Page 4 - DIY Investor Magazine - May 2019

‘THIRTEEN MONTHS MOT’!
Three years ago DIY Investor ran a story (‘Who do you Trust’) positing that as the need for financial self- reliance increases, so does the requirement for more personal responsibility.
When pension freedoms landed in 2015, the siren call
of the snake oil salesmen was depressingly predictable; they never went away, and as investors in London Capital and Finance’s pig in a wig sweat, waiting to see if they’ll get any of their £236m back, we are in the vanguard of calls for greater transparency and disclosure.
The claim in the title came from someone trying to flog me a silver 2L Opel Manta coupé with a black vinyl roof, but they’re everywhere; a quick trawl through my Clutter file tells me I could comfortably be getting 20% p.a. by investing in parcels of land in South America that are ‘guaranteed’ planning, and I recently received a letter (!) informing me of a lady that died intestate in Spain in 2009 and that 60% of her not inconsiderable £68.8m stash could be mine.
However, as LCF bond holders will tell you, if it walks like a duck and quacks, it’s probably a duck; the FCA doesn’t appear to have emerged with much credit either and will have to get its own house in order before pontificating further.
As Saltydog Investor raises a pennant for more openness, we have an excellent article from Mr Bond suggesting a ‘third way’ for fixed income.
Growing up, I don’t recall the world being sepia-toned, and there were no roses around the door, but I don’t think I would have believed the dishonesty, lack of respect and cynicism that pervades this nation in 2019, embodied in the Brexit Hokey Cokey.
If financial self-reliance and personal responsibility are the future then our raison d’être to deliver high quality content to enable the ever growing number of DIY investors make informed investment decisions becomes all the more pertinent.
In this issue, JP Morgan considers giving loved
ones a head start with the ABC of Junior ISAs and Janus Henderson explains the Anatomy of a Good Company; elsewhere, Aberdeen Standard describes a New Dawn for Asian Markets and Polar Capital asks Is it Time to Return to Financials?
Invesco looks at UK equities in Optimistic Investing in a Challenging Market and Merian makes the case for adding actively managed exposure to gold and silver to your portfolio; RM Funds references LCF with Mini Bond – Max Risk? explaining how its structures can protect investors, and Ediston makes the case for investing in specialist REITS.
There’s plenty more besides including how shareholders can wield power to tackle climate change, and some investing basics.
Overall there is a feeling of calm professionalism; Brexit may be a bugger’s muddle but there is an army of sage souls out there doing their due diligence and running the numbers to bring you carefully considered investment opportunities.
Will that stop the spivs and fly-by-nights? No, but reliable information from a reputable source can be invaluable for those in pursuit of financial independence.
As ever we’d love to hear any thoughts or suggestions – ask@diyinvestor.net.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to pen something to a Señor Sergio Rodriguez.
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DIY Investor Magazine | May 2019 4