The precarious world of UK equity investing

UK EQUITIES

A lot can happen in a short space of time for equity investors, writes Jamie Hooper of AXA Framlington

What a difference a year makes. From those dark days of 2008, equity markets have delivered stunning returns. With echoes of the 1970s, what started as an unpopular, contrarian and risk-embracing trade has since been accepted by the consensus as companies ride the economic tailwind of global stimulus. Forget a year – what a difference a week makes. Euro meltdown and Wall Street trading volatility were followed by the ECB rescue package and huge short-covering. Consider the return of volcanic ash and a seemingly unstoppable oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and we get a stark natural remind...