Killik Explains: Finance: Recent Episodes
None
As 2015 approaches I look at three ways you can improve your saving and investing as we enter the New Year.
In this Christmas video I round up some of the top investing tips offered by our market experts in Confidant over the past four quarters.
Bond markets can be one of the first places to look for signs of trouble. In this short video I introduce and explain a key warning indicator – the yield spread.
Chancellor George Osborne overhauled the stamp duty rules in his recent Autumn Statement. This week I explain how this tax works and what has changed.
Chartists rely heavily on moving averages to spot key patterns. Two of these are the so-called “Golden” and “Death” crosses. This week I explain how they work.
Stock charts come loaded with lots of useful information in the form of bars or candlesticks. In this short video I explain how these key charting tools work.
Stock charts can help to reveal when you should buy or sell a stock, sector or index. In this short video I introduce charts and explain how.
Averages need to be interpreted with care. In this short video I highlight the key differences between the mean, median and mode before covering arithmetic and geometric means.
Inflation data is closely watched by investors. In this short video I cover all the basics of the UK’s two main measures and explain why they matter.
We don’t like to think about our own demise which is probably why so many of us don’t have a will. In this video I explain why this could be a big mistake.
Return on equity has been called the King of Ratios. In this short video I explain why before pointing out a few of its limitations.
The price to sales ratio is a simple way to distinguish cheap and expensive stocks. In this short video I explain how it works and some of its limitations.
The price to earnings growth ratio (PEG) can help you judge whether a share is cheap or expensive. This week I explain how and also point out its main pitfalls.
The FTSE 100 is a key index for investors. In this video I recap how it works and weigh up its pros and cons as a benchmark.
Free cash flow yield is widely quoted by analysts and gives investors a useful insight into whether a share is cheap or expensive. In this week’s short video I explain how it works.
Standard deviation can help you test the reliability of quoted performance figures and even judge where a share price might go next. In this short video I explain how and point out its main pitfalls as a number.
In this short video I introduce the stock market’s “fear gauge”, the Vix index. I summarise how it works, what it reveals and point out its main drawback.
Anyone buying shares, or seeking to build a portfolio, needs to understand volatility. In this short video I introduce Beta as one way of measuring it. I explain how it works, how it can help and point out its main pitfalls.
New fund investors need to grasp the concept of net asset value (NAV) and its relationship with the market value of a fund. In this short video I introduce NAV and highlight why it matters.
Funds are not all created equal and some carry more risk than others. In this short video I recap the advantages of funds before highlighting five key issues that an investor should investigate before buying.
Most investors know that shares go down as well as up – this is called price risk. In my latest video I introduce two other key risks that affect equity investors and offer some tips on how you can manage all three.
There are a number of different factors to consider when buying shares as Tim points out in this video. He explains the key ones before offering new investors some pointers when it comes to choosing a broker.
Balance sheets may be less exciting than profit and loss accounts but they contain vital information for investors, as Tim Bennett explains.
Debt and derivatives can both be used to change the profile of a fund’s returns. Tim Bennett explains how and points out the main pitfalls associated with both.
The differences between open and closed ended funds can confuse investors. Here Tim Bennett offers a short jargon-free guide to all the basics.
There are many different ways for a firm to report profits notes Tim Bennett. Here he offers a short guide to which versions are the most reliable.
Sooner or later an equity investor will come across the term EBITDA. Here Tim Bennett explains how it is used and asks whether it should be so popular.
Debt has a direct impact on the return you can expect to get from a share says Tim Bennett. In this short video he highlights why.
Operational gearing is a popular piece of jargon used by analysts and journalists. Here Tim Bennett explains what it means and why it matters.
Currencies operate in a world of their own says Tim Bennett. In this video he explains some of the most commonly used jargon and highlights how spot and forward deals work.
Anyone investing in fixed income securities should be familiar with yields – a key way to measure returns. In this short video Tim explains how these work and also how to evaluate the investment risk of a fixed income security using a credit rating.
Share buybacks are billed as an effective way for firms to return surplus cash to shareholders. But as Tim Bennett explains in this short video they can also flatter a firm’s results and help directors hit their own remuneration targets.
