The FTSE

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

At year end the FTSE-100 is down 15% on the year, the FTSE-250 mid cap index is down 7.3% and the FT All Share is down 13.2%. On the other hand the Dow, S&P 500, Japanese Nikkei and German DAX are all up.

Who’s managed to beat the markets?

I’m quite pleased that my UK shares are up about 5% with some purchases in March and green energy shares bought last year more than offsetting losses in FTSE100 companies like BP, BT etc.

Funds have done well especially US and Asian ones.

So overall not a bad year considering.

My Pension fund will end around 7% up for the year I think. It was hammered in March as I was overweight in Mid250 stock following the election result. I sold out of those and bought into tech heavy global funds and that helped it recover a lot (Up 40% since March low)

I was looking at funds earlier and the best over the 12 months was

Baillie Gifford American - 121.7% up.

The worst

Guinness Global Energy - 36% down.

I have neither of these. I wish I had the BG American one though. I know some people on here do. Good choice!!!

I’m currently changing the weighting’s of mine. Increasing UK, Japan, Emerging Markets and Europe.

Time will tell if that’s a good decision or not!!

Much will depend on successful vaccine roll out I think now.

 

[west didsblue]

My Pension fund will end around 7% up for the year I think. It was hammered in March as I was overweight in Mid250 stock following the election result. I sold out of those and bought into tech heavy global funds and that helped it recover a lot (Up 40% since March low)

I was looking at funds earlier and the best over the 12 months was

Baillie Gifford American - 121.7% up.

The worst

Guinness Global Energy - 36% down.

I have neither of these. I wish I had the BG American one though. I know some people on here do. Good choice!!!

I’m currently changing the weighting’s of mine. Increasing UK, Japan, Emerging Markets and Europe.

Time will tell if that’s a good decision or not!!

Much will depend on successful vaccine roll out I think now.

I’m thinking of buying into some of the BG funds this year. I’m already quite heavy in US funds that helped a lot this year so I might try and balance it out a bit with more Asian investments. Europe’s not done great recently so it might be worth a punt now that Brexit uncertainty is over for them.

 

[journolud]

At year end the FTSE-100 is down 15% on the year, the FTSE-250 mid cap index is down 7.3% and the FT All Share is down 13.2%. On the other hand the Dow, S&P 500, Japanese Nikkei and German DAX are all up.

Who’s managed to beat the markets?

I’m quite pleased that my UK shares are up about 5% with some purchases in March and green energy shares bought last year more than offsetting losses in FTSE100 companies like BP, BT etc.

Funds have done well especially US and Asian ones.

So overall not a bad year considering.

Sold all my individual UK shares earlier this year, did slightly better than breaking even on them and reinvested in funds. I've had good success with JPMorgan Emerging Markets, up around 50% since my initial investments (probably a couple of years ago) and also seen rises in Scottish Mortgage, Edinburgh Worldwide and ASI global smaller companies. Have put a little bit now in the BG American Fund but reckon I've missed the boat on big gains there, I don't expect Biden to fetishise the US stock market in the way Trump did.

 

[I'm no cynic but...]

I have been in vanguard for a few years . After I realised a financial advisor was charging me loads of money to invest in this which is easily available online. So I ditched the middle man,

it’s been great , the various funds perform well especially the lifestyle 60 and 80 for balanced funds .

the only downside is you can only invest in vanguard funds (which hasnt been a problem For me , )

however to spread risk and have a bit of fun I have just opened a HL account to invest in wider funds and the odd share dabble.

You speak sense. I've just finished reading a book called 'The Little Book of Common Sense Investing' by Jack Bogle who was the man who set up Vanguard funds. You say your financial advisor charged you loads of money to do what you could have done for yourself if you had the understanding of the financial industry at the time. The problem with this 'industry' is that it is full of commission charging that is buried in the spread [the difference between the buy price and the sale price of an investment]. There is a scramble to be in the top quartile of funds because the greater performances of these funds, especially those that describe themselves as 'active' have greater commissions deducted. You won't notice them because that percentage is not high but it is enough to stop you doubling your money in the time scale that you may have hoped for when you entered the market for the very first time.

 

[blueish swede]

Vanadium miner/VRFB company in my portfolio up 20% currently without news, it's all about fundamentals.

Another metal worth looking at is Niobium (Nr 41). Like Vanadium and Tantalum it's in group 5. It's used in the anode of Li batteries, as well as showing promise in supercapacitors, which is a parallel technology to batteries.

Significantly, the Chinese appear to be strategically hoovering up Niobium resources, like they did with the rare earths (Erbium and Neodymium) a decade or so ago .

National producers (metric tons):
1 Brazil 40,000
2 Canada 4,167
3 Australia 200

I've also registered for updates with a company called Skeleton Technologies (DE/EST) who are developing graphene supercapacitors. Although generally I'm wary of graphene because it's a buzz word, it may be one for the future if it comes to market.

 

[manchester blue]

Another metal worth looking at is Niobium (Nr 41). Like Vanadium and Tantalum it's in group 5. It's used in the anode of Li batteries, as well as showing promise in supercapacitors, which is a parallel technology to batteries.

Significantly, the Chinese appear to be strategically hoovering up Niobium resources, like they did with the rare earths (Erbium and Neodymium) a decade or so ago .

National producers (metric tons):
1 Brazil 40,000
2 Canada 4,167
3 Australia 200

I've also registered for updates with a company called Skeleton Technologies (DE/EST) who are developing graphene supercapacitors. Although generally I'm wary of graphene because it's a buzz word, it may be one for the future if it comes to market.

Any thoughts on Alba Minerals?

 

[markstephenhickey]

Anyone looking at Disney ? Think their plus service is being adopted well.

 

[west didsblue]

Any thoughts on Alba Minerals?

I’ve got a bit of exposure to Alba through my investment in Starvest, although most of Starvest’s value is from Greatland Gold. Looking at their accounts it looks like they’re losing money hand over fist but that seems to be the way with a lot of these companies until they strike gold (or whatever other mineral they’re looking for). Seems to be a few shareholders on the LSE forum that think the price might go up from 0.5p to a few pence during the next year but it’s probably wishful thinking. If you’ve any info let me know.

 

[manchester blue]

I’ve got a bit of exposure to Alba through my investment in Starvest, although most of Starvest’s value is from Greatland Gold. Looking at their accounts it looks like they’re losing money hand over fist but that seems to be the way with a lot of these companies until they strike gold (or whatever other mineral they’re looking for). Seems to be a few shareholders on the LSE forum that think the price might go up from 0.5p to a few pence during the next year but it’s probably wishful thinking. If you’ve any info let me know.

Thanks. It was a tip from a friend who actually told me to go in big with GGP. I didn't!

 

[DenisLawBackHeel74]

At year end the FTSE-100 is down 15% on the year, the FTSE-250 mid cap index is down 7.3% and the FT All Share is down 13.2%. On the other hand the Dow, S&P 500, Japanese Nikkei and German DAX are all up.

Who’s managed to beat the markets?

I’m quite pleased that my UK shares are up about 5% with some purchases in March and green energy shares bought last year more than offsetting losses in FTSE100 companies like BP, BT etc.

Funds have done well especially US and Asian ones.

So overall not a bad year considering.

8.7% on my stocks ISA
63% on my US shares (1 fund, 2 single shares, includes NIO)
12.5% on my DC pension through Fidelity