News

It’s official. The communications have been sent out to our clients and it’s been humbling to receive so many kind responses, and overwhelmingly enthusiastic feedback, for which we are really appreciative. Now we’re excited to announce the next phase for WMM to our wider audience….

Here at our Oxfordshire office, we’re celebrating the merger of WMM with Evans Hart!

A bit of background…

We have noticed in recent years a greater call for planning services, partly due to a backdrop of economic factors making people take more notice of their existing arrangements and, certainly post-Covid, thinking more deeply about what really matters to them and their loved ones. People want to be more certain of their own futures and are seeking guidance on how to get there. Having good plans in place keeps things running on track.

WMM and London-based Evans Hart share a great deal in common and, at a time when demand for financial planning is at record levels, our joining forces will provide long-term benefits for all our clients.

Mike Weston, founder of Weston Murray & Moore, and Stephen Evans, founder of Evans Hart, were both leading the way in long-term financial planning back in the 80s, when the majority of advisers were focused on selling products. Both stood out for their client-centric approach and their strong belief in the benefit and value of financial planning leading advice for optimal client solutions. That ethos remains as strong today in both firms as it was over 35 years ago.

Our merger seems a very natural progression for us, and very much about carrying on doing what both firms do best…… Business as usual, only better.

So, what does this mean for our clients and anyone thinking of working with us? We’ve covered the questions that have been raised so far below, along with a few more for extra information.

What is happening to the office in Deddington?

It’s staying open! We remain here in our office with its beautiful outlook that we know so many of you appreciate. Having a local presence is important to many of you and it is therefore very important to us.

We love working in this space and we know you like coming to meet us here, so the office remains open as always.

How can I contact you?

Our office address and phone number will be unchanged. We will be given new email addresses in time, for efficiency as our back-office systems merge. Even then, our existing emails will still be monitored.

There are more advisers in Evans Hart – how will they be advising me?

Your main point of contact will be, and will remain with, the team at Deddington. At some stage in the not to distant future I’m sure we will harness the advantages of working within a larger team, including a wealth of technical information and support during busier periods.

Evans Hart is the umbrella company under whose banner WMM will continue to work and manage the business as we have always done.

Why did you need to do this?

"If you don't move forward-you begin to move backward". (Mikhail Gorbachev)

It’s important that we avail of extra resources as we continue to grow and, this way, we can keep our existing infrastructure while benefiting from the additional support of Evans Hart.

What are the benefits for your clients, current and future?

Our ambition is to continue growing, benefitting from sharing ideas and expertise. Our relationships will be enhanced through the greater resources available to us and a wider service proposition. We will update you when we are ready to roll out any new services.

What about our fees, are they going to increase now?

Each office/division within the larger group is responsible for their own direct running costs, so that each can run efficiently and avoids costs from other divisions impacting its clients. Our budget reflects our office size and location, our staff levels and all of the equipment and technical insight needed to support our clients with achieving their financial objectives and life goals.

As part of a ‘larger entity’ the Divisions may be able to benefit from cost savings in the coming years. However, as part of the agreement, we are able to guarantee that our fees are not going to increase as a result of the merger.

All fees have always been, and will continue to be, agreed and confirmed in writing before any work is undertaken.

If you’re reading this via our newsletter as an existing client or perhaps on our website as someone with an interest in working with us, and you have any additional questions please do get in touch on 01869 331 469.

Only a few months ago no one really knew of Coronavirus.  Now, no matter where you live globally, everyone knows of Coronavirus. As with any public health concern, there is a great deal of scaremongering mixed in with the genuine facts.

While many people are understandably concerned about the impact on their health, their family and the provision of medical services, we cannot escape the impact that world events have on financial markets.

So what is Coronavirus, how has it/will it affect your investments, and what should you do?

What is Coronavirus?

