Why the UK gets a cautious 'thumbs up'

UK

Fifty years ago, in October 1962, four lads from Liverpool released their first single. It was a modest hit, reaching number 17 in the charts, and although its ‘love me do' refrain was catchy there was little to suggest the group would go onto greater things.

On the same day, a relatively low-budget British spy caper was released to a mixed critical reception. Over time, both The Beatles and James Bond would become global icons – their successes in sharp contrast to Britain’s declining economic influence during the same period. As growth in the major economies of Asia and Latin America continues to outstrip that seen in the UK, why should equity investors still bother with these seemingly ill-fated isles?  Such a question, however, is predicated on a common misconception: that a country’s level of economic growth correlates with the perf...