With the distressing news from Ukraine shows no signs of abating and investment markets continuing to be volatile with widespread declines in portfolio values, in this article we consider the implications for our long-term investors.

2022 is an important anniversary for the Bank of England (BoE). It represents 25 years since the Blair government gave it operational independence over monetary policy and the ability to set interest rates. One of the BoE’s main objectives is to ensure stability by setting monetary policy to achieve the Government’s target of keeping inflation at 2%.  

After weeks of building tension and diplomatic pressure, Vladimir Putin has initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.  At the moment, the West’s reaction appears limited to economic sanctions rather than a military response and so long as Russia’s attacks do not extend into Nato countries we can hope that descent into a wider conflict can be avoided.

The Bank of England (BoE) rarely springs a surprise. In fact, part of its remit is to provide clear clues to the market to help smooth out foreseeable economic bumps. Nevertheless, an unprecedented news flow and the gathering prospect of inflation has prompted one of the most eventful calendar quarters in recent UK monetary policy history.

Our stance is clear – cryptocurrencies are speculative with no meaningful valuation foundation; what’s more, they are associated with criminal activities and environmental damage.