Investing

Investors who may have failed to disclose or pay tax on cryptocurrency gains are being reminded to do so by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). The disposal of crypto is generally treated the same as other common assets for tax purposes - and HMRC is chasing up those who may not have paid.

Markets rallied as investor panic over a slowdown in the world's biggest economy faded - but there were warnings that there could be more to come. Weaker-than-expected jobs data and concerns that American tech giants are overvalued saw stocks tumble around the world on Monday.

A sell-off on the London stock market today sent the FTSE 100 down almost 3 per cent, to fall below the 8,000 mark, as spooked investors fled to safety. Japan's Nikkei index suffered its biggest crash since its 1987 'Black Monday' loss, closing down 12 per cent. Meanwhile, US markets slumped again on the open. But why has the stock market suddenly tanked and what could it mean for your investments? We explain.

A City financier is setting up a fund aimed private investors focusing solely on firms based in Yorkshire and the North East. Simon Hooper, former chief operating officer at Hosking Partners, says: 'It is all very well owning Google or Amazon shares but they're too far away from you.'

The well-diversified Reit run by property veteran Richard Shepherd-Cross is resolutely focused on delivering attractive annual income to shareholders. Property has fallen out of favour with investors and so its shares have fallen but that seems overdone and means it has a juicy yield of more than 7.5 per cent.

Choosing the right investing account is crucial to keep costs down and get the service you need, but a wealth of choice and a variety of charges can leave investors scratching their heads. We pick some of the best and highlight why investing in an Isa makes sense to protect your investments from tax.

This week Chancellor Rachel Reeves (pictured) confirmed that there will not be a 'Tell Sid' NatWest share to the public as it would cost the taxpayer too much. She will instead offer the Government's £5.6bn stake to pension funds, insurers and asset managers.

One option for those planning to leave sizeable wealth to their loved ones, is to create a family investment company to manage and pass on their wealth to the next generation. This is Money sheds the light on whether creating a family investment company might be the right move for you to protect your families' inheritance.

Disappointed and disillusioned. These two words sum up the sentiments of investors in BT and Vodafone, the two largest British players in telecoms. Over the past decade, shares in these two household names have lost more two-thirds of their value. But do these declines suggest this is the moment to end the relationship with these FTSE 100 names? Or are there compelling reasons to stay, given the burgeoning international love affair with British stocks and the planning revolution unveiled by the new Government? The US giant Blackrock and the German group Allianz are among those snapping up UK shares, enthused by the improving economy and the prospect of a stable government. Against this background, BT and Vodafone look almost alluring.

Investors are spoilt for choice when it comes to deciding on funds and investment trusts that can put their money to work. We asked trusted experts to recommend the best funds that cover different investment sectors - and included This is Money's selection of active and passive options too.

Sometimes we are blindsided by changes that come seemingly out of the blue: the global pandemic shutting down whole industries, the war in Ukraine pushing up energy costs. But we are just as capable of being caught out by changes that are - in hindsight - obvious. For example, the fact that pent-up demand post-Covid as well as billions of pounds of government stimulus would push up inflation. Even the most feted fund managers can be surprisingly myopic.

Retirement ages is a hot topic. When I talked about this here, the response was remarkably polarising. My suggestion was that working longer, beyond the retirement ages that we mostly aspire to, was not necessarily such a bad thing. And my Career Happiness can Inspire Longer Lives - or CHILL - idea can feed into cutting the amount you need for a comfortable retirement.

Portas (pictured with chancellor Rachel Reeves), who is known as 'Mary Queen of Shops' after her TV show, joined the launch of a 'Say No to Shein' campaign.

France should be in a state of high excitement ahead of the start of the Paris Olympics later this month. Instead, the nation is in a state of turmoil following a deadlocked election. So what does this mean for Europe's pharmaceutical, software and other companies, which are seen as the nearest thing to America's 'Magnificent Seven' tech stocks? If you want to take a European flutter this Olympic summer, here's what you need to know.

Social media platforms such as Reddit are awash with investing ideas and advice, but investors are warned that much of this can be misleading - with some good examples too.

It is probably the biggest British company you have never heard of. But, far from being sheepish about not being a household name, RELX and its bosses revel in their anonymity. And with a stock market value of £66billion, this firm is one of the true unsung heroes of the FTSE 100. RELX is Britain's sixth largest stock market-listed company, employing 6,000 people in the UK.

US investment giant BlackRock's proprietary research business has backed UK stocks to outperform, with foreign investors pulled in by 'relative political stability'. The BlackRock Investment Institute this week moved to an 'overweight' position on London-listed stocks on the basis that a new government with a sizeable majority will encourage investors to recognise 'attractive valuations'.

I am being left £10million, could I create an investment trust to manage it? I would like to manage my family's wealth and enable members of the family to have a stake in it. We speak to investment experts to find out how a reader inheriting a large sum can manage it.

A delve back into historical data shows that Labour has largely had positive returns when it's in office. In the past, Labour governments have delivered market returns of more than double that of the Conservatives, according to analysis by InvestEngine.

