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Escaping with money

Time to cash in your equities?

By James Phillipps | 10:43:22 | 28 October 2009

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Investors are getting increasingly nervous about the outlook for equities and many are starting to lock in profits from the sharp gains seen since March.

The news that the 1.6 million investors with shareholdings held through Capita Registrars sold a net £199 million of equities in August and September is indicative of wider trends in the market.

This is not a huge surprise given that the FTSE 100 is up 31% over the past six months alone and the share prices of several blue chips have more than doubled. Miner Vedanta is the biggest winner up 194%, Barclays is up 138% and Rentokil has risen 120% off its low.

‘We have been encouraging all of our clients to cash in some of their equities and invest in other asset classes that have not done quite so well,’ says Jason Witcombe, a director at Evolve Financial Planning. ‘They need to rebalance their portfolios and we are trying to get clients into the habit of selling high and buying low.

‘We cannot predict whether the market will go up a further 10% or fall back 10% but when something has gone up so far so fast it is easier to believe that there could be a correction.’

Certainly, many commentators do not see what is going to drive the next leg of the market recovery as the economy lurches on in recession.

Tom Slocock, chief executive of Deutsche Private Wealth Management, says investors also have to try and gauge how much of the rally has been driven by the fiscal stimulus and how the market will respond when this starts to be removed.

‘The rally may have more life in it but if you have made significant gains, you need to think long and hard about whether you want to be the last one holding these assets,’ says

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Comments (13)

Philip Chandler - Where should you invest?

12:52 | 28 Oct 2009

It might have been more helpful if the article had taken on board the final paragraph and considered the pros and cons of other investment areas for 'recycling profits' derived from sales of existing equity holdings. For example, what does the author think of absolute funds, or commercial property?

Michael Hellman - Cash

12:58 | 28 Oct 2009

Diversification does not work, as has been shown so sell and keep in cash

David Mowatt - Natural gas would be a good start

13:15 | 28 Oct 2009

This article was a eulogy in the blindingly obvious to anyone who has hearing and vision. It may have been worth a little if indeed there had been some views on where to redirect funds. For what its worth I think some of the commodities that are at rock bottom (natural gas for instance) due to stock levels and demand are a good place to park your money. As sure as night follows day these will see a significant uptrend before too long as the world economy anticipates recovery.

IFAWatcher - What's a correction?

13:21 | 28 Oct 2009

A correction is: The act of correcting, or making that right which was wrong; change for the better; amendment; rectification, as of an erroneous statement.

So does this mean that people running the the financial market have got it wrong again?

Peter Bennell Smith - Stating the Bleeding Obvious (Part 2)

15:46 | 28 Oct 2009

Indeed, a eulogy in the ******** obvious: The market might go up 10% or it might fall 10%. Uh-huh. Buy low, sell high. Silly me, if only I'd thought of that I'd be a multi-gazzillionaire thrice over.

THOMAS EAVES - MY COMMENT EXACTLY

16:39 | 28 Oct 2009

As I sid in my comment a couple of months ago, the surge in Stocks is based on contrived conditions, basically , once the safetly net is slowly drawn away, the mileage in the run away train slows.

Cash in and find some underperformer that will take to the changing conditions.

My money is on 3i..Amec.. Bae..Compass... BAT...Imp Tobbacco...Rio Tinto..Shire PLC...Whitbread

But dont hang on to them forever.....

My Hint for around Xmas & New Year....Luminar.

Tara...

DR - rediculous article

17:02 | 28 Oct 2009

Frankly you should be comfortable with your chosen investments for more than 6 months. If you choose good companies you should invest for long term growth, not just jump like lemmings from one bandwagon to another. Otherwise you are just gambling and should advocate casinos.

Too many journalists wanting to make a name for themselves in finance by calling the market correctly. Too many short-termists wanting quick easy money (aka investment bankers).

Cash on the sidelines does not create growth. Buying gold does not provide food or shelter or clothing.

Why is everyone so screwed up in their thinking?

Derek Roberts - Very Big of them

17:55 | 28 Oct 2009

"We have been encouraging all of our clients to cash in some of their equities and invest in other asset classes that have not done quite so well,’ says Jason Witcombe, a director at Evolve Financial Planning."

The cynical amonst us might think it has something to do with commision being earnt by the IFA for all the change they achieve.

CS - Surely Not?

18:41 | 28 Oct 2009

IFAs only in it for the commission! Surely not?

Andrew Donachie - I am going big on equities!

19:52 | 28 Oct 2009

Forget all the nonsense. There are still some great companies out there that are worth investing in. Like everything else you need to look at the bigger picture as well as the fundamentals.

I have made over 70%** this year going against what the analysts say and I see no reason to change my strategy just because of a slight correction. I suppose it depends on how long you are willing to invest for and how likely you are to need the cash.

I say invest in FTSE100s and you will win big time over the next 3-5 years (if you can wait that long and if we get past 2012!!!). Mix it up a bit with a couple of FTSE350s and a couple of AIMs and you will be sorted and we will all be rolling in it, spending our money and kick-starting the economy!

** If I had remained in cash I would have made less than 1% ..... no brainer!

Happy investing!

cynic - ride it!

21:23 | 28 Oct 2009

my bet is that the FTSE will continue its rise to 31/12 or just before. why? because the fund managers - who came in very late to the rise ( driven mainly by the private investors, i read) - will be buying like crazy. why? they fear the sack or no bonus worthy of the name if they don't beat the index in 2009; unless, of course, there is another piece or two of really dire news they can't shrug off between now and the new year. this via John Auters of the FT. makes sense to cynical me.

so ride the wave 'til xmas, then sell , baby, sell!

Gazkaz - A Market Correction OOOOH YES

21:31 | 28 Oct 2009

A maket correction happened in the mortgage market, because someone asked how can people afford to pay a mortgage on 7/8x earnings multiples & because someone asked - mortgage backed securites what are they backed by - 125% mortgages and sub prime borrowers.

A correction happened in the property market, because someone asked - can propry prices keep just going up.

A correction happened in 1929 when people said how much are these shares really worth and why.

A correction will happen before the end of the year in equities, because people will say when all economies are lower than they were 2yrs ago and set to fall/stagnate where are Co profits going to come from.

A correction is another word from the merry-go-round stopping via SANITY RETURNING, rather than it was higher !, it went lower ! so it must be better value ?, hope value and fear of missing the boat.

Sanity hits fund managers first - they offload at the top & the little guy gets left holding the bag as usual !!

Jay - Well interesting

16:40 | 31 Oct 2009

So simple it is logical sell high and buy low.

Tell that to Gordon Brown what did he do with the Gold and at what price?

The true art of investment is read up spend time and spread your risk and above all only invest in what you understand and can also afford to lose,Also look long term.

If the investment bankers had followed these simple logical procedures we would not have the UK national debt and So many bust Banks.

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