welshmoneywiz

The Admin Team

Nathan, Melissa and Aneta provide our core to the administration service and have taken on the additional obligation as we have been short a member of staff. Nathan is specialising his focus on Investment Analysis, Melissa in early stage Paraplanner Support. This is only possible with the help, support and care provided by Aneta.

We are pleased to announce the appointment of two new members of staff, who will help with the implementation and application of our new back-office system. Implementation of changes in administration and protocols are driven by the everchanging environment of financial services and our focus to provide a personal, professional and industry leading service.

Our recruitment has taken an interesting, slight variation in path – originally the plan was to take on one additional staff member but two with great potential were interviewed. We’ve chosen to take both:

Beth Welch

We have taken on an undergraduate in June 2019. She is in the last year of her Finance and Accounting Degree, who will be working with us on a part-time basis while she completes her final year over the next two years. She will assist in an Administration Role developing understanding and skills with the aspiration of a career in financial services.

If all proceeds to our mutual plan, following her graduation she would like to move into a full time Administration/Paraplanning Role with aspirations to develop knowledge and skills to become a Financial Adviser with Waverley Court Consulting Ltd in the future.

Linh Lieu

Linh is joining us in the beginning of September 2019, in the role of Assistant Administrator/Trainee Paraplanner.

She is a graduate with a Finance and Accounting Degree and will be developing skills and knowledge to assist both, the Admin Team and Bernadette to strengthen our Research and Paraplanning Function.

Research and Paraplanning

We have taken further steps to integrate the functional components of the advice process into the role within Admin. This allows us to bring all closer together and help facilitate a team approach allowing all staff to add value to the financial services program.

In addition, we are proud to announce Bernadette has recently passed a further qualification in relation to Business Relief Schemes.

Advisory Services and Ongoing Investment Advice

Brett is effectively developing through the Competent Adviser program to his designation of Independent Financial Adviser. We expect him to will pass his Stage 1 Competent Adviser Status imminently, whereby Brett is able to provide support and specific advice directly. This will allow Brett to help facilitate his role within the advice function of the financial planning program.

The plan is as a growing practice, we will move to a system where more complex and specified situations will continue to be provided through Darren Nathan but where suitable and possible, Brett will offer the support and guidance his role facilitates.

Investment Committee

The Investment Committee reviews product development, existing contracts, contract and investment proposition due diligence review, our ongoing investment Assessment, Review and Rebalance Programme and Protocols.

The team receives professional advice through many sources, including Financial Express plus information through platforms, fund management groups, product providers, reviewing complex products (including Structured Deposits and Products).

We assess the existing programs, their success and any changes for consideration and implementation where appropriate.

The core team is Darren Nathan, Brett Harding, Nathan Oliver and Bernadette Hoyle.

Compliance Documentation

Simplification of compliance documentation for completion for ongoing advice. Prior to future meetings, when required, we will be sending you a four page document (if you could complete pages 2 & 3) and this records any changes in circumstances to ensure we fulfil our responsibilities and allows us to provide the existing and robust service.

These need to be updated at least every three years. The exception that will bring the date nearer, is a material change in personal circumstances.

Client Agreement – this document is being updated as there has been an update to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme whereby the cover for Deposits and Investments have been standardised to £85,000.

Summary

There are further additional legislative and compliance changes later in 2019. This is the Senior Management and Certification Regime. We will update you to any implications  to you once  finalised.

Any questions, please ask me to explain further. You can email, telephone or write to me or us.

Overview

We have moved into a time where there are many fears in the markets and world in general. From an investment perspective, this becomes the ideal environment where through our defined approach to investment and portfolio construction. This is where we have been able to add real value.

This manifests itself in losing less when the market drops and making a decent return the rest of the time. The strategy is a multi-asset and diverse approach seeking out sectors in the market where the risk of being over-priced is minimised and utilising niche sectors to target potential future profits.

These are the times where the quality of the strategy shows. This is where we plan to make a notable difference.

FTSE 100 Index Values

After stocks’ seemingly strong start to the year and a minor correction in May, investors have reason to be satisfied with the market’s 2019 performance. But by some measures, the stock market is lagging after shaking off the Q4 panic.

Through the second half of 2019, trade troubles still gnaw at investors. President Donald Trump said he will have an extended meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping but the issue is clouded with uncertainty.

Markets are caught between the incoming data pointing to slower global growth and forward-looking factors that suggest improvement later in the year. History tells us that global equities can continue to rally late in the cycle, even as Government Reserve Banks potentially tighten.

Markets have been in ‘wait and see’ mode. The tensions between the US and Iran have continued. How this dispute plays out from here depends on if we see further attacks on shipping and how the US responds?

The new Prime Minister. In terms of the campaign, there has been plenty of noise with both Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt appearing to still believe the EU is willing to reopen negotiations.

In terms of the portfolios and our views, there’s been no change to recent recommendations. The immediate outlook for risk assets will be driven by headlines from the G20. We are mindful though that with markets at or close to record levels in many cases, and a lot of positive outcomes being assumed on the many geopolitical issues that remain ongoing, there is a lot of good news priced in to current market levels, and the potential for bad news remains elevated with complacency aplenty.

What can we expect in the next six months of 2019?

Making stock market predictions is about as effective as forecasting the number of rainy days in a year. Investors can prepare by focusing on market conditions at hand and the factors that could change, for good or bad.

The US Federal Reserve can take credit for much of the good start to 2019, after a dreadful fourth quarter and an especially nasty spell in December 2018.

We would blame this year’s modest rebound on the trade war with China. This is arguably the single largest factor influencing the stock market forecast. Practically every economist and brokerage pins tariffs as the biggest issue facing the financial markets.

Optimistic White House comments about an imminent trade agreement with China were a reason the stock market climbed the first few months of 2019. Then on May 5, President Trump and U.S. officials suddenly said Chinese negotiators reneged on key parts of the talks. The news rattled the market.

China getting more stimulus

China’s economy continues to slow. The positive outcome is the downturn is pushing authorities toward more aggressive policy stimulus measures. Looking through the noise, there appears to have been a strong lift in bank lending and the broader total social financing measure over early 2019.

Chinese authorities have announced a broad range of tax cuts, and it’s likely that local government spending on infrastructure projects will be ramped up over the next few months.

Stock Market Predictions: Tariffs And The Economy

The surprising turns in the trade war show that the issue is volatile and make the stock market forecast for the remainder of 2019 difficult to make.

Rather than trying to predict the market, we follow a structured approach of multi-asset assessment, stress testing and historic back-testing. We believe this time of volatile mispricing supports are systematic with a tactical overlay approach. Our expectation, given time, is to make a profit.

This bulletin provides information, it is not advice. Any opinions are given in good faith and may be subject to change without notice. Opinions and information included within this document does not constitute advice.