One of the challenges with writing these is not so much finding something to write about, it’s that there is so much I could write about! I know what excites.
Read moreMonday Musings 08/08/2022
Well, what a week it’s been. Some of you will be aware I’ve had a bit of time off. The start of the school summer holidays co-ordinated nicely with a Tai Chi training camp I attend each year, so it made sense to make the most of a week for some family time.
I treated my son (ok… me) to the Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour. I honestly can’t say enough good things about this, it’s so well done. I don’t want to say too much and spoil any surprises, but if you’ve not gone and like the films at all, do go! One of the best sides of the experience, though, came after our visit. Whilst there my son bought a Gryffindor necklace which he wanted to wear on the car journey home. By the time we’d got home, the necklace had broken. A quick e-mail to the tour with pictures of our receipt and the necklace and a new one was sent to us in the post without hesitation or quibble. Great service! Which is of course what we at Straight Talk aim to give you.
The camp was fantastic if you’re into that sort of thing, which I am. It’s so important to have a something that is just for your own fulfilment I think, and I know Tai Chi will be with me for life. Going away to train with teammates isn’t just good for my physical well-being, but my mental well- being too. The social side means a lot. At Straight Talk we are always talking to our clients about their retirement planning. Hobbies and interests should absolutely be part of your planning and making sure you’ve prepared for the finances to support your passion is not a frivolity, but really important. Don’t forget to talk to your adviser about this at your review.
Inflation and interest rates are very hot topics at the moment, with The Bank of England announcing recently the largest increase in interest rates for 27 years – from 1.25% to 1.75%. This is not surprising news, with everything happening in the markets today, and the markets will continue to be an interesting ride whilst there is still investor uncertainty, especially with regards to the energy crisis. On that note, we turn to the markets….
31.12.2021 | 08.08.2022 | % Change | % Change on week | |
FTSE 100 | 7384 | 7439 | Up 0.74 | Up 0.22 |
Dow Jones | 36338 | 32803 | Down 9.72 | Down 0.12 |
Nasdaq | 15645 | 12657 | Down 19.09 | Up 2.76 |
S&P | 4766 | 4145 | Down 13.02 | Up 0.80 |
NIKKEI | 28791 | 28175 | Down 2.13 | Up 1.35 |
Hang Seng | 23398 | 20201 | Down 13.66 | Up 0.88 |
Shanghai | 3640 | 3227 | Down 11.34 | Down 0.81 |
CAC 40 | 7153 | 6513 | Down 8.94 | Up 1.01 |
DAX | 15885 | 13662 | Down 13.99 | Up 1.32 |
Not all of its bleak out there. Sometimes we hear good things in the press. Ok, not often. But sometimes. For example, news came in the press recently that the.
Read moreREMINDER: Last call for pre-registration for the Webinar Thursday 30th November 10am Pre-registration link is here: https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/4415548/1FE19490B28856477CC82CC544A090D0 N.B. The webinar will be recorded, so if you cannot attend but.
Read more