Price earnings (p/e) ratios can be very useful when it comes to judging whether a share is cheap or expensive. However, as Tim Bennett explains in this video, they are not perfect and must be interpreted with care.
Brokers play a key role in stock markets for both novice and more experienced investors. In this video Tim Bennett explains what they do, introduces the different levels of service they offer and breaks down some of the most common broking jargon.
An ISA and a SIPP can both help long-term investors build wealth. In this video Tim sums up the key differences between the two products and explains which is best.
Dividends are a key part of the total return that an investor can expect from shares. In this short video Tim Bennett explains why dividends are so important and how equity investors should approach income investing.
Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) are a great way to save and invest tax efficiently. Here Tim Bennett explains how they work and compares them to the New ISAs (NISAs) introduced in the latest budget.
The p/e ratio is one of investing's most widely quoted numbers notes Tim Bennett. Here he explains how it works and what it can reveal about a share.
In his latest budget Chancellor George Osborne announced a radical overhaul of both ISAs and pensions. Tim Bennett summarises the key changes and looks at how they will impact savers and investors.
Carry traders make money from the fact that currencies offer different rates of interest. In this short video, Tim explains how carry trades work and also how they can go wrong.
Individual Savings Accounts are a great way to save and invest tax efficiently. Here Tim Bennett explains how they work and offers some tips to help you get the most out of them.
Buying a home makes financial sense says Tim Bennett. However beyond that property investing is fraught with pitfalls - in this short video Tim explains why.
Initial public offerings (IPOs) generate headlines by bringing new companies to the stock market for the first time. Tim Bennett looks at how they work and explains what they mean for retail investors.
The ability to earn interest on interest is one of the keys to building long-term wealth. Tim Bennett explains why compounding is so powerful and suggests some ways to make it work for you.
What are fixed income securities (bonds)? Here Tim Bennett introduces how they work and breaks down the key jargon for novice investors.
Inflation is the enemy of cash. Tim Bennett explains why this matters so much to investors and what they can do about it.
Investing in shares can be a great way to build lifetime wealth. Tim Bennett explains their basic features and offers a few tips to new investors.
Lose control over working capital and you can quickly lose control over cash flow says Tim Bennett. In this short video he explains why and points out some of the warning signs that suggest all is not well.
The cash flow statement is a useful source of information on the reliability of a firm’s profit number. Here Tim explains why and points out three ways it can be used to spot trouble.
New ISA rules came into effect at the start of the month, bringing some welcome changes to the way these useful tax shelters work. In this short video I explain what these are and offer some tips on getting the most from your new ISAs.
When is a sale not a sale? Investors should be aware of the different ways in which even a simple number such as the sales figure can be reported. Here I point out a couple of the techniques that can be used to flatter a firm’s results.
There are good and bad ways to approach saving says Tim Bennett. In this short video he offers some simple, practical advice designed to make sure you get the most from your money.
Many CEOs like to grow their firms quickly by buying up other firms. In this week’s video, Tim Bennett warns that this strategy also gives managers an opportunity to flatter profits and points out some of the warning signs that suggest management may have bought too much, too soon.
How can you tell when a company might be running into trouble? Tim Bennett suggests three ways a balance sheet can reveal that all is not well.
The London Stock Exchange sits at the heart of share trading in the UK. In this short video Tim gives an overview of how it works and highlights some of the key events in its long and distinguished history.
The phrase hedge fund covers a wide range of different investment vehicles and strategies. Here Tim Bennett offers his short guide to why they exist and what they do.
If you want low-cost exposure to an index or sector an exchange traded fund can offer it. However as Tim Bennett warns in this short video, many of the newer ETFs are complex and relatively expensive.
The dividend yield is a key number for income investors. In this short video Tim Bennett explains why, runs through the basic calculation and highlights the main weakness of the ratio.
Banks are a key part of the financial services industry. In the first of our videos on City basics, Tim introduces the two main types and breaks down all of the basic banking jargon.
Saving enough for retirement is a huge challenge. In this video Tim Bennett introduces the Self Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) and explains how it can help.