I have a SIPP worth just over £1.5 million. I have previously applied for fixed protection 2014 and understand that this means my tax-free cash allowance is higher than normal.I am aged 73 and as yet haven?t touched the funds. Furthermore, I am not proposing to take any income in near future, instead I am taking income from my ISAs. What is the downside of crystalising a chunk of the SIPP and may

High-performance polymer-maker Victrex (VCT) delivered a downbeat assessment of the outlook for the current financial year last week citing weakness in demand in several end-markets.The update caused the shares to fall almost 15% to a new multi-year low of £11.52 before clawing their way back gradually to the £13.40 level.In December, the firm warned it was seeing a slow start to the year, with

Despite having worked in finance since the mid-1980s, Geoff admits he didn't actually start thinking about investing for his future seriously until the mid-1990s.After returning to the UK following a secondment in Europe, he was surprised to receive a cheque from HMRC for the overpayment of income tax while he was abroad.'It was only £3,000, but I was 31 and at the time that was a decent chunk of

Stocks in London began the week in the red, as uninspiring Chinese growth data failed to allay continued fears about the pace of the nation's recovery following the end of its zero-Covid measures late last year.Despite Cartier-owner Richemont reporting first quarter sales growth, luxury retailers were the worst hit, alongside miners.Meanwhile, Gresham House agreeing to a takeover by Searchlight an

Shares down 15% year-to-dateIssues revised guidance of £80-85 millionPlastics firm blames weak industrial volumesShares in plastics firm Victrex (VCT) fell over 10% to £13.71 in early trading as the company issued a profit warning via an unscheduled trading update, but recovered somewhat to trade 4% lower.Its shares have fallen over 15% year-to-date (YTD).Victrex said it is now likely to see con

Equity markets were trading more confidently early Wednesday in Europe, amid growing confidence that the US central bank will pause its current cycle of interest rate hikes.Data showing renewed growth in UK economy and a promise of higher returns by key dividend payer Shell were contributing to the positive mood in London.The FTSE 100 index opened up 10.82 points, or 0.1%, at 7,605.60. The FTSE 25

There is no hotter area to invest in today than artificial intelligence, or AI as it is commonly known. Ever since OpenAI's ChatGPT took the world by storm, investors have been racing to find winners from this explosive trend.Corporate leaders, meanwhile, have been scrambling to prove to investors that they are harnessing the technology to drive revenue growth, improve operational efficiency, and

Retiring as a millionaire has been the dream of many people for years. In the fanciful world of 'what if' chats over a pint, it didn't matter how you did it, the endgame is what mattered, not the journey. Buying that Ferrari, taking luxurious cruises around the Caribbean, or owning that stately pile in the country was the dream of millions of us, and we played the pools or bought National Lottery

Capital gains tax is about to become a big headache for many more investors. Under current rules, individuals have a relatively generous £12,300 of investment gains which they can realise each tax year without being subject to tax.However, the Chancellor has announced that from April 2023, this allowance will fall to £6,000, and then from April 2024, it will be cut to just £3,000 a year. Any ga

While Jeremy Hunt may have stuck to the government's promise not to raise tax rates, the Autumn Statement means more of most peoples' income and capital will find its way into the Treasury's coffers during the course of this parliament.In order to fill the £55 billion 'black hole' in government finances caused by the energy support package and higher borrowing costs, the chancellor outlined £30

The VCT (venture capital trust) offer season is in full flow and recent launches include Octopus Group's £35 million fundraise for its Octopus Apollo VCT (OAP3) and Gresham House's £76 million raise for its generalist product Mobeus Growth & Income VCT (MIX).The Mobeus offer opened on 17 October and raised £52 million in the first three days, showing the popularity of these types of funds. Mobe

Given the poor recent performance of many investment trusts compared with the FTSE 100 index - which has held up relatively well this year and which investors can access via a tracker fund for a few basis points - the age-old issue of fees has reared its head again.The big question for investors in investment trusts which carry a high OCF (ongoing charge fee) is should they stick with them when th

The US dollar is trading at 20-year highs against a basket of major currencies. It has benefited from the twin tailwinds of big interest rate hikes from the US Federal Reserves and recession fears.When rates are rising faster in the US than in other parts of the world, the higher returns on offer attract more money into the US currency. In addition, the dollar is considered a safe haven currency a

Specialist alternative asset manager Gresham House (GHE) posted a bigger than expected increase in assets last year thanks to strong organic growth.Together with a sharp hike in the dividend, the news sent shares up 5% from their recent lows to 825p.STRONG DEMANDFor the year to December, AUM (assets under management) climbed 65% to £6.5 billion due to a combination of investment performance, fund

There are many interesting businesses on the AIM market which fly under the radar as they do not get the same attention as their counterparts on the Main Market. Research coverage by analysts is thin, AIM stocks aren't discussed much in the media, and only fund managers with a mandate to look at small companies might even be aware of their existence.This means there is a big opportunity for invest

This year's new VCT (venture capital trust) offer season, where investors can apply for new shares and enjoy immediate tax benefits, is in full swing. Each year, VCTs seem to attract money faster than the previous year, meaning interested investors need to act fast once offers go live, although it is important to understand all the risks involved before making an investment decision.Experts believ

Among the best kept investment secrets is the fact smaller companies typically outperform larger companies over the medium and long term thanks to characteristics ranging from innovation and faster organic growth to entrepreneurial management, agility in the face of change and the greater likelihood of a takeover bid.Within the UK's small cap funds and investment trusts sectors is an elite cohort

UK equity markets ended Monday's session on a positive note, having managed to build on gains established earlier in the day.Both the FTSE 100 blue chip index and the mid-cap FTSE 250 index ended the day in positive territory. The former added 1.7% to reach 7,241 and the latter moved ahead by 1% to hit 22,873.UK equity markets were helped by a strong opening from American markets, with all the maj

UK equities continued to trade in positive territory by midday on Monday with the FTSE 100 blue chip index 1% higher at 7,191 points and the mid-cap FTSE 250 index 0.4% firmer at 22,734 pointsThe market was encouraged by the latest IHS Markit monthly construction purchasing managers index for November which improved to 55.5 from 54.6 in October.A score of above 50 indicates growth, and the index h

Aerospace, hospitality and oil stocks are driving early progress for UK stocks as Omicron concerns subside, with the benchmark FTSE 100 0.73% at 7,174.48 at 9am. Oil majors BP (BP.) and Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) added more than 1% each as crude prices jumped more than 2% after Saudi Arabia raised its crude prices.Heavyweight AstraZeneca (AZN) climbed 0.6% to £82.39 after a report quoted the drugma