Tag Archives: Investments & Investing

Additional Voluntary Contributions

Additional Voluntary Contributions

Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs) are designed for people who are members of a company pension scheme but who want to increase the contributions they make in order to boost their retirement income. Average life expectancy is increasing so topping up a company pension with an AVC plan is a good way of helping fund the [...]

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Qualified Investor (“QI”)

Qualified Investor (“QI”)

In the context of UK regulations a qualified investor (“QI”) is one who falls within the definition contained in Section 86(7) of the Financial Services and Markets Act (“FSMA”) and who is listed on the Qualified Investor Register (“QIR”) maintained by the Financial Services Authority (“FSA”). The Financial Services Authority maintains a register of QIs, [...]

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Closed-End Fund

Closed-End Fund

One of the most common questions we receive asks for a definition of a closed-end fund and a definition of an open-end fund. A closed-end fund is an investment vehicle with a fixed number of issued shares, which are not normally redeemable for cash or securities until the fund liquidates. Because there are a fixed [...]

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Alternative Investment Management Association (“AIMA”)

Alternative Investment Management Association (“AIMA”)

Established in 1990, the Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA) is the only truly global hedge fund association. It represents all practitioners in the alternative investment management industry – including hedge fund managers, prime brokers, legal and accounting services and fund administrators. The association centres it activities on education, regulation, policy development and in the establishment [...]

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Alternative Investments

Alternative Investments

An alternative investment is an investment product other than traditional investments such as stocks and shares, bonds or cash investments. The common features of alternative investments have been summarised as follows: Poor liquidity  Difficulty in determining current market values  Limited historical risk and return data  Extensive investment analysis required Some common alternative investments are: real [...]

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What is Private Equity?

What is Private Equity?

Private equity is the term which refers to money (capital) invested directly into private companies (those which are not listed on any stock exchange) by individual investors or funds. Private equity is often used to buy out public companies (those listed on stock exchanged) and delist them. Perhaps in a management buyout situation. Typically capital [...]

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What is Real Estate?

What is Real Estate?

The simple definition of real estate is “ A piece of land, including the air above it and the ground below it, and any buildings or structures on it.” The legal definition, at least in those countries such as the which are or were part of the British Empire or Commonwealth (and thus whose legal [...]

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