AUTHOR

Jonathan Compton

Jonathan Compton was MD at Bedlam Asset Management and has spent 30 years in fund management, stockbroking and corporate finance.

Invest in defence stocks as war goes hi-tech
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Invest in defence stocks as war goes hi-tech

The operational efficiency of defence equipment and cybersecurity is developing rapidly owing to the war in Ukraine, says Jonathan Compton. Here’s wha…
4 Aug 2022
Governments will sink in a world drowning in debt
Global Economy

Governments will sink in a world drowning in debt

Rising interest rates and soaring inflation will leave many governments with unsustainable debts. Get set for a wave of sovereign defaults, says Jonat…
23 Jun 2022
The truth about market manipulation
Investment strategy

The truth about market manipulation

Free, fair and transparent markets are a fiction. Investors need to be alert to the flaws, says Jonathan Compton.
28 Apr 2022
Climate change: the price to pay for saving the planet
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Climate change: the price to pay for saving the planet

Environmental risks to our future are very real. There are four reasons to be optimistic, but all will have long-term consequences for the economy and…
25 Feb 2022
Why the West must invest in defence – and you should too
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Why the West must invest in defence – and you should too

We’ve got used to a world without war between major powers, but that era is coming to an end as Russia threatens Ukraine and China eyes Taiwan. Buy de…
21 Jan 2022
Why it pays to invest in outsourcing despite its scandalous record
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Why it pays to invest in outsourcing despite its scandalous record

Outsourcing has seen more than its fair share of blunder and scandal, to the benefit of neither shareholders nor voters. Yet slow but steady improveme…
27 Aug 2021
The easy way to invest in emerging markets
Emerging markets

The easy way to invest in emerging markets

Investing in developing countries isn’t as straightforward as fund managers like to tell us, says Jonathan Compton. Here's how to do it the easy way, …
2 Jul 2021
Financial stocks are set to fly as we recover from the pandemic
Bank stocks

Financial stocks are set to fly as we recover from the pandemic

The banking and insurance sectors are probably the world’s least popular apart from coal mining, says Jonathan Compton. The industry may face pervasiv…
7 Jun 2021
Eternal growth: how to invest in the future of the drinks industry
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Eternal growth: how to invest in the future of the drinks industry

Humans have been dabbling in tasty beverages for millennia. Jonathan Compton assesses the key trends in the sector and recommends seven hard- and soft…
22 Jan 2021
The recipe for economic growth
Economy

The recipe for economic growth

Long-term development isn’t a linear progression: many countries get stuck in the middle-income trap. What do they have in common and how might they e…
31 Dec 2020
The world in 2040: expect water shortages and a bellicose China
Global Economy

The world in 2040: expect water shortages and a bellicose China

Jonathan Compton predicts the key economic and political changes investors should factor in over the next two decades.
6 Nov 2020
The best ways to invest in the farms of the future
Soft commodities

The best ways to invest in the farms of the future

Jonathan Compton assesses the key trends in post-pandemic agriculture and how you could profit from them.
20 Aug 2020
What the Latin Monetary Union – Europe’s forgotten currency – can teach us about the euro
Currencies

What the Latin Monetary Union – Europe’s forgotten currency – can teach us about the euro

The euro isn’t the continent’s first flawed single currency, says Jonathan Compton. The Latin Monetary Union lasted 61 years.
11 Jul 2020
The IMF and World Bank: a truly gruesome twosome
Global Economy

The IMF and World Bank: a truly gruesome twosome

The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, set up in 1944, now look sclerotic and ineffectual, says Jonathan Compton.
26 Jun 2020
After the storm: how to find top stocks amid the ruins
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After the storm: how to find top stocks amid the ruins

Investors are caught in a topsy-turvy world, says Jonathan Compton. He surveys the scene, assesses the outlook and suggests where – and how – you shou…
9 Apr 2020
Mindfulness and wellbeing: the relentless, creepy rise of the enforced happiness industry
Investments

Mindfulness and wellbeing: the relentless, creepy rise of the enforced happiness industry

The evidence suggests we’ve never been richer or healthier, yet we are always being told how stressed and discontented we are. Jonathan Compton assess…
9 Jan 2020
How the shadow economy moves markets
Economy

