Lexington Times (August 2023)

When Money Was No Longer Free

Between 2009 and 2021, long-term investors were blessed to operate in a low-interest-rate environment. Low interest rates can paper over the cracks of poor financial habits. However, in the current environment, all investors will need to increase their discipline and focus to ensure that they stay on track to live the life they aspire to.

Regret Minimisation as a Decision-making Tool

There are various gifting exemptions available and, whilst not all are available or appropriate for everyone, it is worth reviewing our guide to ensure you are making use of those that are available.

The Stock Markets

(Updated 31 July)

The key benchmark you should care about is achieving all of your financial and life goals and not running out of money.

The Unimportant Numbers – 1 Month

Monthly figures are a distraction from your long-term goals, we’ll help you avoid the noise.

The Important Numbers – 30 Years

Investing in the Great Companies of the World has produced life-changing returns for the disciplined and patient investor.

Inflation – The Real Enemy (Updated 31 July)

The number one enemy of the long-term investor is the financial dragon called inflation (the silent but steady increase of prices over time).

The only sane definition of money is purchasing power, and over the last 30 years, inflation in the UK has almost halved the value of your money.

But an investment in the UK share market has consistently provided protection from this enemy.

Please note: we have changed this visual below to how the return of global equities (in £) vs UK inflation.

IN THE MEDIA

The media is not a friend of the disciplined and patient investor. Whether it’s on TV, Print or Online, the media prefers to focus on short-term returns, market predictions, and negative news. Which is not suitable for a long-term investor.

Below are the stories, podcasts, and images which we wanted to share with you this month, which are uplifting, interesting and informative.

These links below will take you to articles on other websites.

Positive News

Here is this month’s selection of positive news stories not related to investing.

Further Reading

Here are some articles you may find interesting this month.

Listen & Watch

  • Rich and Anonymous
    Why having too much money can become a social liability.
  • A $5 Investment That Will Help You Make Great Decisions
    We all make decisions. And yet few of us think about what we can learn from our past decisions to make smarter decisions in the future. A decision journal helps you learn from past decisions, think through current decisions, and avoid problems before they happen.

A Picture is worth 1000 Words

  • Understanding the Global Supply of Water
    Freshwater, an essential element for sustainable life, remains an increasingly scarce commodity on a global scale. In an effort to shed light on this pressie issue, the following infographic delves into the availability of water worldwide.
  • The Top 100 Brands by Value in 2023
    This graphic shows the world’s 100 most valuable brands in 2023 based on an annual ranking from Brand Finance, illustrating the role brand equity plays in a company’s market position.
  • A Complete Breakdown of S&P 500 Companies
    As the S&P 500 enters a bull market after the longest downturn in decades, this graphic shows the entire makeup of one of the world’s largest markets.