CFDs are complex financial instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. CFDs are complex financial instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Aim small for outperformance

Top small-cap UK fund manager, Gervais Williams from Miton Group, explains to IGTV’s Victoria Scholar why UK small-cap stocks have been outperforming and gives his top stock and sector picks.

IG Analyst

Publication date : 2018-07-03T12:20:01+0100

Video poster image

Since the Brexit referendum, small-cap stocks have outperformed in the UK. The FTSE AIM All Share Index is up nearly 60% since the vote, while the FTSE All Share Index has gained less than half that (28%). From May 2017-2018, Miton’s UK Small Companies Fund returned 14.9%, outperforming the FTSE AIM All Share Index (10.5%) and the FTSE All Share Index (6.5%). Gervais Williams, senior executive director at Miton Group, told IGTV that the outperformance of his fund has been driven by ‘individual stock selection. There are individual companies which are hopefully able to take advantage of the uncertainty out there’. Williams said that while the small-caps are not entirely insulated from international uncertainties, they are small and agile, which provides an opportunity to outperform the larger-cap stocks.

Consumer recession around the corner?

Last week's first quarter (Q1) UK gross domestic product (GDP) was revised to be slightly higher (to 0.2%), thanks to increased household and government spending according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS). However, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) this month reported that it expects the UK economy to post its worst calendar year of growth since 2009. The business group downgraded its outlook for consumer spending, business investment and trade. Williams told IGTV there is ‘a lot of uncertainty out there’, pointing to political instability, the countdown to Brexit and rising interest rates from the Bank of England (BoE). Williams said that ‘there may be a consumer recession around the corner’.

Brexit

Find out what Brexit could mean for the markets and how a hard or a soft exit from the EU could affect traders.

Stock picks: Amigo, Amino, Diversified Gas & Oil

Williams told IGTV that Amigo and Amino are among his top stock picks in Miton’s UK Small Companies Fund. Sub-prime lender Amigo went public in London for a valuation of £1.3 billion at the end of June. He said ‘we remain very upbeat on this one, given that it has not moved to a large premium in the aftermarket’. Elsewhere, he believes Amino Technologies is ‘very much overlooked’ and he likes Diversified Gas & Oil from a dividend perspective.

Where next for the UK market?

The FTSE 100 posted its best quarter in 15 years in Q2 of this year, after sharp volatility in the first three months. Williams said there could be further spikes before reaching a peak. He suggested the FTSE 100 could push up towards 8000, but warned that we are likely to be near the end of the bull market.

This information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients.

CFDs are a leveraged products. CFD trading may not be suitable for everyone and can result in losses that exceed your initial deposit, so please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved.

Find articles by writer

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. Professional Clients can lose more than they deposit.

The value of shares and ETFs bought through an IG stock trading account can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. Please ensure you fully understand the risks and take care to manage your exposure.

IG does not issue advice, recommendations or opinions in relation to acquiring, holding or disposing of a CFD. IG is not a financial advisor and all services are provided on an execution-only basis. This communication is not an offer or solicitation to enter into a transaction and shall not be construed as such.

IG is a trading name of IG Limited a company registered at 2702 & 2703 Level 27, Tower 2, Al Fattan Currency House, DIFC, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. IG is authorised and regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) under reference No. F001780.

The information on this site is not directed at residents of the United States, Belgium or any particular country outside the UAE and is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person in any country or jurisdiction where such distribution or use would be contrary to local law or regulation.