Investing

Iceland’s bonds are back from the brink, as today’s headlines are tomorrow’s fish and chips wrapping. (Though don’t try wrapping your scampi in this roundup!)

Spreading your money overseas as liberally as any colonial power ever did means you reduce all sorts of risks when investing in shares, provided you’ve a long-term horizon.

Tax is not payable on capital gains with spread bets. While it’s certainly a risky form of pseudo-investing, it might be useful in some circumstances.

Facebook is set to be the largest internet IPO in history. How will the entry of this behemoth affect your index trackers?

Here’s a way for UK investors to get exposure to value-based smaller companies. The Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust currently looks good value, to boot.

BlackRock index funds offer keen TERs, and some rare emerging market and property asset allocation options, so why are they so little known?

Halifax is offering spread betting alongside its traditional share dealing service.

Monevator’s passive investing model portfolio is one-year old. See how our picks have fared in a tumultuous year.

Are UK house prices going to stay elevated compared to their old incomes or rent measures, and why does it matter?

I think all these companies have some attractive qualities and good potential, but obviously also risks.

Commercial property is an attractive asset class to own, and I think now looks a good time to buy – not as cheap as in 2009, but unless you expect a European blow-up not as risky, either.

Vanguard funds have popped up on Hargreaves Lansdown. But are you better off switching to a cheaper platform?

Vanguard funds – Britain’s cheapest index trackers – have arrived on Hargreaves Lansdown amid much uproar about the broker’s platform fees.

Britain looks set for more years of slog, but our corporate sector should do much better, and besides, shares look cheap.

BlackRock index trackers have been identified as a cheap way of buying passive funds on Hargreaves Lansdown but things soon get messy.