Britain's wealthiest households rushed to make swift but sweeping changes to their finances before the General Election, fearing the spectre of a Labour tax raid, from hikes to capital gains tax and the end of generous pension allowances to an attack on families' precious inheritances. Tax advisers and wealth managers who work with some of the richest households tell Mail+ exactly what those in the know have been doing behind the scenes, from maximising the amount in their pensions to paying their grandchildren's school fees early.

The manifesto was notably light on detail, but now the votes are in we will finally find out what Labour intends to do on regaining power after 14 years of Tory government. New Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to prioritise economic growth. Here are the proposals we know about so far and the things that have been left unsaid and what Labour in power could mean for your finances.

For better or for worse, we have five years of a Labour government ahead of us. Although there is little doubt that life for prudent savers and investors will become increasingly difficult as Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves hits them with extra taxes, despair should not be the order of the day. Far from it. While the ability to shield personal wealth from tax will become trickier under Labour, the case for investing in stock markets remains robust. Investment opportunities, not just here in the UK but overseas, abound. It is a view held by many financial experts Wealth & Personal Finance spoke to in the wake of Labour's crushing victory at the polls yesterday.

I bought a designer bag from a second hand shop for £200. I thought it was quite expensive but loved it - and had a hunch it might be worth far more. Also, I decided that even if my hunch was wrong, I'd be left with a bag I absolutely adore. Did I get a bargain or did I overpay?

Taiwan dominates production of the computer chips powering the AI revolution that has driven tech shares to stunning heights. But what would happen to YOUR investments and pension if the Chinese invade? Global stock markets would tumble as disruption to global supply chains led to shortages of key components like microchips. This would mean higher prices for cars, computers and other consumer goods. As inflation takes hold, interest rates would rise, potentially plunging the global economy into recession.

I've collected 50p coins for quite some time and would love to know the value of what I have accumulated over time. I've seen some coins like the ones I have listed on various sites for £30,000 and other high values. Dan Hatfield delves into the world of coins.

Investors excited at the opportunities on offer must be prepared for global shocks that cause havoc in the airline industry, as Covid illustrated. Also, even before the announcement of the general election, Johan Lundgren of easyJet and Michael O'Leary of Ryanair sensed that some customers were becoming more resistant to high ticket prices. The suspicions surrounding the Labour government's true plans for tax rises may make more households wary about splashing out. Meanwhile, in the longer term, there is the possibility of further legislation to limit the environmental impact of flying. As a consequence of these factors, there is no guarantee of up-up-and-away performance, but there are bargains on offer.

Investing some of your hard-earned money in a portfolio of stock market-listed investment trusts makes sense on so many levels. Although investing is never without risk, we (the western world) are on the cusp of better economic times. Inflation is coming down (2 per cent in the UK) and while the Bank of England held off cutting interest rates on Thursday, lower interest rates - like Labour - are coming. When they arrive here, right across Europe and in the United States, they will provide the ideal backdrop for economic growth to prosper. Stock markets feed off such conditions.

The bond market crash in recent months has drawn attention to a little-known or understood investment strategy that many workers are 'defaulted' into in the run-up to retirement. Some older workers have discovered to their horror that they are sitting on huge losses right on the brink of retirement , which they might be forced to delay as a result. Here's what you need to know about pension lifestyling...

Global government bond markets are vast and affect everyone who pays tax, saves or invests. But it's often hard to tell what's going on when there's a surge in bond buying or a sell-off because the jargon used by industry insiders can be pretty impenetrable. We unscramble it here to help everyone else fathom what's going on.

Capital gains tax is levied on assets ranging from shares to second homes, buy-to-lets and personal possessions. Your main home that you live in, known as your Principal Private Residence, is exempt from CGT. That, plus an annual tax-free allowance of £12,300, has meant CGT is typically levied on wealthier taxpayers. However, radical future cuts to the CGT allowance announced in Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's cash grabbing Autumn Statement make it inevitable that many more people will have to pay it in future.

Homeowners with a mortgage face an ongoing financial dilemma - use any excess cash to pay down the debt or invest instead? It's a simple question, but the answer really depends on personal circumstances - and, very importantly, whether you are a risk taker or more risk averse, says Rob Morgan of Charles Stanley.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently announced his intention for school pupils to learn maths to age 18. So what would a real-world curriculum most useful to understanding personal finance look like? Becky O'Connor of PensionBee explains compound growth, pound-cost averaging, inflation and percentages, in a way anyone can grasp and apply to their own finances.

Tom Stevenson, investment director at Fidelity International, explains what you can learn from a balance sheet using drinks giant Britvic as his test case. Making sense of a balance sheet is important when you're deciding whether or not to buy shares, because you want to be sure a company you're investing in is financially sound.

We put this question to three top investing experts and their answers were six, 12, and a few dozen... However, they did all add essentially the same rider, 'it depends'. What it depends on is the level of diversification you manage to achieve with the shares you own, the amount of conviction you have in them, and whether you have the time and dedication to stay on top of your portfolio. Our experts offer plenty of practical advice on making a success of all the above, which should come in useful however many shares you hold.

Investment fund names are often a baffling mixture of impressive but vague words, which mean little to people who aren't already clued up on financial jargon. People hoping to boost their savings by buying a fund or trust face a steep learning curve, unless they're lucky enough to have a friend in the know or are willing to fork out fees to a financial adviser. We offer a short cut, and explain what all the fancy terms really mean.