Looking forward positively

Despite more than six months of Covid 19 restrictions, as the volatility in markets reduced, Save & Invest has been able to reorientate portfolios to be relevant to a changed world.

As we entered this new decade, we had anticipated it would be very different than the one that preceded it.  Certainly, we believed it would be led by environmental issues and the huge opportunities this could bring for new world economics. We sensed that public opinion and even politics was catching up with the scientists and activists and that this would herald fundamental change. We increased our research into the funds that could be the potential winners in this new era and those that could be the casualties.  The corona virus has accelerated the changes that were already started.

Environmental and social factors are growing strongly as drivers of investment returns and new ways of thinking about the allocation of capital, across the globe and individual portfolios is taking hold.

In June we saw petroleum giant BP, with over one hundred years of history, write off £14 billion of its assets as the move away from fossil fuels takes hold. In July, electric car manufacturer Tesla, only established in 2003, became the most valuable car maker in the world. The changes taking place are not simply old word versus new world, the shares of agricultural business John Deere, established for nearly 200 years, hit an all-time high in September 2020, because it is capitalising on and facilitating new trends in agricultural production, that use less resources for greater output. John Deere is a company which was transformed itself in 1837 with its innovative self-scouring plough, using Scottish steel.  It is still innovating today to literally spot the wheat from the weeds, through sensors on its tractors.

As well as household names, there are innovators across the world being included in investment funds which have recognised their potential and, as a consequence, have grown fund values, even in these very challenging and volatile times. As we approach the actual implementation of Brexit and the Presidential election in the United States, we expect volatility but are encouraged by the global outlook and successes of so many funds in our portfolios.

Save & Invest is independent and can choose any fund for our portfolios. That is why we continually review and adapt them to our clients’ situation and the changing times.