Informed Choice in the weekend press

Informed Choice is featured in the Independent on Sunday and the Sunday Times today.

Our managing director and chartered financial planner Martin Bamford is talking about small and mid cap stocks in the Sunday Times, on page 4 of the Money section.

Martin Bamford, managing director of Informed Choice, the adviser, prefers mid-cap funds.

“Small caps tend to become the focus of portfolios in difficult market conditions, as they offer the possibility of greater returns.

“Mid-cap stocks, which have greater growth potential than large caps and less perceived risk than small caps, can offer investors the best of both worlds. As larger companies have been hoarding cash reserves in these difficult economic times, mid-cap stocks become good acquisition opportunities, and this can boost returns for investors.”

Bamford recommends the Schroder UK Mid 250 fund, which invests in FTSE 250 companies. It holds 62 stocks, including household names such as Sports Direct and William Hill, and has returned 28.8% over the past year. It has a 1.5% annual charge.

In the Independent on Sunday, Martin was one of a panel of expert advisers for their Wealth Check feature.

The ‘patient’ this week was Mark Rooney from Leicester, a business analyst with student loans and credit card debts who wanted a plan for the future.

As Mark already has a repayment mortgage with a fixed rate, his focus should be first on paying off the credit card and personal loan, followed by his student debt, according to Martin Bamford from Informed Choice.

“Targeting the debt which charges the highest interest rate first will result in the biggest savings,” he says. “However, Mark first needs to work out his budget and ensure he is not adding to the problem by living beyond his means each month. He should also check if there are penalties for paying off his loan early.”

You can read the article in full, including further comments from Martin and the other experts, here.

Have you seen Informed Choice mentioned in any other publications this week?

Photo credit: Flickr/tim ellis