing The political will is there We have a key role to play in the energy transition As the cost of living crisis worsens and energy security takes pole position on many countries’ […]

Monetary policy will need to be tightened What can the International Energy Agency do about rising oil prices? Gold shines bright in an inflationary world The direction for financial markets remains unclear But that does not mean zero attractive investment opportunities Monetary policy will need to be tightened We are now in a period of […]

Can we agree on what it means, if anything? Its worth will be measured in terms of the disruption it causes The Metaverse has its detractors and sceptics Lots of investment will be needed – what’s not to like? Exposure to companies with sound business models and fundamentals Can we agree on what it means, […]

Global markets to 2 April 2022 Mixed performance and even some rallies The west needs to find alternatives to Russian energy supplies Retail sales slip as inflation rises Covid is not done with us yet Some changes in our asset allocations Mixed performance… and even some rallies Global stock markets have delivered mixed performances, but […]

Teach them the basics Delayed gratification Encourage them to make smart decisions The value of giving Money can grow Set a good example As an ambitious professional, you want what is best for your money. And as a parent and spouse, you want what is best for your children and family. That does not mean […]

Global markets to 18 March 2022 World reaction to Putin’s brazen “military exercise” Central banks move to tackle inflation An early end to the asset purchasing programme in the EU Equity markets creep back up It’s those unknown unknowns again World reaction to Putin’s brazen “military exercise” Financial markets continue to be rocked by events […]

Volatility in the markets: the tax year continues regardless Don’t lose your ISA allowance Different types of ISA Other ways to reduce tax Further changes afoot Volatility in the markets: the tax year continues regardless Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a watershed moment in European politics. But it is also a turning point for the […]

Everything is changing Success is not guaranteed Embrace technology, sure – but understand who you are embracing it for Introducing IQ Wealth We’re not just innovating for the sake of it Everything is changing Future generations will doubtless characterise the start of the 21st-century as the point at which the twin green and digital transitions […]

Global markets to 25 February 2022 First inflation… now an invasion How much will sanctions really hurt Russia? Bear market or recession? Corrections are just… part of life But the markets will endure First inflation… now an invasion On Thursday morning, the world awoke to the news that President Putin – despite numerous assertions that […]

Global markets to 19 February 2022 Nerves are still running high The world waits for invasion A change of plan for interest rates Strong corporate earnings means no need for bond buying programmes Find your inner Warren Buffett Nerves are still running high The financial markets remain nervous as fears rise over tighter monetary policy, […]

Don’t sit on cash Income tax and pensions Capital gains tax Inheritance tax Savings and investments ISAs EISs/VCTs Gift Aid The Bottom Line Rising geopolitical tensions… continuing economic fallout from Covid and Brexit… and the onset of a Spring of Discontent as inflation nudges north, pushing up energy prices and the cost of living more […]

Global markets to 4 February 2022 A challenging start to 2022 Inflation – our new long-term guest How can we hedge against it? Regular interest rate hikes from the Fed in the offing Steady the Buffs A challenging start to 2022 It would be no exaggeration to say that the first month of 2022 has […]

New normal also means new healthcare On-demand healthcare is like on-demand everything else Big data – already being used to improve healthcare Virtual reality is already being used to treat patients Wearable tech and medical devices – this is just the beginning Artificial intelligence and healthcare Embedded digitalisation New normal also means new healthcare One […]

Global markets to 21 January 2022   Inflation rises across the developed world World Bank slashes global growth forecasts Risks galore for financial markets US stocks are particularly expensive Don’t panic, Mr Mainwaring   Concerns persist over rising inflation, but fundamentals should dominate the markets in the second half of 2022 The year has not […]

Time to take stock Forget high-street savings accounts Invest in companies with pricing power Keep your money away from HMRC The bottom line Time to take stock The start of a new year is a time to stop, take stock and set yourself new goals. And since as a nation we have squirrelled away more […]

Global markets to 7 January 2022 Global markets continued on their upwards trajectory… . … until Omicron and inflation reared their heads A once-in-a-generation investment in core infrastructure priorities Wholesale prices continue to climb steeply Predictions for the future Global markets continued on their upwards trajectory… Over the fourth quarter of the year, the developed […]

It’s been another busy twelve months for Investment Quorum and as the end of the year approaches, I would like to share some of the highlights and thank you for your unswerving support in these challenging and interesting times. Effecting positive change Investment Quorum is growing and continues to build on the achievements of previous […]

