Like a lot on here I'm up 9% YTD. I still think there's a bit more to go but I've started taking some money off the table this week. 15% cash right now.
I've had my finger hovering over the sell button re some individual holdings that have have bumped up nicely in the last few days, notably BP and Tate. Lots of noise about a forthcoming big crash esp in the US but results being reported seem generally to be a bit better than expected, so I'll just keep a close eye on it for the moment
No clue where its heading next but they do say "time in the market" rather than "timing the market". I have various charts & graphs showing how much you would have missed out on if you had missed the best 3/5/10/20 days of a rally.
So, stay in the market unless you have a crystal ball & know 100% what is around the corner. No problem taking profit but I wouldn't be leaving it in cash.
So after a new record the 3rd Feb FTSE 100 at 7901. Today the FTSE100 has closed at 7911, with intra day high of 7949.
Appreciate the FTSE is heavily bias in certain industry types, but personally. I’m winning big time at moment.
How are others doing ? Anybody out of this run up, wishing they’d committed funds ??
Even my Lloyds Bank holding was in profit at one state today.
Yup, my SIPP since 1st Jan has increased to the tune of about 6 months gross pay, and long may it continue! ISA's also doing well.
I'm tempted to take a bit of profit.
Lucky you. I'd like to use this "rally" to exit Direct Line with at least a modest 2-3% profit after all dealing costs, and (non-existent) dividend payments. Set a sell order at 195p. Bumps along at around 180. But to be fair, whatever else Direct Line does, it does not dig up and burn the planet, so it would not be part of the FTSE100 rally.
No clue where its heading next but they do say "time in the market" rather than "timing the market". I have various charts & graphs showing how much you would have missed out on if you had missed the best 3/5/10/20 days of a rally.
So, stay in the market unless you have a crystal ball & know 100% what is around the corner. No problem taking profit but I wouldn't be leaving it in cash.
Normally I'd agree with you re cash, except in a bear market. And we are still in a bear market. Always good to have some money on the side to pick up some bargains. Meanwhile, I'm getting 4% on that cash.
No clue where its heading next but they do say "time in the market" rather than "timing the market". I have various charts & graphs showing how much you would have missed out on if you had missed the best 3/5/10/20 days of a rally.
So, stay in the market unless you have a crystal ball & know 100% what is around the corner. No problem taking profit but I wouldn't be leaving it in cash.
Normally I'd agree with you re cash, except in a bear market. And we are still in a bear market. Always good to have some money on the side to pick up some bargains. Meanwhile, I'm getting 4% on that cash.
And in addition a few punters in the FT are also making that point in push-back to the proposition that corporate bonds are becoming attractive again
The current bond yield is the rarer "inverted yield" where short term yields are higher than long term. The only direction is holding down interest rates, lower yields and higher bond price.
I presume that is for cash ISAs, not cash sitting in a Stocks and Shares ISA?
Nope, S&S ISA and SIPP,
They are desperately trying to keep hold of the cash generated by pissed off Life Strategy investors who have sold their holdings and search for something trustworthy 🤣
The full story is that Vanguard currently pay a variable rate, not that I've ever really found out what that was! However from sometime in March they are fixing it 'which will be reviewed on a regular basis' but to start with is the 2.2%.
As far as I can see it apply's to just about every account they do;
General Accounts, ISAs, Junior ISAs and Vanguard Personal Pension Accounts (what they call their SIPP)
Vanguard Personal Financial Planning Accounts – Vanguard Financial Plan Management
I'm doing a job for one of the main UK banks at the moment. They are assuming that they will have to offer interest on current accounts soon ....
I remember being annoyed when Nationwide, whom I use for my current account, stopped doing that. I have no idea when it was, probably fifteen or twenty years ago. Long enough for me to have forgotten it was even a thing anyway.
I'm doing a job for one of the main UK banks at the moment. They are assuming that they will have to offer interest on current accounts soon ....
Had a message from Chase today saying that they will be paying 1.0% on my current account from April. Have already raised instant access saver to 3.0%.
I'm doing a job for one of the main UK banks at the moment. They are assuming that they will have to offer interest on current accounts soon ....
Had a message from Chase today saying that they will be paying 1.0% on my current account from April. Have already raised instant access saver to 3.0%.
I saw that too - They are also offering Nutmeg as an investment option with a £100 cashback if you invest £1000, if you can pull it out after the £100 cashback it seems like an easy way to bank 10%
For those who make regular international cash transfers...
