Knowledge and Insight - Investment insights hub

Will it be a case of the tortoise versus the hare, with last year’s winners taking a breather while the laggards catch up?

With the shadow of a general election looming over the government, chancellor jeremy hunt announced another reduction in the headline rate of national insurance (of two percentage points) in a bid to shore up his party’s flagging support. But that cut will do little to change the near-term economic outlook, and the work of dealing with the bigger structural problems facing the uk economy has largely been left until after the election.

America’s Magnificent Seven tech titans drove equity gains last year, but the latest earnings results have been less than magnificent for some. Can they repeat their performance in 2024?

Pessimism about UK equities is widely held. If it’s based on misconceptions, this could be opening up an opportunity.

Rathbones’ co-chief investment officer, Edward Smith and head of equities, Sanjiv Tumkur share their views on the key questions facing investors and the market impact of the Magnificent Seven US tech giants.

Our lead article to begin the new year takes a look at the tech companies known as the Magnificent Seven. Will these 'superheroes' drive market returns again in 2024?

Why investing in UK property is not always as safe as houses.

Major new technologies often result in investors over-extrapolating: think of radio stocks in the 1920s, or internet stocks in the late 90s. Or even the dominance of miners and oil producers in 2010 as globalisation — which is technological in a sense — was touted as never-ending.

The fits and starts may not be over, but we’re looking forward to a more sustainable recovery beginning in 2024.

For over a year we have been saying that a US and global recession were likely to start within the next 12 months. Our views warranted a cautious investment approach focused on areas of the market that would be likely to produce steadier returns in an economic downturn.

The inflationary shocks caused by the pandemic and war in Ukraine are finally unwinding. But the welcome fading of these shocks doesn’t mean that we’re returning to an environment just like the one before they hit.

We delve into the world of generative AI, demystify this technology craze and consider the investment opportunities and risks it might bring.