Insights and events for financial advisers

When confronted with big unknowns, it’s tempting to imagine the worst. Amid the fog of war, our investment process aims to manage the risks while not missing the boat if things suddenly take a turn for the better.

Keep more, grow more. Every pound saved from tax today is a pound compounding tomorrow. Make sure you’re optimising your clients finances for tax purposes with our useful tips.

Many UK investors reach a point where their Individual Savings Allowance (ISA) and pension allowances no longer offer enough room for long-term planning. When that happens, if they've already opened a general investment account (GIA), an offshore investment bond can be a helpful next step. It offers a tax‑efficient structure, flexibility around how and when gains become taxable, and options that can support family wealth and estate planning.

The Spring Statement 2026 was designed to provide stability, aiming for predictability at a time when global events have been anything but predictable. While Chancellor Rachel Reeves avoided major tax or spending changes, households and investors are already feeling the effects of rising geopolitical tensions, renewed inflation concerns, and uncertainty about interest rates.

It’s best to stick to long-term strategies, rather than trying to trade on the unpredictable twists and turns of this war.

For now the focus remains squarely on the Iran conflict and closure of key shipping lanes, but hopes for a de-escalation have helped reduce the turbulence. Holding to our long-term focus is still the best way to keep our seatbelts fastened.

It’s best to stick to long-term strategies, rather than trying to trade on the unpredictable twists and turns of this war.

The surface calm of markets has been disrupted by an escalation of conflict in the Middle East. Oil prices and overall volatility have spiked, but we remain confident in the long-term prospects for well-diversified portfolios.

We summarise events in the Middle East, with thoughts about what might happen next and the consequences for financial markets and your investments. This is a fast-moving situation, so please keep in mind any future developments as the media reports them.

What’s changing from 6 April 2026 and what it could mean for you and your clients.

Family Investment Companies (FICs) have become an increasingly popular option for ultra-high net worth families who want a structured, flexible way to pass on wealth while keeping control over how it’s managed. As more people look for long-term, tax‑efficient ways to plan for the future, FICs offer an approach that sits between personal investing and traditional trusts. But what exactly are they, and who might they be right for?

Just when things seemed to be calming down on the US policy front, global trade uncertainty flared back up. More selling of AI-threatened stocks also followed, yet lots of shares keep going up.

On the surface equity markets and the balanced portfolios invested in them are making steady gains, but there’s an underlying turmoil as investor sentiment swings from seeing everyone as an AI winner to fearing many potential losers.

Business Property Relief (BPR) can play an important role in inheritance tax (IHT) planning, particularly for business owners and investors in UK growth companies. It can reduce the value of certain business assets for IHT purposes, helping more of an estate pass to the next generation.

Understanding capital gains tax: how IFA clients can reduce liabilities and keep more of their wealth.

A landslide snap-election victory for Japan’s ruling party could be a catalyst for rises in the yen and Japanese bond yields. That could have negative reverberations across the globe. All the same, we remain positive on the outlook for the global economy and markets.