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Some of the UKs best known household names are amongst a number of companies expected to seek stock market listings in 2010 which could see a £10bn boost to the UK markets.

Some of the IPOs that are being talked about for early 2010 include flybe, Gartmore, New Look, Merlin Entertainments (Legoland, Sea Life, Madame Tussauds, Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, The Dungeons, The London Eye), Virgin Active, Betfair, Ocado, Pets at Home and Hyperion Insurance Group.

For more information visit New Issues & IPOs

Lloyds shareholders have overwhelmingly approved the banking group's fundraising plans including a £13.5bn rights issue - the UK's largest ever. More than 36.5 billion shares have been offered to shareholders representing 57.3 percent of the enlarged share capital with expected gross proceeds totaling £13,506,882,774.

Shareholders are being offered the right to buy new shares at an issue price which is almost at a 60 per cent discount to the share price of 91.47p at the market close on 23rd November 2009 and 38 per cent to the theoretical "ex-rights" price.

To find out more visit redmayne.co.uk/lloyds.

Redmayne-Bentley are offering private investors the chance to win £1,000 to spend on shares by challenging them to an online Christmas stock picking competition...

Find out more here.

Don't miss out on topping up your ISA! From 6th October 2009 if you are aged over 50 years or your 50th birthday is due before the 5th April 2010 you can add an additional £3,000 to your ISA.

Under new regulations the new ISA limit has been increased to £10,200 for a stocks and shares ISA from £7,200 - and what's more this new ISA allowance will be available to everyone else from 6th April 2010.

For more information contact your local Redmayne-Bentley branch or to read about Tax Efficient Investing visit www.redmayne.co.uk/tax

Redmayne-Bentley's October Investment Month now in its tenth year and this year is offering over 60 events throughout the UK & Ireland - for more details visit our events page.

This five week programme will address relevant and topical subjects surrounding today's stock market. Seasoned investors and stock market novices will be provided with useful help and advice on making investment decisions whilst allowing them to put forward their views to qualified stockbrokers and investment managers.

A wet spring in the US delayed the planting season; as a result the corn plants will not reach maturity before the autumn frosts. In the Midwest rainfall has been scarce, at half its annual levels, risking drying out young late-planted soyabeans. Poor crop yields mean higher prices. Trading ETCs.

We are seeing renewed interest from clients in cyclical stocks and sectors eg. mining, house-builders, banks, engineering, emerging markets and advertising, which do well as the economy recovers, but clients are also turning again to defensive stocks such as utilities, pharmaceuticals and tobacco, as a result of the widespread reports of dividend cuts and potential fall in commodity prices.

Yes, most of the time. Over the last 50 years, 93 per cent of the average year's return from equities has come from the seven-month period from October through to April. Only seven per cent has come from the remaining five month period May to September.

As prices have risen, the returns on conventional gilts and investment grade corporate bonds have fallen, making them less appealing to low risk income-seekers. An alternative to consider are index-linked gilts which:

• have the potential to shield investors from inflation
• will inevitably creep back into the system, perhaps sooner rather than later!

With index-linked gilts, both the income and the price at which it will be redeemed are adjusted to take account of movement in the retail price index (RPI), the UK measure of inflation.

The annual limit for ISAs is set to rise to £10,200 for the over-50s in October 2009 and for everyone else in April 2010.

The climate for savers has become dismal over the last year with paltry rates of interest on cash deposit accounts. As a result more people are looking to 'stocks and shares' ISAs as a favourable environment to generate tax-free income, particularly through fixed interest stocks such as bonds and gilts.

What's more investors will now have more scope for making gains with a tax-free environment. The decision for the increase is timely - the Chancellor predicts UK growth to return at 1.25 per cent in 2010 and 2.5 per cent per annum thereafter. Investors should note that stock markets never wait for the end of a recession before turning up from their bear market bottom.

The increase from £7,200 to £10,200 in the annual allowance for ISAs has been long overdue. ISAs were introduced 10 years ago, since which time only one increase has been made before today.

As the public purse shrinks in the ongoing recession the Chancellor will have to balance the need to raise extra funds with the unpopularity of tax hikes when he announces his Budget on 22nd April. As ever there are plenty of rumours of what the Budget may contain, some of which are summarised below:

• Capital Gains Tax: Increase the rate to 20 per cent or possibly revert back to the old regime;
• Stamp Duty: Increase Stamp Duty levels to boost the housing market;
• ISA Allowances: Increase ISA allowances, in particular the cash element to restore faith in the banking system;
• Inheritance Tax: Limit Business Property Relief (currently available on many AIM shares) to companies with a market capitalisation of less than 7m.

Georgina Mitchell, Head of Investment Services

Further Reading

10th March 2010

09.08 FTSE +3.80 at 5606.10

Wall Street closed +11.86 at 10564.38

GBP/US$1.4925

Brent crude US$79.94

Gold US$1124

Today

Sterling 3-month LIBOR % (Vs 0.64313%)

Dollar 3-month LIBOR % (Vs 0.25550%)

Some of the UKs best known household names are amongst a number of companies expected to seek stock market listings in 2010 which could see a £10bn boost to the UK markets.

Some of the IPOs that are being talked about for early 2010 include flybe, Gartmore, New Look, Merlin Entertainments (Legoland, Sea Life, Madame Tussauds, Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, The Dungeons, The London Eye), Virgin Active, Betfair, Ocado, Pets at Home and Hyperion Insurance Group.

For more information visit New Issues & IPOs