Investors in emerging market funds have enjoyed a terrific 12 months, seeing the value of their investments soar by 35 per cent on average. But some brave investors who have poured money into single-country emerging market funds have been rewarded even more handsomely. Funds specialising in Brazil and Russia have performed spectacularly. The BNY Mellon Brazil Equity Fund, for example, has delivered a one-year return of 115 per cent.
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How to profit from the generation who love to spoil themselves: Millennials shun material things in favour of experiences
A fashion crisis has hit the High Street to the tune of £700million, and retailers aren't expecting younger shoppers to help reverse the trend. Unlike their baby-boomer parents who typically liked to buy houses and fill them with stuff, Generation Y are increasingly spending their cash on eating and going out.
Investing Show: Is now a good time to buy emerging markets?
Emerging markets have bounced back, as sentiment has switched from pessimism to optimism. The pound's fall will flatter earnings from such overseas investments, but at the same time it has made buying into them more expensive. So which emerging markets offer the best opportunities and what should UK investors do in light of sterling's fall?
LATEST SHARE TIPS
MIDAS SHARE TIPS: Bar group serves up a mean cocktail but City wants a Revolution
Revolution Bars Group is doing all the right things, but the stock market does not seem to think so. The company announced it was floating early last year, setting a price range of 200p to 240p a share. Initially, there were hopes that demand for the stock would take the price to the top of the range. In the end, Revolution managed to float at only 200p. That was in March 2015, since when the price has drifted to 175½p. This is too cheap.
HOW TO BE A DIY INVESTOR
How much does it cost to invest the easy way? How to find the cheapest DIY model portfolio or online wealth manager
If you don't want to do all the legwork fund selection involves you can access model portfolios and digital wealth managers that find suitable products, but how do you weigh up their costs? We take a look a some of the most popular options and reveal the costs associated with letting a platform build and run a fund portfolio for you.
INVESTING NEWS AND IDEAS
Marmitegate was just the beginning: Experts warn spat was 'thin edge of the wedge', so should investors stick with supermarkets and retail?
Supermarket giant Tesco scored a PR victory last week in the Marmitegate spat with consumer brands titan Unilever, but investors need to weigh up just how the falling pound will hit supermarkets and other retailers, say experts. While the weak pound is good for some, the flip side is pressure on import prices and there will be more spats like Marmitegate. So what does that mean for investors in retailers?
Five future fund stars who could make you rich: Get on board early to really rake in the returns
Investors who backed Neil Woodford - who now runs CF Woodford Equity Income - at the turn of the millennium could have turned £10,000 into £45,000 today. But to really rake in the returns you needed to get on board early. If you'd spotted Mr Woodford's potential when he started out at Invesco Perpetual in 1988, you could have turned £10,000 into £299,000 by now.
MINOR INVESTOR: If the pound keeps falling the FTSE 100 could hit 7,700, says Richard Buxton - crazy as that may sound
'At the moment, to be honest, it's very, very simple, it's all about the currency', said veteran fund manager Richard Buxton when we discussed the Footsie this week - and that means the stock market could keep rising. If sterling goes to 1.15 to the dollar as some are suggesting, he says the current trend could deliver a FTSE 100 at 7,700.
Is your financial adviser as qualified as they claim: Which? probe finds glaring holes in spot checks on credentials
Which? found glaring holes in what qualifications advisers claimed to have and what they officially held during spot checks of listings on two specialist search sites. People considering using a firm of advisers should ask about their qualifications, then approach the professional body that offers them to confirm the details, Which? suggests.
Why long-term investing works: How putting £10K into the stock market would have earned you £90K more than cash savings over three decades
While the stock market goes up and down, when it comes to investing it seems that it's worth playing the long game. A £10,000 investment in the FTSE 100 in 1986 would now be worth an impressive £126,867. If you had left the same amount in an average savings account, it would be worth £28,196 - almost £100,000 less.
