Julian Marr

2 weeks ago | wealthwise.media | Julian Marr

“So what do you make of those crazy kids at Aberdeen and their pivotable vowel syndrome?” chuckled the chairman of the insignificantly sized investment company TwoHoots Asset Management, when I caught up with him the other day. “Well,” I paused, taken aback. “I suppose a couple of thoughts immediately occur. First of all – aren’t our conversations supposed to be a little more topical than that?

1 month ago | wealthwise.media | Julian Marr

When journalists meet a fund manager, they are essentially always starting from scratch whereas, when fund researchers do so, it is as part of an ongoing conversation – not so much ‘Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful portfolio …’ as ‘Right, as we were saying last time …’” “I know it is not quite what you are asking but I will start answering your question this way – are we finding many good ideas?

1 month ago | wealthwise.media | Julian Marr

Now, I acknowledge that informative nomenclature is difficult and predominantly those stating an investment style do adhere to that approach. In respect of risk, however, the picture can be somewhat different. Defaqto launched a series of five MPS Comparator indices last year and there was a significant amount of debate on what to call them. In the end it was decided the most obvious names would be the most informative – hence Defensive, Cautious, Balanced, Growth and Adventurous.

1 month ago | wealthwise.media | Julian Marr

Selected equity and bond markets: 21/02/25 to 28/02/25 Market 14/02/25(Close) 21/02/25 (Close) Gain/loss FTSE All-Share 4693 4754 +1.30% S&P 500 6013 5955 -1.00% MSCI World 3843.1 3805.3 -1.00% CNBC Magnificent Seven 335.2 319.7 -4.60% US 10-year treasury (yield) 4.43% 4.22% UK 10-year gilt (yield) 4.57% 4.40% Investment round-up * Saba Capital’s requisition notice of the Schroder UK Mid Cap board has been deemed invalid. The group did not hold sufficient shares on the date of the notice to...

1 month ago | wealthwise.media | Julian Marr

Who or what has been the most important influence on your career? I have picked two people. One – at the risk of being controversial these days – is Winston Churchill and the other is David Shaw, who I worked with at Hambros over 30 years ago before he became an economist and a strategist for Legal & General. What I learned from both – albeit only one in person – was the power of the spoken word and good communication: how you can motivate people to do things by the way you say things.