According to the Association of Investment Companies (AIC), private equity trusts delivered an average return of 409% over the 10 years to 31 May 2023, which compares very favourably to 156% for all investment companies.Yet despite this spectacular long-run performance, 14 out of 17 trusts in the AIC's Private Equity sector trade on double-digit discounts to NAV (net asset value) at the time of wr

During volatile market conditions and high inflation, investors are looking for ways to protect their income. Investment trusts have an income advantage which is particularly important for seekers of rising payouts.This is because they are able to hold back up to 15% of the income they receive from their investments in their revenue reserves. They can use these reserves to boost dividends during l

Moving up and down is hard-wired into the stock market but 2021 has, so far, been particularly volatile. Year-to-date the UK's benchmark FTSE 100 index has on four occasions slumped around 2.5% in a single day, while twice ripping higher by similar-sized advances. Moves of more than 1% in either direction have become almost routine.Most readers will know that the threat of surging inflation has he

Investment trusts are a great way to get exposure to many different companies and/or bonds in a single product. Each one is run by a fund manager who makes all the investment decisions and there are more than 300 trusts available to UK investors, covering a wide range of sectors, geographies and themes.Unlike traditional investment funds, investment trusts trade on a stock market which means their

As investors fret over global trade wars, slowing economic growth, and inverted yield curves, which in the past have signalled recession, it's worth looking at which investment products might be useful as 'ports in a storm' if and when markets decide that the path of least resistance is down.In theory, absolute return funds should protect your capital better than traditional funds or investment tr

Mark Barnett-managed investment trust Perpetual Income & Growth (PLI) has become the latest addition to the Association of Investment Companies' (AIC) closely followed cohort of so-called 'dividend heroes', a list published by the investment trust industry trade body that reveals those investment companies that have upped their dividends each year for 20 years or more.READ MORE ABOUT PERPETUAL INC

Investment trust dividend heroes are classified as funds that have increased their dividends every year for at least 20 years in a row. While this list, published by the Association of Investment Companies (AIC), will help you spot products with a dividend growth track record, it doesn't tell you the level of growth and what it would be in 'real terms' when adjusting for inflation.If growth in div

Many of the world's most exciting businesses are not yet listed on a stock exchange, but that doesn't mean investors can't get exposure to this part of the universe. A number of investment trusts have holdings in unlisted (also known as unquoted) companies, giving you plenty of options as we discuss in this article.While venture capital trusts and specialist private equity vehicles tend to focus p

Investment trusts can often be tricky vehicles to understand because they have extra features over open-ended funds such as unit trusts and Oeics.Being listed on the stock market means investors buy shares rather than units and these shares may fall to a discount to net asset value when they are out of favour or move to a premium when they are popular. That means investors sometimes pay more or le

Investors often hear about high growth private companies, but can't access a piece of the investment. So-called Unicorns, start-up companies that have reached a valuation of $1bn or more, have become more commonplace in recent years.Big names such as taxi-app Uber, accommodation website Airbnb and delivery company Deliveroo are still held privately and aren't listed on the stock exchange.While man

Income-seeking investors should consider investment trusts to boost their income and capital returns, as new research shows an elite group of trusts yield up to 10% on a 10-year basis.A select group of investment trusts have been given 'Dividend Hero' status, denoting those that have generated dividend increases every year for 10 consecutive years or more.However, looking at the trusts' current di

Investing in equities can feel like a bit of a rollercoaster ride when stock markets are volatile.Prices can swing wildly from one week to the next, causing even the most experienced investors to panic.If you're worried about the impact of market volatility on your portfolio, you might want to consider a 'smoothing' technique - where you aim for long-term, predictable and stable returns.There are

Twenty one investment trusts have now increased their dividends every year for the past 20 years or more, according to the Association of Investment Companies (AIC).City of London Investment Trust (CTY), Bankers Investment Trust (BNKR) and Alliance Trust (ATST) have increased their dividends every year for 51 years.Caledonia Investments (CLDN) is close behind with a 50-year track record of consist

Anyone with a long-term investment horizon should take a good look at the investment trust sector as the latest market sell-off has created plenty of opportunities.We've spotted numerous investment trusts trading on a wider discount to net asset value than their average over the past 12 months. There are also examples of investment trusts trading on lower than average premiums to net asset value.A

There is increasing talk among investment professionals that we're long overdue a market correction, namely for share prices to fall by 10% or more in a short period. While not trying to be pessimistic, we do believe now is a prudent time to protect the wealth you've created during the current bull-run.We've previously discussed taking profit in the higher-rated stocks in your portfolio as one way

Good financial planning can make a big difference between a happy life and one that is more stressful due to worries about money. We all have big events in our lives that require a cash outflow and so it really helps to be financially prepared.Growing concern in the UK about rising consumer debt is particularly relevant. Too many people rely on credit to fund their lifestyles and too few people ar

On 6 April 2015 families will be given more choice over how they invest for their child's or grandchild's future when rules permitting the transfer of Child Trust Funds (CTFs) into Junior ISAs come into effect.The government says the change could benefit up to 6.1 million children who currently have savings in a CTF because they'll be able to get better returns on their investment, pay lower charg

It has been six years since Bank of England base rates fell below 5%. As this figure heavily influences the interest rate on deposit accounts offered by banks and building societies, it means the general public has struggled to get a decent return on cash savings. Don't be complacent and accept paltry interest rates for your entire savings. Instead, look to the stock market to earn a more generous

One mid-cap investment trust on Shares' radar is Caledonia Investments (CLDN), a vehicle well placed to deliver the benefits of dividend compounding whilst foraging far and wide for capital growth. Guided by chief executive officer Will Wyatt, Caledonia seeks to generate a long-term performance in excess of the FTSE All-Share and since becoming an approved investment trust in 2003, has generated s

The latest retreat in the FTSE 100 means Britain's premier benchmark still stands tantalisingly just below its all-time closing high of 6,930, reached on 31 December 1999. January's stumble took the index down from 6,837 to 6,510, much of the decline occurring in just five trading days (21 Jan to 27 Jan), as the market took fright over the US Federal Reserve's plans to taper its quantitative easin