MINOR INVESTOR: How the art of doing nothing turned into a winning Brexit investing strategy
Having never got round to tweaking my Isa portfolio before the EU referendum, I resisted the temptation afterwards. As luck would have it that was the right move, my portfolio is up 9.1% on where it stood three months ago and 14% on the week after the vote. Now, though, I risk falling into a new trap of thinking this was down to investing skill. ...read
INVESTMENT EXTRA: Which tech star is the next takeover target after ARM Holdings?
INVESTMENT EXTRA: Which tech star is the next takeover target after ARM Holdings?
The banknotes worth more than face value: As the Bank of England prints the first plastic Churchill fivers, interest in early five-pound notes is set to rise
The new note will be phased in so that by May 2017 it will have replaced the old fiver altogether - shops will then stop accepting paper £5 notes as legal tender. The Royal Mint is replacing the £1 coin from next March in a bid to beat fraudsters - as one in 30 £1 coins is believed to be a counterfeit.
My fight to shield savers from the City pickpockets: Fund manager accuses industry of fleecing investors with hidden fees
The finance industry is fabulous at making money for itself, but pretty rubbish at creating wealth for the people it is supposed to serve: small savers and investors like you and me. That's the view of former fund manager David Pitt-Watson, who speaks with the authority of a man who has spent decades inside the charmed City circle.
Can you tot up financial losses correctly? Only two in five people can - take our quiz to see if you are one of them
Many people under-estimate financial losses and the difficulty of breaking even again afterwards because they struggle with the maths - are you among them? We're running five questions, first posed to some 3,500 people by a University of Stirling researcher, so This is Money readers can see if their arithmetic is better. Take the quiz and find out...
REVEALED: Hedge fund caught short as doom-monger Crispin Odey is the WORST performer in 2016 but don't weep for him - he's still worth £20m
Odey shot to fame after predicting the financial crash and making huge profits on collapsing bank shares. But his more recent forecasts of doom have so far failed to materialise and his flagship €730million (£628million) fund is languishing at the bottom of the rankings. HSBC said in a performance review released earlier this month that Odey's European fund took the wooden spoon after plunging by 29.2 per cent between January 1 and July 29.
These countries are the world's top 10 Olympic powerhouses - but what are their investment prospects? Fund managers pick the best opportunities
As global attention turns to Rio for the Games of the XXXI Olympiad, what are the prospects for investors in the world's most powerful Olympic sporting nations? Fund managers, CIOs and analysts give their top pick of the investment opportunities in the 10 countries which topped the medal tally in 2012.
Investors spooked by Brexit and commercial property fears pull £3.5bn from funds in June - six times more than at height of the financial crisis
Investors cashed in their investments to the tune of £3.5billion in June as the fear and subsequent realisation of a Brexit vote took its toll on confidence and the markets. Investors' rush for the exit eclipsed that seen at the height of the financial crisis, even taking into account total assets under management are about twice as high now.
Get your AIM right and you could make a mint! Experts take their pick of the risky firms on the Alternative Investment Market
AIM companies tend to be smaller businesses, often start-ups or specialists in niche areas. The rules and regulations for listing on this stock market are less stringent than for the FTSE. And all of that makes investing in this area incredibly risky. But among the 1,000 or so companies on AIM, there are some gems.
The tycoon who came to tea: Nirmal Sethia wouldn't sell his £160MILLION collection (including Nelson's teapot) for all the tea in China
Tea is far more than a refreshing drink for Nirmal Sethia - it is a divine gift of life. Inspired by his late wife Chitra, who died just over five years ago, the owner of Newby Teas has amassed a collection of some 1,700 rare and valuable tea-related items worth up to an astonishing £160million. Sethia says: 'Tea is like a beautiful woman - not to be recognised for its appearance but valued for its character. It should be treated with respect and dignity. Tea is a mark of civilisation.' Among his prized possessions is a silver teapot with a wooden handle engraved 'N' - a 'bachelor teapot' used by Admiral Horatio Nelson. It is now worth up to £200,000. ...read
How to cash in on the British tourist boom: A weak pound is set to send holidaymakers flocking.... so which shares will benefit?
