U3A Investment group web page Please let Janet know if you find this useful News Welcome to ‘our’ pages This is a private website for members to share questions, views, suggestions and ideas. Send your information to Janet and she will put it in the pages. Hopefully these pages will change regularly so please keep coming back to them. *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** You may be interested in “The Dropout”, recently aired on BBC TV and now available on iPlayer. It is an account of real life events following the scandal of the downfall of tech company ‘Theranos’ and its founder Elizabeth Holmes.   In 2015, the Wall Street Journal began a damning investigation into ‘Theranos’ (then valued at 10 Billion Dollars) which kick-started the chain of events that would bring the entire company down. In September 2021 a jury found her guilty on four counts of defrauding investors alleging that the company raised more than $700 million by deceiving investors for years about the company's performance. It is a wonderful example of people unable to see the obvious because they wanted to believe, a common problem with investment markets. To watch the series Click here To read Investopedia article on the programme Click here To read a Radio Times introduction to the series Click here *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** John had done some research for the April meeting of various websites giving tips Click here for his views on those he covered. I subscribed to ‘Motley Fool ‘and found it very good too. *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** The best investment trusts for your pension - experts reveal their picks Click here *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** Forget the US Magnificent 7 - Europe has its own version which has delivered better growth so far in 2024 (17 April 2024) Click here *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** Should you invest in gold and safe havens in a global crisis? (21 April 2024) Click here *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** Article entitled ‘How can I find a Financial Advisor I can trust? Click here *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** Details of the new Government NS&I British Savings Bond 3 year investment Click here *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** Article entitled ‘How much do I need to retire? Click here *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** How to create a side hustle to make money on the Internet through Social Media A rather interesting article on the businesses people create on the Internet to earn money through social media. I thought No 4 was the easiest, but you need to be strong and hard working. Click here *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** There are rumors that the Treasury’s portion of NatWest will be for sale shortly and they are pulling out the stops to publicise the sale on Social Media (such as TikTok) to encourage young people. Click here *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** One of members was contacted by a company, Terra Firma Energy Ltd, who were trying to persuade him to invest in their fixed term bond, which was offering 12% interest. He was tempted by what seemed like a very good rate of return, but was worried that it might be a scam. One of our group looked into them. They are a genuine company, involved in setting up renewable energy projects, but haven't been established very long (since May 2020), and seem to have only made losses so far. Hence why they are desperate for extra capital, and why they have to offer a very high rate of return. He was advised that it wasn't a scam, but had to be regarded as a very high risk investment, given that they were a small outfit, without an established track record. We thought it was sensible to mention on our site, in case you think you be tempted on getting involved. Click here to download their brochure *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** One of our members was interested in this offer from Motley Fool Share Advisors Maybe members of our group might be interested in subscribing? Click here for their website. They have recently had an offer of £65 pa, which is out of date at the moment, however they regularly have special offers so it might be worthwhile keep looking at their pages. *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** The New British Isa: does it pay to be patriotic with your savings? The pros and cons of Jeremy Hunt's new British Isa and British Savings Bonds Sam Richardson Deputy editor, Which? Money Click here to read the full article Could your money be doing more to support the nation? That’s the question the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, levied at savers and investors with his Spring Budget with the launch of a new British Isa and new NS&I British Savings Bonds. The British Isa is an extra Isa allowance that allows you to invest more tax-free, at a time when other tax-free allowances are falling. But it can only be used for investing in British companies, many of which have struggled in recent years, leaving investors with a difficult decision. NS&I's new British Savings Bonds also promise to support UK firms through a fixed-rate for three years. Here we explain how both products work and if they're good for you – whether you're looking to support British businesses, or simply get the highest return. *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** The Budget 2024 included new laws and taxation for people who have holiday lets. Critics say it was not enough. Read the full story by clicking here *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** Innovative finance ISAs Another recent ISA type, the innovative finance ISA allows you to invest in peer-to-peer lending. This means you’re lending money directly to borrowers in return for interest. Your whole £20,000 allowance can be invested, but because of the loan element of this ISA, you might not be able to access your funds instantly. One important detail to bear in mind – this ISA is not protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, so you could lose your money from a company that goes bust. From April 2024, you'll be able to include long-term asset funds and open-ended property funds with extended notice periods in an Innovative Finance ISA. *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** Gresham College is a free educational tool dating back to 1597. It has fantastic lectures, for adults, with guest speakers from many universities and business sectors. Also stuff that is just fun……. Click here to see a talk ‘ This lecture will explore the essentials of financial planning. What are the different ways to save and invest, such as bank accounts, bonds, shares, and mutual funds, and how do they differ in returns and risk? What does owning bonds and shares give you, both in normal times and in bankruptcy? We’ll explore how both inflation and taxes erode investment returns – and how to invest in a tax-efficient manner.’ Well worth watching, it is the first in a series on basic economic theory called “The Principals of Finance” with Professor Alex Edmans, Mercers’ School Memorial Professor of Business Alex Edmans was the Mercers’ School Memorial Professor of Business at Gresham College, Professor of Finance at London Business School, and a TED Speaker. He completed his BA in Economics and Management at Merton College, University of Oxford, and did his PhD in Finance as a Fulbright Scholar at the MIT Sloan School of Management. In 2007, Professor Edmans joined The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, as an Assistant Professor of Finance and then was promoted to a tenured Associate Professor. Working at the intersection of academia and practice, Professor Edmans is an expert on corporate finance (including executive compensation, corporate governance, investment, growth and innovation), behavioural finance and investing, and corporate social responsibility. Professor Edmans is the current Managing Editor of the Review of Finance, the leading academic finance journal in Europe. He has published his research in leading academic journals, including American Economic Review, Journal of Economic Literature, Journal of Finance, Journal of Financial Economics and Review of Financial Studies. He has also written for the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Harvard Business Review, and Huffington Post. Professor Edmans serves as the Academic Director of LBS Centre for Corporate Governance, and more generally is a pioneer in corporate governance reform – in particular, embedding purpose into the heart of business and encouraging companies to think long-term. He has spoken at the World Economic Forum at Davos, testified in the UK Parliament, and presented to the World Bank Board of Directors under their Distinguished Speaker Series. He gave the TED talk “What to Trust in a Post- Truth World” and the TEDx talk “The Social Responsibility of Business,” with a combined 2.4 million views. His book, “Grow the Pie: How Great Companies Deliver Both Purpose and Profit”, based on his inaugural Gresham College lecture series, was named to the Financial Times Books of the Year for 2020. Professor Edmans is a winner of the Rising Star of Corporate Governance Award, Rising Star of Finance Award, and appeared on the 2017 Poets and Quants Best 40 Under 40 Professors list and Thinkers50 Radar. At Wharton, Alex won 14 teaching awards in six years. At LBS, he won Best Teacher awards for both the MBA and Masters in Financial Analysis programmes and the Excellence in Teaching award for best professor across all programmes. He is passionate about making finance research available and understandable for a non-academic audience so that it influences the way people think and act. He was appointed the Mercers’ School Memorial Professor of Business at Gresham College in 2018. All this, and I swear his is only 12! See the lecture to see what I mean. *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***