Ashley Kissick Financial Advisers Ltd

Ashley Kissick Financial Advisers Ltd Providing bespoke advice for your investment, retirement and protection needs.

With a professional approach and expertise in inheritance tax planning, business and corporate needs, and devising portfolios for high net worth clients.

26/07/2026

Brace yourselves for one of the most consequential weeks of 2026 for global markets.

Next week brings a rare “Super Central Bank Week,” with the US Federal Reserve, the Bank of England, and the Bank of Japan all announcing interest rate decisions within a 72-hour window.

For UK investors, Thursday’s Bank of England decision is the focal point. Markets widely expect the Monetary Policy Committee to hold the base rate steady at 3.75%. However, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has driven Brent crude up 27% over the past two weeks to near $100 a barrel. This energy shock is raising fresh inflation concerns, and analysts expect a more hawkish tone from the BoE regarding future rate paths.

In the US, the Fed faces similar pressures. While a hold is expected on Wednesday, futures markets now price in an 80% probability of a rate hike by September.

Adding to the volatility, next week is the busiest of the Q2 earnings season, with tech giants Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Amazon all reporting. Following last week’s $890 billion wipeout in the ‘Magnificent Seven’ stocks, investors will be laser-focused on AI capital expenditure plans.

At Ashley Kissick Financial Advisers, we monitor these macroeconomic shifts closely to ensure our clients’ portfolios remain resilient through periods of heightened volatility and policy uncertainty.

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26/07/2026

Brace yourselves for one of the most consequential weeks of 2026 for global markets.

Next week brings a rare "Super Central Bank Week," with the US Federal Reserve, the Bank of England, and the Bank of Japan all announcing interest rate decisions within a 72-hour window.

For UK investors, Thursday's Bank of England decision is the focal point. Markets widely expect the Monetary Policy Committee to hold the base rate steady at 3.75%. However, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has driven Brent crude up 27% over the past two weeks to near $100 a barrel. This energy shock is raising fresh inflation concerns, and analysts expect a more hawkish tone from the BoE regarding future rate paths.

In the US, the Fed faces similar pressures. While a hold is expected on Wednesday, futures markets now price in an 80% probability of a rate hike by September.

Adding to the volatility, next week is the busiest of the Q2 earnings season, with tech giants Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Amazon all reporting. Following last week's $890 billion wipeout in the 'Magnificent Seven' stocks, investors will be laser-focused on AI capital expenditure plans.

At Ashley Kissick Financial Advisers, we monitor these macroeconomic shifts closely to ensure our clients' portfolios remain resilient through periods of heightened volatility and policy uncertainty.

26/07/2026

Did you know there is currently £31.1 billion sitting in lost or unclaimed pension pots across the UK?

According to the Pensions Policy Institute, there are approximately 3.3 million of these forgotten pots. The average value of a lost pension is now £9,470.

As people change jobs more frequently and automatic enrolment creates a new pension for almost every new role, it has become incredibly easy to lose track of old workplace schemes. Over time, a change of address or a forgotten login is all it takes to lose touch with thousands of pounds of your own retirement savings.

The government offers a free Pension Tracing Service that can help reunite people with pots they may have forgotten about.

Sources:
https://www.pensionspolicyinstitute.org.uk/lost-pensions/
https://www.pensionsuk.org.uk/News/Article/Brits-missing-31-1bn-in-unclaimed-pension-pots

25/07/2026

Global equity markets endured a turbulent week, battered by a "triple shock" that sent Wall Street to its first back-to-back weekly losses since March.

The volatility was driven by Brent crude surging past $100 a barrel, the imposition of new US tariffs on 60 trading partners, and a severe correction in the technology sector that wiped $890 billion from the 'Magnificent Seven' stocks over the week. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell 2.1% for the week, while the S&P 500 lost 0.6%.

However, the UK market demonstrated remarkable defensive resilience. The FTSE 100 closed the week up 1.3%, supported by a raft of positive domestic economic data. UK retail sales surged 4.2% year-on-year in June, while the S&P Global composite PMI rose to a three-month high of 52.1, indicating a return to growth for the private sector.

This divergence highlights the value of geographic diversification and the defensive characteristics of the UK blue-chip index during periods of international volatility and growth-stock corrections.

At Ashley Kissick Financial Advisers, we construct robust, diversified portfolios designed to weather global shocks while capturing opportunities across different markets and sectors.