A weak pound could see holidaymakers flock to these shores and more Brits deciding to spend their holidays in the UK. If that happens, then firms which provide for days out should soar. The firm, which runs Thorpe Park, Madame Tussauds and Legoland, is the largest theme park operator in the UK and one of the few leisure stocks which has rallied since the referendum result.
I have £10,000 towards a house deposit. Where can I invest this for six months so that it can grow while I continue to save?
I am saving to put down a deposit on a house - I have £10,000 so far. Where can I invest this for around six months so that it can grow while I continue to save? Holly Black replies, 'While I can see the logic in your plan to invest your cash while you build up the last bit of your deposit, I'm afraid that this is not the best course of action. Investing is for the long term.' ...read
Why you should NEVER gamble your pension on property funds: Peter and Sandra did and lost £43,000 - and can't get it back despite being victims of mis-selling
Peter and Sandra Whiston, both retired and in their 70s, who were mis-sold a risky property investment have been left £43,000 out of pocket after their financial advisers used a legal loophole to wriggle out of paying compensation. The Whistons are being forced to go through the courts by Positive Solutions, one of Britain's biggest advice firms. The company admitted it was 'negligent' and 'wrong' to have recommended they put their £104,000 savings in a property fund that was too risky for their needs.
'Investors need to take a deep breath and count to ten': Brexit tips to avoid knee-jerk reactions that could cost you a fortune
The stock market may have fallen sharply on Friday morning following confirmation that the nation had voted to leave the European Union, but it made good some of its early losses by the time it closed. If you do not need to access your long-term investments for a pressing financial need, experts are encouraging investors to bite their lips and see out the market froth.
'Cash beats shares!' BBC journalist Paul Lewis challenges conventional investing wisdom in study covering 21 years
Saving in best buy cash accounts over the past two decades beat putting your money in a FTSE 100 tracker the majority of the time, according to research by BBC Money Box presenter Paul Lewis. The high profile financial journalist carried out a huge study on conventional wisdom that investing in stocks is more rewarding than saving over the long term.
Oil price is back at $50 and could go higher - but will some top-performing income funds and trusts be at risk from the recovery?
Investors in top-performing income funds and trusts could suffer a reversal in fortune if the oil price continues to recover because many have low weightings in the sector, a leading analyst has warned. The price of Brent crude has already nearly doubled from a low of $27 a barrel in January to around $50 now, and could well carry on rising even if leading oil nations can't agree to curb production at an Opec meeting in Vienna this week.
The 'eighth wonder of the world' that could make or break your fortunes: How to unleash the 'awesome power' of compound interest... and calculate it
Albert Einstein called compounding the eighth wonder of the world. It's a simple but extraordinarily powerful force that anyone saving for their future or going into debt should understand, says Tom Stevenson of Fidelity International. He explains how to work it out and apply it when you're making real life money decisions.
Beware the property funds that lock you in when prices fall or charge up to 5% to access your savings
Savers fear their cash may be locked up as property funds close their doors. In a move reminiscent of the property crash of 2007 several major property funds have started to bar savers from escaping. Property funds at Henderson, Standard Life and M&G; have all invoked their right to charge investors to redeem their cash in a bid to stem outflows. ...read
Are you still being charged for fund advice you no longer receive? Why your old Isa could be leaking thousands
Up to 250,000 investors are still having charges taken from funds to pay for advice. All those affected visited a financial adviser before 2013 and unless they act now they could lose thousands. Until the crackdown in 2013, it was normal for advisers to take commission for the Isas and pensions they set up for customers.
INVESTING VIEWS FROM OUR COLUMNISTS
THE MINOR INVESTOR COLUMN
- How to build a buy-and-hold dividend portfolio - and the shares that made the cut
- Why long-term investing works - and the easiest way to do it
- Sell (mostly) everything! Is it time for the MINOR INVESTOR to heed the dire warnings?
- This was a strange year for investors - and 2016 could be even trickier - but I'm still buying
- Emerging markets look cheap, so why am I not diving in?
