Nick Greenwood’s 40-year career in the investment trust industry had a chancy start. In the early 1990s, investment trusts were having a moment. An asset-hungry sales director at Christos saw the potential for a fund of investment trusts. Greenwood, then a stockbroker for the group, was put in charge, and the rest is history. Greenwood […]
If you’ve been following QuotedData for a while, you’ll recognise Peter Hewitt from the many interviews that we’ve done with him over the years. As he retires from Columbia Threadneedle, we asked Cherry Reynard to capture some of his thoughts on the sector. The investment trust sector has some well-documented challenges: from arbitrageurs to discounts, […]
This month, the government dismissed the idea of zonal pricing for UK energy. This would have seen areas with high energy generation and low demand, such as Scotland, pay lower bills than elsewhere in the country. Ultimately, it was deemed too complicated and disruptive. However, it removes a possible solution to the biggest conundrum of […]
The rout in the healthcare sector shows no sign of abating. Even during the recent market weakness, investors haven’t appreciated its defensive qualities, but have instead focused on the potential disruption to US healthcare from an unpredictable new administration. However, contrarian investors may spot opportunities in the gloom. The MSCI World Healthcare index is down […]
In spite of the ‘drill baby drill’ ambitions of the new US administration, the rapid adoption of renewable energy sources continues. More than 40% of the world’s electricity was generated without burning fossil fuels in 2024, according to think tank Ember. Solar powered electricity has doubled in three years, with India and China setting the […]
The new US administration has sucked oxygen from other important stories around the world. While the world was focused on Trump’s tariffs, China quietly announced a $41bn package to boost consumer spending. It was a sign that the government would do ‘whatever it takes’ to drive growth. It may suggest a change of direction for […]
Investors’ most enduring love affair over the past decade has been with mega-cap technology stocks. They have swooned as the sector has gone from strength to strength, pushing more and more capital in its direction. However, there is a growing question as to whether this romantic entanglement is nearing its natural end. Until recently, the […]
Boaz Weinstein, head of New York-based hedge fund Saba Capital, pulled no punches when discussing the boards of investment trusts in his recent webcast. They were “obstinate”, a “boys’ club”, protecting their own interests, “part of an ecosystem of greed taking fees away from the pensioners.” Their actions verged on “almost malpractice”, distributing misinformation to […]
Contrary to expectations, the best performing sector for the year to date is not technology, but financials. The short-term catalyst has been a surge for the banking sector in the wake of the election of Donald Trump, as investors anticipate deregulation and merger and acquisition (M&A) activity. However, the roots of financial sector strength go […]
The long campaign on cost disclosure The past month has brought a flurry of activity over the cost disclosure rules under MiFID and their impact on investment trusts. Bill MacLeod, managing director at Gravis, and one of the key players in the team that has lobbied for the proper treatment of investment trust costs, is, […]
