Goals – have you climbed the wrong mountain?

Some of you reading this may have achieved the goals that you set a long time ago. Some of you may have reached the pinnacle of your career or be getting close. As motivated people, I expect that many of you are travelling up along a path towards achieving something really big. You are on your way […]

An alternative to “What Makes You Happy?”

Have you ever been asked by someone,  “What makes you happy?” or even asked yourself, “What makes me happy?”.   What did you say the last time? How would you answer now?   Most people answer that question by referring to something that they do not currently have.   For example, many people often reply to […]

Bowie Bonds – David Bowie’s music and the world of Finance

Have you heard of Bowie Bonds? As well as being an innovator in the world of music, fashion and art, David Bowie was also associated with innovation in the world of Finance. Music artists receive royalties for a long period of time after they have recorded their songs. Successful artists can become very rich by […]

Average London House costs half a million pounds

According to Land Registry figures, the average cost of a London House has been over half a million pounds since the autumn of 2015. To put this into context: The average house price for the whole of the UK is much less – about £185,000 The average annual wage in the UK is about £26,500 […]

If I short sell a stock, then am I liable to pay the dividend?

Dividends can be a problem for short sellers. A reader asked the following question  – “If I short sell a stock, then am I liable to pay the dividend?” The simple answer is yes. When you own a stock or have a ‘long’ position in the stock then you are entitled to receive any dividend […]

UK Asset Returns – the previous 5 decades

There are three assumptions about the stockmarket which generally hold true: Firstly, the stockmarkets often rise. Secondly, the stockmarkets often fall ! Thirdly, over a long time period (say 30+ years), the stockmarkets should provide returns ahead of other asset classes. History has taught us this and the above assumptions have certainly held true over […]