MAIKE CURRIE
- Is it time to buy 'good value' emerging markets? The regions and funds to tap into now
- Why smaller companies will continue to outpace their larger counterparts
- How to invest your pension pot wisely
- The big swing from growth to value: Why unloved stocks could soon have their moment in the sun
- The smart way to invest in technology: How to tap into innovation
- Finding shelter from the stock market storms: Four investments that can provide protection and profit
This is MoneyINVESTMENT CLINIC
MORE NEWS
- I like to invest in shares rather than funds - which is the best website?
- What should I do with the £20,000 I intend to split between my two children?
- I have three buy-to-let mortgages and a £100k lump sum - should I pay down the highest interest rate or the biggest balance?
- I got an email suggesting I buy shares in a small company for a few pence. Should I go for it?
- I have £20k to invest and don't have access to internet - can I have an account with a fund supermarket by telephone or post?
- I want to get a 15% a year return on my investments - how can I do that?
THE INVESTING SHOW
Investing Show: Banks are suffering but they're good value in an expensive market, says Richard Buxton
Investors need to be bold to hold banks right now, but experienced fund manager Richard Buxton is sticking to his guns. He reveals why he is looking for value, as defensive stocks look expensive. And with the stock market soaring even as the pound has taken a beating, he explains what's going on and why that means big blue-chip dollar earners could make a good buy.
INVESTING IDEAS
From gold to classic cars and wine, how to make money tax-free from alternative investments
You can enjoy great tax breaks with alternative investments - putting money into fine wine, classic cars, gold or perhaps even stamps. But before you take the plunge, you need to realise that while they can be rewarding, alternative investments can also prove volatile and illiquid. We explain what you need to know
CHECK YOUR INVESTMENTS
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£5.95 online share dealing rate first 3 months -
Guidance and tools
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Explore 2,500+ funds
£7.50 share and investment trust dealing
THE INVESTING SHOW
- Investing Show: Is now a good time to buy emerging markets?
- Investing Show: Banks are suffering but they're good value in an expensive market, says Richard Buxton
- Investing Show: We've bought US tech stars like Tesla because of how great they could really become, says Scottish Mortgage's Tom Slater
- Investing Show: Banks are suffering but they're good value in an expensive market, says Richard Buxton
- Investing Show: Should investors worry about the US election, banks and a 'hard Brexit'?
- Investing Show: Can investors make money by keeping it simple?
- Investing Show: Rate cuts are pointless but infrastructure is the next opportunity for investors
- Investing Show: The value investor who likes unloved bank and supermarket shares
- Investing Show: Best places to invest around the world to beat Brexit
- Investing Show: Where should you invest and what should you avoid after Brexit?
Investing: don't miss
- Marmitegate was just the beginning Experts warn spat was 'thin edge of the wedge', so should investors stick with supermarkets and retail?
- How LOW can it go? The winners and losers in the pound crisis - and how to smooth its negative effects
- Fidelity's bargain hunter Alex Wright Why I'm backing Sports Direct - and buying into companies with pension deficits
- Five future fund stars who could make you rich Get on board early to really rake in the returns
- Would you like an expert's help with your investments and savings? Get ideas to improve your wealth in our Money Pit Stop
- Where are investors buying ETFs? T op destinations for index investing revealed... and the area being ditched
- INVESTMENT CLINIC I've inherited £50,000. Should I use it to overpay on my mortgage or to start investing?
- MINOR INVESTOR If the pound keeps falling the FTSE 100 could hit 7,700, says Richard Buxton - crazy as that may sound
- The salesmen offering 40% returns on burial plots As banks slash their rates, savers are being tempted by exotic deals... but can any be trusted?
- Is your financial adviser as qualified as they claim Which? probe finds glaring holes in spot checks on credentials
- ASK TONY Mystery of the lost £80k in shares as Santander blames 'systems error' for losing retired couple's savings
- Why long-term investing works How putting £10K into the stock market would have earned you £90K more than cash savings over three decades.
