I have a Cunning Plan!
…..which was often a phrase emanating from the hapless crew of Blackadder! It may sound bizarre, but could Donald Trump and the Republican Administration actually have a ‘cunning tariff plan’?
Investment Strategy Quarterly – April 2025
The second Investment Strategy Quarterly of 2025 takes the lid off some of the big themes in global investments at the moment, including the Trump effect across tariffs, deregulation, deportations and more, as well as options for UK market resilience in the face of challenging times. We also take a look at potential strategies for Europe and the case for industrial metals.
Read all this and more in Investment Strategy Quarterly: Markets on the Clock.
Spring Statement: What does it mean for your finances?
Our Spring Statement article highlights the key points from the Chancellor’s recent announcement, outlining what it means for you ahead of the upcoming tax year.
Sledgehammer
With the current US administration seemingly taking a sledgehammer to established norms, our European Strategist, Jeremy Batstone-Carr considers the potential effects of tariffs, changing international relations, domestic increases in defence spending and more, on investments.
Taking Stock
The Importance of Maintaining Balance: Part 2!
In April 2024, I wrote a Taking Stock called ‘Mind your Balance’ – a reference to the ‘skew’ towards the US in global equity portfolios.
Taking Stock
Raymond James, Richmond visits The Stoop: Harlequins 33 London Scottish 14
Following on from last September, London Scottish returned to The Stoop to face Harlequins in the 4th round of the Prem Cup.
Twin Peaks
Jeremy Batstone-Carr, Raymond James European Strategist, takes a deep dive into some of last month’s destabilizing activities including the potential ramifications of the new US administration’s campaign promises and the recent upset in the technology sector generated by China’s norm-busting AI model, DeepSeek.
Taking Stock
Raymond James, Richmond – Winter Wellness Fair
Last weekend, over 20 local small businesses around Sheen & Richmond attended the Winter Wellness Fair at the Hare & Hounds, East Sheen.Continue reading
Taking Stock
Raymond James, Richmond wishes all our clients a Merry Christmas!
Will Syria trouble markets?
The exit of President Bashir Assad from Syria has resulted in a bloodless revolution so far. However, could the uprising have an impact on oil markets?
“Seismic”
Our European Strategist, Jeremy Batstone-Carr considers the potentially seismic effect of the US election result on global markets, and China in particular, including some possible effects of the much-touted trade tariffs that have been promised for the coming year. And as the effects of the UK Budget become clearer, what is the potential for domestic inflation?
Silver Blaze
With the long-awaited UK Budget and the US election now upon us, Raymond James’ European Strategist, Jeremy Batstone-Carr, considers the potential effects of tax rises and increased public investment (as well as an increase in borrowing), along with some thoughts on the direction of the markets post-election.
Autumn Budget Newsletter 2024
Our Autumn Budget Newsletter breaks down the Chancellor’s recent announcement, outlining what it means for you and helping you to plan for the upcoming calendar year.
Investment Strategy Quarterly – October 2024
Our latest Investment Strategy Quarterly gives you informed insights on what we might expect from the recent change in UK government, options to consider in the run-up to the US election, the cost of tariffs and the reliability of the inverted yield curve.
Read all this and more in Investment Strategy Quarterly: The Great American Road Trip.
Taking Stock
Did I hear that correctly?
With all the doom and gloom in the papers about the inheritance the Conservatives have left Labour, the Autumn Budget uncertainty, alarming national debt levels and a recent sharp drop in consumer confidence, you’d be forgiven for missing the fact that the British Pound, versus the US Dollar, is trading at its highest in two and a half years!
Taking Stock
Raymond James, Richmond cycles from London to Amsterdam!
Last weekend, I took part in a charity cycle ride from London to Amsterdam, to raise money for Thomson House School, based in South-West London.
Taking Stock
Raymond James, Richmond visits The Stoop: Harlequins 35 London Scottish 0
Last weekend, the London Scottish Championship team visited The Stoop, home of the great Harlequins Premiership Rugby team, in a pre-season friendly that was sure to provide a fantastic spectacle! Raymond James, Richmond was very fortunate, courtesy of Charles Stanley, to have secured a box for the match – and Raymond James, Richmond clients were treated to an afternoon of French rosé, pizza and snacks. We were visited in our box by Josh Bellamy and Ben Waghorn, both Senior Academy players at Harlequins, and who helped England to victory over France in the U20 World cup this summer – an amazing achievement and two very fine, articulate young gentlemen sure to go far in the game!Continue reading
Taking stock
Raymond James, Richmond visits the US!
For those who don’t know, my wife is American and each summer we and the kids spend time in North Carolina in the US, visiting family. Also, for those who don’t know, Raymond James is predominantly a US company, founded in 1962 and a public company listed in the US since 1983. UK operations only commenced in 2001.
Low notes and high notes
Our European Strategist, Jeremy Batstone-Carr reflects on the Bank of England’s interest rate cuts, Japan’s recent policy changes and market uncertainty surrounding the US election.
The turning point?
Our European Strategist, Jeremy Batstone-Carr takes the monthly temperature of the global markets and asks – have we reached the turning point for investors holding broadly diversified portfolios?
City of Lights, Market of Opportunities
Our latest Investment Strategy Quarterly gives you informed insights on the potential aftermath of the US election, the effects of AI on energy markets, changing global demographics and political unrest in Europe.
Raymond James, Richmond comes to Thomson House School in East Sheen!
Part of our mission at Raymond James, Richmond is to make investing and finance accessible to all. We make sure we communicate with you in ways that go beyond general statements and bland marketing emails. That’s why we’re out in the local community, telling people how we can add value and assist clients with their finances and investments. On June 15th, we were at Thomson House School Summer Fair, in East Sheen, meeting parents and teachers alike, discussing the value of investing in clear, simple language.
Taking Stock
It’s all about Artificial Intelligence!!
Further evidence of the snowballing investor interest in Artificial Intelligence came from our recent Raymond James Forum, held on 17th & 18th June, where a series of investor seminars were held. The most popular one appeared to be put on by T. Rowe Price: Generative Artificial Intelligence: The most important innovation since electricity?
Sizzle And Fizzle
In this month’s Market Commentary, our European Strategist, Jeremy Batstone-Carr, looks back on a ‘series of all-time highs’ for many global stock markets, efficient energy solutions needed to support the development of artificial intelligence, and potential impact of upcoming global elections on the financial markets.
Taking Stock
The leading UK share index has just done something it has only done once before since 1984 – that is, 12 closing all-time highs in any rolling one-month period. The last time this happened was in January 2017.
‘Exuberance’ and ‘UK shares’ have rarely been mentioned in the same sentence for many years now. As the chart below shows, even with dividends reinvested, the MSCI United Kingdom index (black line) has significantly underperformed the US S&P 500 (red line) over the past ten years even with dividends reinvested!