24/07/2026

Global equity markets experienced a severe jolt over the past 24 hours, driven by a dual shock of renewed trade tensions and a sharp correction in the technology sector.

Overnight, the US administration enacted new tariffs ranging from 10% to 12.5% on more than 80 trading partners, including the UK and the European Union. The announcement triggered an immediate selloff in Asian markets, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng index plummeting 11.4% and Japan's Nikkei shedding 3.1%.

This geopolitical development compounded an already brutal session for US equities. The 'Magnificent Seven' technology giants suffered their worst one-day drop since April 2025, wiping out $797 billion in market value. The tech selloff was primarily driven by investor concerns over escalating capital expenditure on artificial intelligence infrastructure, following earnings reports from Alphabet and Tesla.

Interestingly, UK equities demonstrated notable resilience amid the global rout. The FTSE 100 rose 0.3% on Friday morning, highlighting the defensive characteristics of the UK blue-chip index during periods of international volatility and growth-stock corrections.

At Ashley Kissick Financial Advisers, we ensure client portfolios are appropriately diversified to navigate geopolitical shocks and sector-specific volatility, capturing opportunities across global markets.

27/06/2026

Global equity markets experienced significant turbulence this week, led by a sharp correction in the technology sector. The Nasdaq Composite fell 4.6%, marking its worst weekly performance in over a year and recording five consecutive daily declines.

The broader S&P 500 mirrored this trend with five straight days of losses, wiping out over $1 trillion in market capitalisation. This selloff was primarily driven by a cooling in the artificial intelligence trade and a severe global memory chip shortage impacting major tech hardware manufacturers.

Interestingly, UK equities demonstrated notable resilience amid the global tech rout. The FTSE 100 outperformed its international peers, gaining 1.4% over the week, highlighting the defensive characteristics of the UK blue-chip index during periods of growth-stock volatility.

At Ashley Kissick Financial Advisers, we ensure client portfolios are appropriately diversified to navigate sector-specific volatility and capture opportunities across global markets.

26/06/2026

The UK food and drink sector is facing significant international headwinds. According to the latest Food & Drink Federation data, export volumes declined by 8.9% in Q1 2026, marking the lowest level in a decade outside the pandemic.

A primary driver is the impact of US tariffs imposed in April 2025, which contributed to a 28% drop in exports to the United States. Consequently, the UK's food and drink export surplus with the US has fallen by 69%, from £359m to £110m—its lowest level since Brexit. Meanwhile, the cost of importing ingredients remains nearly 39% higher than in January 2020, adding persistent pressure to domestic production costs.

At Ashley Kissick Financial Advisers, we monitor these macroeconomic shifts to understand their impact on UK manufacturing and broader market resilience.

25/06/2026

The UK retail sector is facing significant headwinds, with the latest CBI survey revealing the deepest downturn in sales since records began in 1983. The three-month average sales balance dropped to -56 in June, driven by depressed consumer sentiment and rising cost pressures.

The monthly retail sales balance fell to -54 in June from -46 in May, with sales far below seasonal norms. A separate CBI survey also showed manufacturing orders deteriorating at the fastest rate since September 2020.

This data highlights the ongoing challenges within the broader UK economy, as businesses navigate a complex environment of weak demand and elevated costs.

24/06/2026

Following the resignation of Keir Starmer as UK Prime Minister on 22 June, financial markets have demonstrated notable resilience.

The FTSE 100 remained broadly flat, reflecting its international revenue base which insulates it from domestic political noise. The more domestically focused FTSE 250 saw a modest decline of around 0.6%. Sterling weakened slightly to $1.32 against the dollar, though much of this adjustment had already been priced in over recent months as leadership speculation intensified.

Crucially, UK 10-year gilt yields held steady at approximately 4.85%, signalling that bond markets are not alarmed by the transition. Capital Economics noted the calm reaction is consistent with the view that the resignation was widely expected.

05/06/2026

Recent figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) highlight a notable trend in the UK economy: 66% of businesses with 10 or more employees reported an increase in staffing costs during May 2026. Consequently, 44% of these businesses anticipate adapting to these higher costs by increasing the prices of their goods and services. This development underscores the ongoing inflationary pressures within the economy. For households, this could mean further adjustments to budgets as the cost of everyday items potentially rises.

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