We construct portfolios for you, principally by investing in exchange traded funds — ETFs. These provide an easy way to gain exposure to a pool of investments without having to buy each one individually. They can track a share index, such as the FTSE 100, and they can give you exposure to assets like Government and corporate bonds. They can also help you invest in specific sectors such as precious metals or forestry.
Our investment team chooses from a universe of over 1,800 ETFs. We consider many factors in choosing our investments and favour physically backed ETFs with high liquidity and good tracking performance. The investments in our portfolios are reviewed regularly to ensure they're the most suitable for our customers' needs.
The list below includes investments we currently use as well as those we may have used in the past.
Shares in companies listed on the stock exchanges of developed markets, ranging from the United States to New Zealand.
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Shares in companies from developing economies, including China, South Korea and Brazil. These shares carry significantly more risk than companies in developed markets.
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Government bonds which pay regular interest based on their face value. They are generally regarded as a very safe investment, unless the government becomes unable (or unwilling) to pay its debtors.
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Although these bonds are backed by governments, they are regarded as high-risk investments in comparison to government bonds in developed markets. They can be issued in US dollars or in local currencies.
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Corporate bonds are classified either as 'investment grade'—those issued by companies with good agency ratings—or ‘high yield’—those with a higher risk of default. The return on high yield bonds is potentially greater, albeit with more volatility than with investment grade bonds.
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Physical commodities such as precious metals and shares in companies specialising in activities related to natural resources, such as mining.
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