RBS Associates

Investments

• Risk and Reward
• Unit Trusts
• OEICs
• Investment Trusts
• ISAs
• Government Gilts
• Corporate Bonds

Latest News

Funds

• Funds tap ethical emerging mkts demand
• China state fund opens up to shorting
• Henderson may cut quarter of funds-source

Markets

• Chinese tightening fears weigh on stocks
• Oil prices slip ahead of Opec meeting
• US stocks fall ahead of reform push

Personal Finance

• New rights for credit card holders
• House price growth slows
• Mineral water ousts fizzy drinks in CPI basket

Stocks and Shares

• Greek crisis may wound southeast Europe
• Carrefour faces uphill struggle with Belgian revamp
• Could Lehman be Ernst & Young's Enron?

OEICs

What is an OEIC?

• Open-ended investment companies are often referred to as the modern day and flexible equivalent of the unit trust. They combine the elements of unit trusts and Investment trusts enabling you to pool your investments along with other investors. This helps to spread the risk and enables you to take advantage of the skills of a professional managing the fund.
  
  
• OEICS are regulated by the FSA. The rules are based on specifically written company law, whereas unit trusts are based on old trust law.
  
  
• OEICS have a single price for buyers and sellers and the charges are shown separately. A unit trust has a separate buying and selling price (bid/offer spread).
  
  
• The OEIC share price directly reflects the underlying assets of the portfolio
  
  
• An umbrella fund structure, which means that there are different classes of share. Each sub share fund can be invested in a different area if required.