Welcome to the Embark monthly newsletter. Covering a wide range of issues and topics relevant to financial advisers, articles are written by contributors from Embark’s businesses, as well as other partners and providers. These articles are intended for regulated financial advisers and intermediaries only. In this edition, we cover topics including the need to get pensions back into the national conversation, the financial planning implications of our ever-expanding lifespans, and what historic scenarios can tell us about where the markets might be headed next. And, given inflation is such a hot topic currently, we have two insightful takes on the subject – covering the impact of Covid-19, and looking at the deflationary environment more generally. IT'S NATIONAL SOMETHING DAY By Alistair Wilson, Advance by Embark The endless ‘noteworthy’ awareness days filling our calendars can range from the bizarre to the serious, with Pensions Awareness Day being one of the more valuable fixtures. With three in four adults today having little or no knowledge about pensions, it’s time we think about new ways to nudge this all-important topic back into the national conversation and onto your clients’ agendas. DEFLATION HAS INTENSIFIED - THE GLOBAL VIEW By Ariel Bezalel and Harry Richards, Jupiter Asset Management The vast scale of government and central bank support provided to the economy over the last six months has led many to question whether, after decades of low and declining inflation, we have reached a point where inflationary forces will have the upper hand over the coming years. On the current evidence, it’s doubtful… WHERE NEXT FOR MARKETS - ECHOES FROM THE PAST By Peter Toogood, Embark Group 2020 has offered unique challenges for those tasked with trying to assess the markets in the post-Covid netherworld. After one of the sharpest bear markets ever, followed by massive coordinated central bank intervention and a subsequent ferocious rally, questions abound as to where we are now, and where we might be heading. A look back to 2008 and 2000 may just hold the answers… TUNE IN AND DOWNLOAD THE LATEST EMBARKPOD The EmbarkPod podcast was launched this month: bringing together thought leaders, finance professionals and commentators to discuss - and debate - hot topics within the FinTech industry; hosted by Bloomberg Radio's Roger Hearing. Subscribe and download to the series via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and TuneIn/Alexa to get the latest episode each month. The first episode covers platforms and fintech, featuring Embark Group CEO Phil Smith and Head of Platform Strategy, Alistair Wilson. LIVING LONGER: CAN WE AFFORD IT? By Steven Hay, Baillie Gifford With the chances of living to 105 now sitting at 50 per cent for a child born in the west today, traditional financial planning no longer covers our extending lifespans. This has clear implications for how we must approach financial planning and the way we invest, to secure the income for the lifestyle we desire. We need to be thinking differently… ESG: YOU MUST PREPARE FOR CRUCIAL CONVERSATIONS By Dave Chessell, PortfolioMetrix Regulation is coming in 2021 that will mean advisers have to speak to clients about how much they would like their views, beliefs and aspirations in relation to ESG reflected in their investment portfolios. Many already have this in hand; however, for those that still need to get fully prepared, thinking about the drivers, the trade-offs and the right terminology to use is a good place to start. COVID-19'S IMPACT ON INFLATION By Richard Booth, Franklin Templeton Investments Supply and demand changes, new consumption patterns, reductions in VAT in some countries and a surge in e-commerce have all impacted inflation since the arrival of Covid-19. However, despite upward price pressures in certain industries, there doesn’t appear to be evidence of a sustained inflation dynamic. What can we expect over the longer term? INSIGHTS FROM ELSEWHERE Earlier this month, The Adviser Centre’s Peter Toogood spoke to Squawk Box Europe on CNBC about the similarities between the dot-com crash in the late 1990’s and the current tech boom. Be sure to keep up to date with the latest updates and articles from Embark Group by following us on LinkedIn: We hope you enjoy the newsletter and welcome your feedback on what you would like to hear from the Embark Group. Kind regards, Phil Smith e marketing@embarkgroup.co.uk From time to time we would like to send you other communications from the Embark Group. Please click here if you’d like to receive these. Embark Group Limited is a company incorporated in England and Wales and is the holding vehicle for all companies in the Embark Group. Company Registration number: 03578067. All subsidiary companies that provide regulated services are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Details of the Embark Group companies, their regulatory status and registration numbers are available on our website embarkgroup.co.uk. |