Global markets to 10 December 2021 It’s not just seasonal Still too many unknowns Embedded inflation and the end of bond-buying? Might strategic oil reserves come into play? Pricing power and healthy gross margins – always It’s not just seasonal Much of what is currently happening on the financial markets can be classed as seasonal. […]

A societal force Engagement and values Millennials and technology Loyalty and careers The future Never has a generation been subject to so much pushing and prodding. But then… there are so many of them to push and prod: in fact, millennials make up the largest generation in the history of humanity. The corollary of this […]

Global markets to 26 November 2021 Nearly two years of Covid Doing battle with the “Triple H” effect Healing wounds UK share prices are low, but corporate earnings take a hit Disruption will continue: best get on board Nearly two years of Covid It is now almost two years since the pandemic gripped the world, […]

Good intentions when it comes to reforming social care £12 billion annually over the next three years The tax itself What will the tax support? How this will affect you Investment Quorum is proud of the track record it has of honouring its commitments: the commitments it has made to safeguarding the future with its […]

So far this month, three burning issues have been dominating the news headlines: central bank policy, inflation and climate change.

The pandemic has demonstrated that very few companies are completely immune to large-scale disruptions. Indeed, several companies in the luxury goods sector suffered falls in their sales. But thanks to a number of unique factors, the luxury goods sector was not quite so hard-hit as many others were.

Global markets to 30 October 2021 Onwards and upwards… but for how long? Inflation to rise to 5% Gen Z, tech and the way we work Robotics and automation Pricing power will see us through Onwards and upwards… but for how long? The world’s financial stock markets have continued to rise in recent weeks with […]

Retire from work – not from life Will what you have saved provide you with the income you need? How much do you think you will need in retirement? Take stock of your current wealth Maximise your pension savings Adjust your investment strategy You don’t have to retire completely Uncertainty about retirement Retire from work […]

Global markets to 16 October 2021 Growth on the wane, inflation on the rise Any sign of a taper? What happens in China affects the whole world What do the central banks think? Quality… always quality Scotland plays host to… the world Growth on the wane, inflation on the rise Global equity markets seem to […]

Tech savvy digital natives China – again Physical fitness and mental wellness Sustainability across the board A new paradigm has dawned, has it not? Millennials… Generation Y… Gen Y – whatever you want to call them, they have come of age. Born between the mid-90s and the early 2000s, they’re the first truly global generation, […]

What is a trust? Who are the people involved in a trust? Trusts and tax The different types of trust Why should you set one up? The next step The answer is probably quite simple: because you want to make absolutely sure that your money is being managed in the best, most efficient way possible […]

Global markets to 16 September 2021   Inflation is back in town What about central bank support? Brave new post-Covid world… A pandemic with a long tail Still worth sticking with equities   Inflation is back in town Global equity markets have been retreating throughout September on renewed fears of inflation and uncertainty over whether […]

“The biggest risk of all is not taking one.” — Mellody Hobson   Why do you want to invest in the first place? There’s no time like the present Goals Payments Investment risk Timescale What you’ll get back A diversified portfolio Be tax-efficient Check in with us   Why do you want to invest in […]

Japan, make way for… China Why decimate the tech sector? It’s getting geopolitical China’s unregulated Silicon Valley An end to behemoths riding roughshod… All-powerful, brazen Chinese communism A post-crackdown slowdown?   Japan, make way for China Remember the days when Japan was synonymous with high-tech and innovation? Remember when we oo-ed and ahh-ed at the […]

Global markets to 13 August 2021 Mixed economic data but Wall Street powers on China signals crackdown on privacy, data, monopolies to continue Good news for retail and travel… finally! Growth: not the rate that was expected, but growth nonetheless What changes will the forthcoming European elections bring? Mixed economic data but Wall Street powers […]

The centrepiece of the Chinese Communist Party’s foreign policy and Xi Jinping’s modern take on the Silk Road   Actually, the BRI is nothing new It’s big… really big The world is brimming with untapped potential Better infrastructure will mean better connectivity Complex policy issues – reforms are needed Risks with major infrastructure projects Macro […]

Global Markets to 29 July 2021 Strong global equity market returns – a market boom? Euphoria in the UK and Europe A more interventionist approach in China China is still a hotbed of innovation Inflation has not benefited the bond markets A positive investment backdrop Strong global equity market returns – a market boom? Although […]

