ICR143: Searching for the Santa Rally

 

In episode 143 of Informed Choice Radio, Martin is searching for the Santa Rally and explaining why investors should pay it no attention at all.

There is also a roundup of the latest personal finance news and an update from the world of Informed Choice.

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Searching for the Santa Rally

Stock markets often have a pretty good time of it in December.

This is known as the Santa Rally or December Effect. It was first recorded by Yale Hirsch in his Stock Traders Almanac back in 1972, and since then it’s been frequently observed by investors and analysts.

New research by Schroders has found stockmarkets are more likely to rise in December than during any other month. The research looked at nearly three decades worth of data before confirming the existence of a Santa Rally.

In this episode of Informed Choice Radio, Martin is searching for the Santa Rally before explaining why investors should ignore it.

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Personal finance news update

-House price growth has slowed to its lowest rate since January.

-Bank of England governor Mark Carney has issued a warning about high levels of household debt.

-For nearly three in ten women, the inability to support themselves or their families financially is their greatest financial fear.

-The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) have agreed to cut output.

-An influential committee of MPs have criticised HM Revenue & Customs over its lack of scrutiny on whether tax reliefs are being used effectively.

Useful links mentioned in this episode

–Sick in the Head: Conversations About Life and Comedy by Judd Apatow

Get answers to your personal finance questions

Do you have a personal finance or investing question for Martin?

Email martin@icfp.co.uk or ask on Twitter @martinbamford.

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Our latest iTunes review

Great podcast, always relevant and topical, and full of practical financial information. Martin manages to find lots of interesting guests to interview, and always gets the best from them. The sound quality is excellent and Martin puts personality into each episode. I look forward to each new episode to see who’s being interviewed, and what the topic is – never been disappointed.

Thank you to David Withington for these kind words. David is also winner of a copy of Man vs Money by Stewart Cowley!

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