While we do not claim to be medical experts, the basic facts are:

• Coronavirus, or COVID-19, is a respiratory illness believed to have originated in China.
• As the illness is a virus, there is no treatment, only medications to relieve the symptoms. No vaccine is available, as yet.
• Most people who catch the virus will not be seriously ill. Elderly people, pregnant women, babies and those with compromised immune symptoms are most at risk.
• The illness is extremely contagious. NHS advice is to stay at home if you can, as this helps to stop the virus from spreading.
• Those not specifically listed as ‘most at risk’ shouldn’t really panic about the possibility of catching Coronavirus, indeed many consider it inevitable over time, although sensible precautions should be taken.

What is the Financial Impact?

In reality it is still too early to determine the true economic impact; as this will probably be a long term cost borne by future generations meeting the costs of Government spending at this time. In the short term; the impact will come from lost working hours, restricted travel and leisure spending, and demands on healthcare services for example. Some companies may even profit from a health scare, as people stock up on over-the-counter medications and non-perishable food items.

While there is no doubt that Coronavirus has impacted on share prices recently, this is exaggerated by ‘typical’ investor behaviour. One investor becomes concerned about the impact of the virus and sells their shares. This results in a small drop in the share price, which then leads other investors to become worried and possibly sell their shares. As more money is removed from the market, share prices fall across the board like dominoes. Until new ‘news’ changes the momentum, markets can be expected to remain a little volatile in the short term.

This can be worrying, particularly if you are approaching retirement, or relying on your investments to support your lifestyle. However, we have the benefit of hindsight, and can say with confidence that if the past is any indicator, the markets should bounce back fairly quickly.

What Can We Learn From the Past?

If you have held investments over the last 20 years, there will have been some points at which you were very nervous.

It is now over a decade since the sub-prime mortgage crisis, collapse of Lehman Brothers and the subsequent recession had such an impact around the world. Many were still feeling or recovering from the effects, having suffered job losses, home repossessions and ten years of austerity.

However, the markets march on, and as you can see from the chart below, the financial crisis (and various other major world events) have barely warranted a blip on an otherwise upward trajectory. There is no reason to think that Coronavirus will be any different.

Investor sentiment causes the markets to rise and fall, but ultimately, a sound investment strategy, held for the long term, is unlikely to fail.

FTSE World Index

Please do not hesitate to contact a member of the team to find out more.

What Should I Do?

Much of the activity in the market is driven by fear or greed, causing investors to buy and sell at the wrong times. The best strategy is to stick with the plan and weather the storm. Many investors who switched to cash or took a lower risk approach in the midst of global events, are finding that they are now worse off than if they had simply ignored the noise of the financial press.

The most successful investment strategy is the one you stick with, providing it is well-planned in the first place. A sound investment plan:

• Holds a wide range of assets from different asset classes, world regions and industry sectors;
• Is aligned with your tolerance, requirement and capacity for risk;
• Has costs under control and;
• Doesn’t react unnecessarily to world news.

Whether you have a few thousand set aside for your children in an index-tracking fund, or a multi-million pound managed portfolio, you need to keep the points above in mind. Tuning out the financial press will become much easier.

We have preached this message for many, many years, and know that this works.

Please don’t hesitate to contact a member of the team if you would like to find out more..

Weston Murray & Moore were thrilled to take part in the annual Blenheim Triathlon on the first weekend of June 2019.

We were joined by business peers, family and friends to cheer on both of our WMM teams of three who had boldly taken on the challenge of the 750m swim in the lake, 20 km bike ride and 5.4 km run in aid of the Bloodwise – the blood cancer charity.

That 0.4 is important when the legs are feeling it!!!

The weather was as good as it has probably been all ‘summer’ as we joined the 7000 other athletes over the two days in the courtyard of Blenheim Palace.

Thank you to all who supported us and especially those who formed part of the teams. It was great to have you with us on the day, as always it’s important to us to share what we love to do with you and we look forward to doing it all again next year.