- Top UK fund manager Mark Slater 'The FTSE 100 is too expensive - we are having to hunt around for growth'
- I'd like an old-fashioned human advisory stockbroker on the end of the phone Do they still exist?
- Is it worth paying big fees for some funds? High performers can outweigh the extra cost, but picking winners is a tough game
- MINOR INVESTOR How the art of doing nothing turned into a winning Brexit investing strategy
- Why builders will be a good bet after Brexit Ultra-low mortgage rates will help Britons looking to buy a home
- Are investment trusts now PRICIER than their fund rivals? Boards urged to cut costs as performance lags
Investing essentials
- How to pick the best (and cheapest) DIY investing Isa A wealth of choice and changes to charges have left many investors scratching their heads
- Fund and investment trust tips: The experts' ideas for different investors and the easy ways to invest your Isa
- MINOR INVESTOR: Why long-term investing works - and the easiest way to do it
- How to invest in funds, investment trusts and ETFs And save money as a DIY investor
- How to invest in shares Your complete guide to joining the excitement of individual share-picking
MIDAS SHARE TIPS
- MIDAS SHARE TIPS: Bar group serves up a mean cocktail but City wants a Revolution
- MIDAS SHARE TIPS UPDATE: Canny property veterans watch income soar by 57% at Palace Capital
- MIDAS SHARE TIPS: Why cutting edge Spire Healthcare deserves a 'buy' treatment
- MIDAS SHARE TIPS UPDATE: After a year of paper losses, shares in gas group CNR now show a 28% gain
- MIDAS SHARE TIPS: As the markets totter, luxury footwear brand Jimmy Choo is on a sound footing
- MIDAS TIPS UPDATE: Share price has slimmed down a little - but OptiBiotix's profile is set to expand
- MIDAS SHARE TIPS: Uranium miner Berkeley Energia promises us a brighter future
- MIDAS SHARE TIPS: Wind blows in right direction for renewable energy supplier Good Energy
- MIDAS SHARE TIPS UPDATE: Strong performance from sports supplement firm SiS... but shares still need a boost
- MIDAS SHARE TIPS: Franchise Brands boss is hoping to repeat the Domino's effect
FUND AND TRUST IDEAS
- MOMENTUM FACTOR 5 FUND: The investment where inflation spells good news
- JPMORGAN AMERICAN INVESTMENT TRUST: 'Trump or Clinton? We're more worried about interest rates'
- EVENLODE INCOME: How two Wise men turned £1m into £1bn in just seven years
- CHARTERIS GOLD & PRECIOUS METALS: Fund delivers a 12-month return of 179% as gold prices rise
- THREADNEEDLE UK PROPERTY: Fund re-opens after post-Brexit alarm subsides
- HERMES GLOBAL EMERGING MARKETS: Growth before location, that's the drill for emerging markets
- JUPITER ABSOLUTE RETURN: If a firm's in the soup we'll short it, says boss James Clunie
- MONKS INVESTMENT TRUST: 'I'm disappointed' says fund boss who made 29% profit in a year
- AURORA INVESTMENT TRUST: Will Aurora see a brighter dawn as Mars is left behind?
- INTERNATIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGY TRUST: Doctor, analyst... and grand master at the biotech 'slow game of chess'
- EDINBURGH DRAGON TRUST: Investment trust roars back with 40% gain in six months
- MITON CAUTIOUS MONTHLY INCOME: The fund's tortoise technique to win the race for dividends
- LAZARD WORLD TRUST: Manager Kun Deng always does his shopping in the discount aisle
- JP MORGAN CLAVERHOUSE: Fizzing mixer drinks maker Fever-Tree gives FTSE fund added sparkle
Monthly Or Lump Sum Savings Calculator
DON'T MISS
- Do you use a password of three random words? Despite GCHQ advice, 65% of internet users don't.... - here's how to see if yours is strong enough.
- BIG SHOT OF THE WEEK: WPP boss Like Eagles' classic Hotel California for Sir Martin Sorrell - he can check out but he can never leave
- Fancy a mortgage that pays YOU every month? We compare the new 'retirement income mortgage' with traditional options.
