In the last three weeks, one question constantly comes up in conversation with my friends, “What do you prefer, unit trusts or ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds)?”
My quick answer is always ETFs. But then I'm bombarded with follow up questions asking, “What's the difference and why do you like them so much?”
So, today, I want to put these questions to rest and explain once and for all, why... ››› more
Imagine this…
You invest your hard-earned cash into a fund to help grow your retirement portfolio, but in a mere 2 days, the fund you've invested in loses 66%.
This happened to investors in the Third Circle MET Target Return Fund in December.
What's more, Asset Managers who invested in this fund also lost a fair chunk of their portfolio.
That's why today I want to share the three red... ››› more
No other investment vehicle can give you access to a more diversified fund as quickly and cheaply as ETFs can.
They're so popular, in fact, that there are over 4,000 ETFs available in the world right now.
But the one thing people will never tell you is that not all ETFs are created the same.
That's why today, I'll reveal the three most crucial boxes you need to tick before you invest your... ››› more
If you want to invest in unit trusts, you'll soon find out that there are a large number out there to consider.
So where should you look to find out everything you need to know about a specific unit trust?
You need to look at its fact sheet…
What is a unit trust’s fact sheet?
All unit trusts have a fact sheet. As well as for unit trusts, you’ll also find fact sheet... ››› more
If you fancy buying gold stocks as you see a recovery coming for the sector or to gain exposure to the gold price, it can be difficult to know which ones to buy.
One way to get around this is to buy into a unit trust that invests in gold stocks for you.
So what should you look at when weighing up different gold unit trusts?
Read on to find out…
The ins and outs of gold unit tr... ››› more
If you want to invest in tracker funds, you have two options available to you. You can invest in exchange traded funds (ETFs) or you can invest in passively managed unit trusts.
So which is the best option for you?
Read on to find out more…
The differences between ETFs and unit trusts
There are a lot of similarities between ETFs and unit trusts.
Both these types... ››› more
You can use unit trusts to gain exposure to shares on the stock market, but this isn't the only option for you have with this kind of fund.
You can also invest in fixed-interest unit trusts too.
So what are fixed-interest unit trusts? And what type of fixed-interest funds are available to invest in?
Read on to find out…
The ins and outs of fixed-interest unit trusts
... ››› more
Whilst you may opt to invest in one or two actively managed unit trusts where the fund manager tries to outperform the market, there is a place for passively managed unit trusts in your portfolio.
Passively managed funds aim to track the performance of the market.
So how should you go about choosing tracker unit trusts?
Read on to find out…
The ins and outs of tracker unit trusts
... ››› more
Ethical investing is growing in popularity.
Ethical investing involves only investing in companies that stick to certain ethics and this means avoiding investing in companies which deal in arms, tobacco and alcohol, for example.
There is an ethical fund in the UK which has outperformed its benchmark and is looking good for further outperformance.
Let's take a closer look…
An ethi... ››› more
If you're looking for a simpler way to invest, unit trusts are a good alternative to investing directly on the stock market.
A unit trust fund manager makes all the decisions for you, but you still need to decide what types of unit trusts to invest in.
So what are the most common types of unit trusts available?
Let's take a closer look…
The benefits of investing in unit trusts
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For some investors, the idea of putting a large proportion of their investment money in equity unit trusts doesn't appeal. This is usually due to the higher risks associated with investing in shares.
As well as using unit trusts to invest in shares, you can also invest in unit trusts focusing on bonds.
So how should you go about deciding how to split your unit trusts between shares and bonds... ››› more
Not all unit trusts are managed the same. The fund manager either actively manages the unit trust to try to beat its benchmark or passively manages the unit trust aiming to track the performance of its benchmark.
As an investor, there are a few things you need to consider before deciding which unit trust management is for you…
The downside of actively managed unit trusts
Fund... ››› more
Unit trusts can be a great investment vehicle. They're easy to invest in and you don't have to pick individual stocks.
But you still need to make some decisions. You need to decide which types of unit trusts you want to invest in.
If you want exposure to the South African stock market, you have four different types of funds to consider…
How SA equity unit trusts work
With ... ››› more
When it comes to investing, it's important to build up a diversified portfolio. By diversifying, you reduce the overall risk of your portfolio.
Unit trusts can help you to diversify your holdings. And there is one type of unit trust in particular that could help you achieve diversification easily.
This type of unit trust is a fund of funds.
Read on to find out more…
What is a fund... ››› more
Once you know the type of unit trust you want to invest in, you'll discover that there are many similar unit trusts on the market.
So how can you weigh up the best option?
Read on to find out…
What is the TER?
All unit trusts must publish their total expense ratio (TER). South African unit trusts have had to provide this since May 2007.
The TER gives you all the... ››› more