Our investment practice
Our investment practice offers a private client service providing portfolios tailored to your needs. We aim to buy high quality investments that you can hold for the long term
Read MoreOver forty years investment experience
The in-house investment management service is run by Robin Francis. He has extensive experience managing large institutional portfolios. In recent years Robin has chosen to work with private clients. He is passionate about applying the insights gained from working for large pension funds. This translates into portfolios that are largely composed of individual shares and bonds. The approach allows them to flexibly respond to your needs whilst keeping costs under control. Furthermore, it ensures that the portfolios are transparent and facilitates the analysis and management of risk.
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Services
We provide a bespoke portfolio management service where you rely on us to recommend the best investments for you
Growth Strategy
The aim is to make a minimum of 30% total return over three years
Growth strategies aim, not guarantee, to make a minimum of 30 percent total return (the sum of dividends and capital gains) over three years after fees and charges. The growth strategy invests mainly in shares and occasionally in out of favour bonds. Forecasts are not a reliable indicator of future performance
Pre-retirement strategy
The aim is to achieve a growing income combined with some capital gains, such that the overall value of the portfolio increases at a rate in excess of inflation.
The aim of the pre-retirement strategy is to achieve a growing income, combined with some capital gains, such that the overall value of the portfolio increases at a rate in excess of inflation. As with the income strategy, it employs a range of different investment approaches to achieve its aims, from corporate bonds, to out of favours bonds and dividend growth shares. Forecasts are not a reliable indicator of future performance
Income Strategy
Combining a growing income with modest capital gains
The objective with an income strategy is to combine a growing income with modest capital gains. The income strategy employs a range of different investment approaches to achieve its aims, from corporate inflation bonds, to out of favours bonds and preference shares.
Forecasts are not a reliable indicator of future performance
Defensive Strategy
A combination of corporate bonds, preference shares and property/infrastructure shares
The aim, not guarantee, is to achieve a total return of 4 to 5 percent per annum after all fees and charges on a rolling three-year basis. It uses a combination of corporate bonds, preference shares and property/infrastructure shares.
Our Proposition
To work with you to select the best approach and solution for your investment needs. We offer:
- Highly experienced investment managers who have worked for large institutional pension funds and private clients
- Bespoke portfolios largely constructed using individual shares and bonds. This allows us to flexibly respond to your needs whilst keeping costs under control. Furthermore, it ensures that your portfolio is transparent and facilitates the analysis and management of portfolio risk
- Regular updates on the markets and when changes are recommended to your portfolio. Any questions are answered directly by the investment manager
- A personal approach with the emphasis on understanding what you are trying to achieve
Latest News & Events All News
ARE TARIFFS A TRUMP NEGOTIATING TACTIC?
12 Feb, 2025
06.02.2025 Over the weekend President Trump announced 25 percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada. However, by Monday they had been postponed. Below we look at how the Trump tariff rhetoric should be interpreted. President Trump was elected on a promise of higher tariffs. Since his election victory, in November, it has been whether this represented
WHAT IS THE OUTLOOK FOR THE CHINESE PROPERTY MARKET IN 2025?
12 Feb, 2025
11.02.2025 Since 2022 the Chinese property market has been in a downturn. As it remains crucial to a recovery in the Chinese economy, I take a look at the outlook for 2025. The housing market has been a crucial driver of the Chinese economy for the last thirty years. Historically it has contributed around 25
WHAT DOES THE TRUMP WIN MEAN FOR EQUITY MARKETS?
26 Nov, 2024
25.11.2024 The extent of the Trump victory in the US presidential election took many by surprise. Below we look at the outlook for equity markets. Trump won a landslide victory in the US Presidential election (as measured by the electoral college). The Republicans also gained control of Congress as they have majorities in both the
ARE UK BONDS ATTRACTIVE?
26 Nov, 2024
21.11.2024 With the ink dry on the Rachel Reeves budget, and the winner of the US Presidential election now decided, I take a look at the outlook for UK bonds. UK annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation has fallen from a peak of 11.1%, in October 2022, to its current rate of 2.3%. Whilst
MARKETS AND THE US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
24 Sep, 2024
25.09.2024 With the US Presidential election less than two months away I look at the potential market impact below. Since taking over the Democratic nomination from Joe Biden, Kamela Harris has built up a small lead, of around three percentage points in the opinion polls, over Donald Trump. Polls also suggest that she has a
A CHANGE IN MARKET REGIME?
24 Sep, 2024
23.09.2024 Last week the US central bank announced a half a percentage point cut in its official interest rate. Below we look at the implications and outlook for global markets. Due to the fact that the United States is the world’s largest economy, the actions of the US central bank, the Federal Reserve, are crucial