- An early Christmas present Personalised sacks duo bag a deal with John Lewis
- The everyday habits that could be costing you HUNDREDS on your energy bill every year
- New scandal for Royal Bank of Scotland After lender is accused of destroying small firms, it now faces huge payouts to its victims
- One of the last moated castles in England is for sale and comes with an old dungeon and three converted turrets Be your own king of the castle!
- Rising inflation hits consumers' wallets and confidence as spending power drops to lowest in almost two years
- Ford latest car manufacturer to pledge future to Britain Just a day after Nissan, Ford said there were no plans to close any of its UK operations.
- Mercedes-Benz reveals its X-Class designed to take workhorse 4x4s upmarket Meet the premium pick-up truck.
- Eye-catching two year remortgage fix at 0.98% But how does Yorkshire BS deal stack up
- If someone offers you £112.50 for £50 then you should take it, says SIMON LAMBERT... - and that's the good news about pension saving.
- Six tricks you need to know to cut your fuel bill Follow these simple tips and you could save your household hundreds every year.
- That's far from mini! New Countryman revealed as the biggest Mini ever made at 4.3 metres long
FUND JARGON BUSTER
Acc: Accumulation - any income generated by the fund like dividends or interest is automatically reinvested.
Inc: Income - any income generated is distributed by the fund instead of being reinvested.
Dis: Distribution - any income generated is distributed by the fund instead of being reinvested.
R: Retail - the fund is aimed at ordinary investors.
I/Inst: Institutional - the fund is aimed at corporate investors like pension funds.
A, B, M, X etc: Different fund houses use letters for different things. Check with them what they stand for.
NT/No trail: Some fund houses use this name on clean funds which carry no commissions for financial advisers, supermarkets or brokers, just the fee levied by the fund manager. But other fund houses use different letters - I, D or Y, for example - so you need to find out for yourself which are clean funds.
Gr: Stands for gross.
GBP/£: Fund denominated in pounds.
EUR: Fund denominated in euros.
USD/$: Fund denominated in US dollars.
Compiled with online stockbroker The Share Centre
TOP DIY INVESTING PLATFORMS
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Great service
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Investment ideas and model portfolios -
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0.24% admin fee, £2.50 share dealing -
Low annual charge
0.2% funds fee and £4.95 dealing -
Intelligent investing
Special offer: 6 months no management fee -
Easy to use
Free fund dealing, competitive 0.35% fee -
Low cost funds
0.25% annual fee, no dealing charge -
Welcome rate
£5.95 online share dealing rate first 3 months -
Guidance and tools
Typical 0.35% fee and fund guidance -
Explore 2,500+ funds
£7.50 share and investment trust dealing
INVESTING TIPS AND OUTLOOKS
Are you paying too much for funds? The best DIY investing platforms for four different types of investor
Investors are pouring record amounts of money into funds and trusts - but have you chosen the best broker to help you buy your investments? The easiest way to invest is through an online platform. These are essentially one-stop shops for buying funds, investments trusts and shares, and are generally much cheaper than buying directly from the fund companies themselves.But which one you choose will depend on what type of investor you are. We explain what to consider.
Invest around the world at low cost: Reasons to add ETFs to your investment portfolio
While market performance is outside of an investor's control, the amount they pay is firmly in their hands and many are looking to lower cost alternatives offered by either exchange traded funds. Why are more investors buying into ETFs and what can they do for you? We reveal five reasons to add ETFs to your portfolio.
Dumb tracker, cheap do-it-all fund, or smart beta? Passive investing has never been cheaper, here's how you can track the market
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?
Investor essentials and share and fund prices
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Share prices
View all UK shares -
Top movers
Latest risers and fallers -
Company A-Z
Directory of UK shares -
Fund data tables
Thousands of investments -
Economy
Latest economic data -
Market diary
Big events in the City -
Broker views
Buys, sells and holds -
Commodities
Oil and gold prices -
Charting
Compare share performance