I think we briefly discussed HSBC's new Global Money account, which I duly opened just as I was on the point of ditching them completely. Up to now I've been using Wise to send regular transfers to my Czech bank. They offered mid-market rates (previously unobtainable for us punters) and a small, competitive fee, compared to the banks. It was generally quite smooth, although I had to enter the payment details manually each time on the Wise website.
HSBC have now confirmed that within the Global Money account, I can transfer into Czech crowns at mid-market rate, with no fee - and then send it to my Czech bank account also for no fee. The guy on the line made sure to double-check the second point, so he tried to suppress a chuckle when, having absorbed this most encouraging information, I observed that they are going to put Wise out of business. Well of course only a % of their customers have an HSBC account, but it will damage them.
Capitalism, market economies, what bastards they are, eh? HSBC have only done this because people like Wise have come along, (and, I think, thanks to the little discussed Open Banking measures introduced in the UK in 2017). But my previous loyalty to Wise had already been tempered by a coincidental issue which surfaced recently, in which Wise suspended the account of a young Berlin based woman who was organising crowdfunded bullet proof vests to be sent to Ukraine and used by journalists and humanitarian workers. So they can enjoy a dose of karma. Overall a rare victory for the small mug punter. Well, that is until I survey the current dismal state of the £GBP rate against all European currencies...
For those who like the bigger names/security. NS&I have a one year bond paying 4%, minimum £500 but capped at a miserly £1m .
Very good. In the last few weeks the only places that match that are no-name foreign banks on Raisin which I really don't fancy,and 1 year rates generally seem to have been slightly easing since December when I managed to get 4.36% from Investec. Who needs short gilts and Treasuries (with platform fees to pay) when you can get much the same from NS&I ?
Comments
Lots of noise about a forthcoming big crash esp in the US but results being reported seem generally to be a bit better than expected, so I'll just keep a close eye on it for the moment
So, stay in the market unless you have a crystal ball & know 100% what is around the corner. No problem taking profit but I wouldn't be leaving it in cash.
I'm tempted to take a bit of profit.
"Disgruntled" of Prague
1-month yield
4.607%
1-year yield
4.892%
2-year yield
4.525%
10-year yield
3.743%
30-year yield
3.827%
Number and value of Premium Bonds prizes
Value of prizes in February 2023
Number of prizes in February 2023
Value of prizes in March 2023 (estimated)
Number of prizes in March 2023 (estimated)
£1,000,000
2
£1,000,000
2
£100,000
59
£100,000
62
£50,000
117
£50,000
123
£25,000
236
£25,000
248
£10,000
590
£10,000
620
£5,000
1,177
£5,000
1,236
£1,000
12,573
£1,000
13,173
£500
37,719
£500
39,519
£100
1,280,509
£100
1,400,876
£50
1,280,509
£50
1,400,876
£25
2,376,161
£25
2,132,917
Total
£314,347,875
Total
4,989,652
Total
£329,316,825
Total
4,989,652
Whilst in the current climate not exactly an earth shattering rate, for funds sitting around waiting investment etc it's not too bad.
As far as I can see it apply's to just about every account they do;
https://www.chase.co.uk/gb/en/legal/nutmeg-100-investment-boost-reward-terms-and-conditions/
I think we briefly discussed HSBC's new Global Money account, which I duly opened just as I was on the point of ditching them completely. Up to now I've been using Wise to send regular transfers to my Czech bank. They offered mid-market rates (previously unobtainable for us punters) and a small, competitive fee, compared to the banks. It was generally quite smooth, although I had to enter the payment details manually each time on the Wise website.
HSBC have now confirmed that within the Global Money account, I can transfer into Czech crowns at mid-market rate, with no fee - and then send it to my Czech bank account also for no fee. The guy on the line made sure to double-check the second point, so he tried to suppress a chuckle when, having absorbed this most encouraging information, I observed that they are going to put Wise out of business. Well of course only a % of their customers have an HSBC account, but it will damage them.
Capitalism, market economies, what bastards they are, eh? HSBC have only done this because people like Wise have come along, (and, I think, thanks to the little discussed Open Banking measures introduced in the UK in 2017). But my previous loyalty to Wise had already been tempered by a coincidental issue which surfaced recently, in which Wise suspended the account of a young Berlin based woman who was organising crowdfunded bullet proof vests to be sent to Ukraine and used by journalists and humanitarian workers. So they can enjoy a dose of karma. Overall a rare victory for the small mug punter. Well, that is until I survey the current dismal state of the £GBP rate against all European currencies...
If monthly income required rather than just paid at the end of the year it only drops to 3.9%