All but five of the 26 investment trusts in the AIC's equity income sector can be bought for less than the value of the assets they hold. This is a recent reversal of fortune for many income investment trusts, which had seen their share prices settle at a premium above their net asset value in recent years, as investors chased yields in the low interest rate environment.

Index and exchange traded funds are the product of choice for investors happy to bank on market performance. But while all essentially do the same thing, performance differs due to cost and two measurements of how closely and well they follow the market, known as tracking difference and error.

In the latest episode of The Investing Show, we take a look at what's actually in the FTSE 100 and whether investors should buy in. We also discuss the best UK bank shares and their prospects and take a look at whether there is any wisdom in the old Sell in May adage.

Choosing the right DIY platform is crucial but a wealth of choice and changes to charges have left many investors scratching their heads. We pick some of the best. We also highlight why investing in an Isa makes sense, as it should protect your hopefully growing investments from tax forever.

At the risk of adding to an already extremely crowded market, I have tried to distil some thoughts on how to invest wisely into a simple plan. These are ideas that I have gleaned magpie-fashion from investors I have spoken to - or read - whose wisdom seems to shine the brightest.

'Sell in May and go away, stay away till St Leger Day' is a timeworn piece of advice to investors, but no financial pundit has ever proved whether it's true or not. Instead of engaging in this dusty debate, we prefer to focus on which shares are likely to do well this summer and beyond, however the wider market performs. Ian Forrest, investment research analyst at The Share Centre, suggests five stocks that look a good buy right now and recaps how our summer share tips from last year performed.

'If you can't find any potential investments that you feel are better than existing holdings in the portfolio its best to sit on your hands.' Our columnist John Rosier delivers his latest update. He looks at what to do when you don;t have any good ideas and reflects on a month in which one of his holdings Fox Marble leapt nearly 40%.

Households holding half their average £54,000 wealth in cash are 'throwing vast sums of money away every year', on low returns, research by a leading fund management house claims. While there may be plenty of savers out there who would acknowledge they have too much in cash, the crucial question many of them will ask is 'where do I start investing?'

China is firmly gripped by stock market fever. The country's mainland index, the Shanghai Composite has been on a tear, up more than 120 per cent in the last year and hitting its highest level for seven years. Some say this is just a preview of things to come, others warn of an impending bubble. Maike Currie takes a look.

China is firmly gripped by stock market fever. The country's mainland index, the Shanghai Composite has been on a tear, up more than 120 per cent in the last year and hitting its highest level for seven years. Some say this is just a preview of things to come, others warn of an impending bubble. Maike Currie takes a look.

It is just over a year since I started the Minor Investor column, with the aim of taking a candid look at my investing experience. In that spirit, I decided the latest column should deliver an honest appraisal of how my investments have fared over that year - and the mistakes I've made along the way.

In the latest episode of our new series, we take a look at why cautious investing may be a risky option, the fund manager vs tracker debate and what next for company profits and the pound. This show features special guest Tom Becket, of PSigma IM, who highlights the dangers he sees for investors and where he'd invest right now.

Its study of 6,500 funds available in the UK found that if they are split in half between high and low cost, the cheaper ones outperformed in 10 out of 12 investment categories in the past decade. Some but not all of the cheaper funds in Vanguard's analysis were 'passive' trackers - which simply duplicate an investment index, rather than try to outperform it. But the company says it findings align with separate research it has done showing high costs are the reason why most 'active' funds - the more expensive kind run by managers trying to beat a market - have lagged their benchmarks over five, 10 and 15 years.

I'm thinking about investing in strategic bonds, as I hear they give a good regular return. But is the money I put into them guaranteed? Holly Black replies.

Passive investors have never had it so good. Costs are falling at the same time as their opportunity to tap into markets increases. But it's not just about tracking a market anymore, smart beta combines passive approaches with active allocation and ready-made passive portfolios are also being snapped up. So what does a good tracker look like?

If you are new to investing then the huge number of funds and investment trusts on offer can be confusing. Fortunately, This is Money's experts have some ideas to get you started.

Investors are able to pocket an average of 4 per cent on an equity income fund, research from Sanlam shows. It has highlighted its favourite funds. Returns beat what you could get in an annuity or government bond, but only a select few funds make it into the White List of top 14 performers.