Our goal is to help you achieve financial freedom We need to involve YOU – throughout the whole process Cash flow modelling… and you Peace of mind Check in with us on a regular basis Our goal is to help you achieve financial freedom If we at Investment Quorum are to help you achieve your […]

Global Markets to 2 July 2021 Healthy corporate earnings figures… but rising Delta variant numbers The 10-year US Treasury bond falls… and inflation takes off More job vacancies now than before pandemic Tokyo Games to have a very different feel Emissions targets tightened across the EU… … and in China It’s going to be all […]

Making mischief Disruption has to be the norm What this means for investors A knock-on effect When it comes to disruptors, timing the market is practically impossible Targeting the industries that are leading disruption is key Disruptors in a post-Covid world Making Mischief Right across the board – in everything from agriculture and health care […]

Investment Quorum Becomes a Sequoia Patron   The average UK person’s lifetime CO2 footprint is 520 tonnes. And despite various countries’ commitment to carbon neutrality, net zero and a whole host of other initiatives, the world is still producing and burning fossil fuels on a massive industrial scale. At Investment Quorum, we know that we […]

Global Markets to 2 July 2021 More good news for global investors? Strong corporate earnings ahead How transitory is the current inflationary increase? Interest rates left unchanged in the UK – again Little prospect of monetary policy changes What road doesn’t have bumps? Growth should remain strong More good news for global investors? We are […]

You’ve got a new job… great!It’s about more than just salaryBorrow before you switchTake stock of the pastLook to the futureStress-testing your new compensation package Decide who your beneficiaries are Your financial roadmap You’ve got a new job… great! The concept of a job for life appears to be long dead. Nowadays, it is not […]

Global Markets to 18 June 2021 The Fed makes an announcement The Treasury yield curve flattens out Commodities find themselves under pressure Has anything really changed yet? Good times for equities The Fed makes an announcement … and turmoil ensues The financial markets reacted less than positively to this week’s announcement that the Federal Reserve […]

What you need to juice up your investment portfolio?The path to net zero and the importance of battery technologyGovernments may be supporting the EV transition, but what about the automotive industry itself?What is stopping widespread rollout of electric vehicles? As ESG-aware investors, the social and environmental impacts of battery technology are important.What about ethically sourcing […]

Global Markets to 4 June 2021 Good numbers… but travel chaos Rich nations back deal to tax multinationals Biden scraps proposed corporate tax hike Covid-19 has caused a global microchip shortage Global equity markets are still strong Good numbers… but travel chaos … and the airline industry is hit hard In the UK, there is […]

Global Markets to 21 May 2021 IQ news2030? We’re already thinking about it When things get bumpy… do nothing! Inflation: it’s back… … but it’s not all bad Innovation saves the day IQ news On Wednesday evening last week, the entire Investment Quorum staff shuffled and wheezed their way through the City in their plimsolls […]

Global Markets to 7 May 2021 Mixed messages about US jobs leave economists and Wall Street baffled Commodity prices are booming: not just copper and iron ore Biden unveils an ambitious infrastructure spending programme with an EV promise Post-pandemic recovery set to break records The Bank of England revises its growth predictions upwards As the […]

Global Markets to 22nd November 2020   Highlights Global equity markets remain upbeat on hopes of an effective and successful global vaccine deployment programme In the US, President Trump still refuses to concede the election, creating political turmoil In the UK, the Chancellor asserts that the country will not be bullied into a bad Brexit […]

Strategic Insights | Happiness in a Covid World   We do not yet know exactly what the mental health impacts of COVID-19 will be. There are many factors to consider, including the impact of the lockdown and ongoing restrictions such as social distancing and self-isolation. Some employees are worried about contracting the virus, others are […]

The Future of Financial Planning   As the world population grows and ages, we are going to have to assume more and more responsibility for making financial provision for our future. This means that increasing numbers of people are going to require access to affordable advice. But in this technology-driven age, can traditional financial advisory […]

In light of the recent Government guidance, and to ensure the well-being of our staff and clients, our staff continue to work from home until further notice.  In addition, to safeguard our clients, all external meetings are being conducted via telephone or video conference. We appreciate that these are uncertain times but we want to […]

Click to download our guide: The Budget 2020   The new Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, delivered his inaugural Budget to parliament on 11 March 2020, amid the backdrop of a growing threat to the economy from the global outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) – this Budget he announced aims to bring ‘stability and security’. […]