Welcome to Concept Financial Solutions Limited
Market update 26 - 16 Oct 2023
We hope you are all well, staying safe and ready for the autumn season prior to the cold of winter.
The office is open as normal. We are contactable via all normal available resources.
We send out regular information to clients regarding their Investment/Pension portfolios. There are the quarterly Newsletters (Q3 issue now online) and other tools available on this website in Online Services for more general information and access to services. Most of you have online access to provider platforms and product sites.
We have a new Buildings and Contents insurance option available to you on the website for 2023/24 to enable you to enter your own details into a Broker provider website for multiple quotes from well known insurance companies. See 'Get Quote' under Online Services. Please note you are dealing with the broker provider, The Source directly. We only provide you with access to them as an additional service as a user of our website. (Concept FS do not provide any advice or specific recommendation in relation to this service as we act only as an introducer via this website).
The office is staffed daily for the period between 9.30 am and 4.30 pm Monday to Friday(Normal). Post and telephone messages are monitored and answered, also we are contactable on our mobile numbers directly.
If phone calls are not answered please leave a message with your details. We will call you back. Please text or email if preferred. See the contacts page on this website for our telephone numbers and email.
We offer client meetings as home visits as well as meetings in the office (albeit limited due to space)
We have technology available to provide online visual/verbal contact - preferred medium being Teams or Zoom
We are still working remotely from home where possible, as well as from the office.
We are here for our existing clients as well as new potential clients looking for Financial Advice.
Investment outlook and current situation.
Political unrest continues in the world, conflicts and environmental events still create anxiety with unfortunate consequences for humanity, our safety and financial well being. The main anxieties being created presently by the Israeli/ Palestinian conflict, Russia/Ukraine conflict, the Cost of Living crisis, and more locally UK inflation and interest rate rises.
We look to keep up to date with these events and try to make sense of decisions made by politicians and financial officials that have major effects on markets and our financial well-being. There is very little we can do once events take their course and markets are unsettled until some level of order and understanding starts a beginning of stabilisation. Banks are still under pressure from rising inflation and increasing interest rates which make Bond markets reduce in capital value, especially long dated Bonds. Therefore putting pressure on Bank capitalisation and liquidity. However, most are well Capitalised due to tighter regulation and should withstand the present circumstances. As a result things still look volatile in equity markets for the foreseeable future and toward the end of the year especially in the more established Markets of the US, Europe and UK. There appears to be discussions around reduced inflation, although interest rates are still high, which should aid Equities and Bonds into recovery and some stability into the New Year. Annuities are definitely looking attractive at present for income.
UK Interest Rates potentially look set to stabilise making loans and mortgage rates potentially level out and possibly reduce. Savings rates are a little more attractive . Political pressures have forced savings rates higher. Wage and rent inflation appear now to be the drivers of higher prices.
We understand your worries on seeing these events unfold and feeling the personal effects on your financial status. As we have said in the past, risk is a consequence of investing. We endeavor to seek assurances from fund managers to ensure they are working in the markets to eventually aid a speedy recovery when able to do so. Investments are researched, analysed and made with a view to long term future returns.
If you require any sort of assurance or discussion about the current circumstances please do not hesitate to contact us either through the office or directly by phone, text or email. We are more than happy to meet and discuss your investments with you.
Investing is a long term commitment, as is our commitment to you as your Financial Advisers
Written by Ian Harby (Director) 16/10/2023
Russia/ Ukraine and Israel/ Palestine Conflict - Oct - 2023
First and foremost, we acknowledge these are primarily human crisis's with awful consequences for millions.
We are making all efforts to obtain information and guidance from our providers of investment products and portfolios regarding the effects of the hostilities and the pressures placed on the economies by sanctions, provision of financial support and armaments by major countries and the mind set of the countries involved to prolong the potential devastation and suffering.
Having listened and spoken to several of our primary providers of investments, the general consensus is to retain the investments during this uncertain time and not to facilitate losses by leaving the market.
Situations such as this require level headed, counter intuitive reactions to emotional and potentially stressful times. Financial markets and fund managers will work without emotion with regard to money, using the realities of the situation and analytical strategic actions within portfolios in the search for positive financial outcomes.
There is only hope these conflicts are short and resolved quickly to minimise suffering for all.
Ian Harby (Director) 16/10/2023
Inflation and Interest Rate Rises.
There are many events happening in the world of Global and UK Banking at present and are only added to by political strategies. This causes financial unrest and worry for major financial institutions and investors worldwide. Our primary guidance, is as above to retain and stay invested as situations will settle and markets will recover over time. It can be worrying and we understand it is not 'a nice feeling' to see values fall. There appears to be a plateau of reasonable stability in the markets driven by lower inflation, which could lead to a upturn in performance once a period of stability is recognised. However, if you need to contact us at any time to discuss your investments please do not hesitate to do so.
Ian Harby (Director) 16/10/2023
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We offer a comprehensive financial planning service for all your investment and protection needs:
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Protection
How much cash would your family need to maintain their current lifestyle if you die prematurely? Would you require a regular income or a cash sum if you suffered a serious illness or disability? - Retirement
When do you want to retire and how much income will you need? - Investment
Are you making the best use of any spare capital? - Savings
Are you making the best use of any surplus income? - Mortgages
Do you want to reduce your current mortgage outlay or are you moving home?
We hope you find the site both useful and informative. Over time our aim is to expand the site to offer more services such as viewing your policies and portfolios securely on the site but we would welcome your feedback not only on the current content and presentation of the site but how you feel it could be improved or indeed what other services or information we could include to help you.
If you do have any suggestions please e-mail us or use one of our contact forms.
| Europe | ||||||
| London | ||||||
| Index | Value | Move | % | |||
| FTSE 100 | 7,554.47 | 40.75  | 0.54 | |||
| FTSE 250 | 18,702.00 | 83.25 | 0.45 | |||
| FTSE 350 | 4,157.84 | 21.88 | 0.53 | |||
| FTSE All Share | 4,115.38 | 21.42 | 0.52 | |||
| Americas | ||||||
| New York | ||||||
| Index | Value | Move | % | |||
| Dow Jones | 36,247.90 | 130.49 | 0.36 | |||
| Nasdaq | 14,404.00 | 63.98 | 0.45 | |||