Worldwide Financial Planning

Hopes of a deal added to equity market positivity following some strong tech earnings updates, although there are still some concerns about the scale of AI investment. However, America has been excluded from the talks between Iran and Oman. This may help secure a short-term agreement but the US is further from its goals than ever and has shown its willingness to return to hostilities.

Passive investing has been one of the great consumer wins of the last half century. Trackers and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have cut charges, exposed lazy active managers and given ISA and pension investors access to markets at costs that once sounded like fantasy.

The roller coaster of emerging market AI-stocks continued this week. Korea’s Kospi index tumbled before recovering most of its losses. Sentiment there turns fast, and heavy retail use of leveraged products magnifies every turn.

Cash is one of the great comforts of financial life. It sits there, doesn’t shout, doesn’t fall 20 per cent in a bad month, and is available when the boiler decides to retire before you do.

A sharp escalation of fighting in the Middle East pushed the oil price above $100 for the first time in two months, leaving investors once again trying to work out what Donald Trump wants from the war.

Passive funds have done investors a great service by cutting costs and helping ordinary savers access markets through ISAs and pensions. But small and cheap are not the same as safe. Mosquitoes are small too.