How the shadow economy moves markets

Exchanges taking place under the official radar may seem harmless, but they can have big effects on the wider economy. Investors should pay attention,…
16 Aug 2019
Cape: the key to healthy long-term stockmarket returns
Stockmarkets

Cape: the key to healthy long-term stockmarket returns

No valuation measure will help you time the market. But the cyclically adjusted price/earnings ratio has proved a good guide to long-term returns in e…
2 May 2019
Tourism is booming as China’s consumers head abroad
Economy

Tourism is booming as China’s consumers head abroad

The world’s biggest travellers are still Europeans, but emerging markets, led by China, are now spearheading a new phase of a long-term upswing in wor…
28 Mar 2019
A pivotal year for Indonesia
Stockmarkets

A pivotal year for Indonesia

The Jakarta stock index has soared and Indonesia's economy could now accelerate. But will corruption and religious tension spoil the story? We’ll soon…
10 Jan 2019
Property junkies face withdrawal
Property

Property junkies face withdrawal

Unlike Britain and the US, Canada and Australia escaped a housing bear market during the global crisis ten years ago. They are now heading for long ov…
29 Nov 2018
China will get old before it gets rich
Economy

China will get old before it gets rich

China’s workforce and general population are ageing rapidly, and the grievously underfunded welfare and pensions system won’t cope. That’s a recipe fo…
15 Nov 2018
How to arm your portfolio for the new global arms race
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How to arm your portfolio for the new global arms race

Russia and China are becoming more bellicose, while our defences look threadbare. Jonathan Compton explains how investors can profit from the West’s b…
4 Oct 2018
Shield your portfolio from the monetary singularity
Economy

Shield your portfolio from the monetary singularity

Quantitative easing has inflated property, share and bond markets alike. The end of this great monetary experiment threatens to blow black holes in ba…
21 Jun 2018
The vultures are circling over the corpse of corporate Britain…
Economy

The vultures are circling over the corpse of corporate Britain…

… but that could be good news for canny investors, says Jonathan Compton. Things can hardly be expected to get any worse, and the tidbits are looking …
3 May 2018
Investors should stand clear as the tech giants stumble
Stockmarkets

Investors should stand clear as the tech giants stumble

The likes of Facebook, Google and Netflix have enjoyed a great run. But with governments cracking down, it’s time to pull the FANGs from your portfoli…
29 Mar 2018
How to profit as Britain piles on the pounds
Economy

How to profit as Britain piles on the pounds

The world is getting fatter – and with no easy solution to obesity in sight, investing in healthcare providers and food and drink makers could bring b…
28 Sep 2017
Why I’m buying into the big banks again
Economy

Why I’m buying into the big banks again

It’s ten years since bank behaviour triggered a global financial crash. But the bad boys have reformed – it’s time to learn to love them again, says J…
27 Jul 2017
The next big emerging-market meltdown
Economy

The next big emerging-market meltdown

Turkey is heading for default, says Jonathan Compton, and the resulting global domino effect should not be underestimated. Investors should stand clea…
22 Jun 2017
India: the world’s hottest emerging market
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India: the world’s hottest emerging market

Is India the last great growth story – or overhyped and doomed to disappoint? In part one of our feature, Jonathan Compton argues that you should leav…
4 May 2017
Panic now: the housing bull’s turning bearish
Property

Panic now: the housing bull’s turning bearish

A property crash always unfolds in similar ways: credit runs dry, a priced-out majority stymies demand, confidence falters. Sound familiar? Then prepa…
13 Apr 2017
The threat from nationalistic policies to investors
Economy

The threat from nationalistic policies to investors

Nationalistic policies can seriously affect investment returns – it’s time we learnt the lessons from America’s Great Depression, says Jonathan Compto…
3 Mar 2017
Fortress America: will Trump splurge on security?
Economy

Fortress America: will Trump splurge on security?

Donald Trump wants to “make America safe again”, so expect a spending surge on an already dysfunctional arm of government. But there is an upside for …
17 Nov 2016
Investing in Scandinavia, where the winner doesn’t take it all
Economy

Investing in Scandinavia, where the winner doesn’t take it all

Free education, high pay, excellent healthcare, generous pensions – but a great business environment and booming stockmarket too. Jonathan Compton is …
29 Sep 2016
How to profit from Britain's tourism boom
Economy

How to profit from Britain's tourism boom

Our tourism industry has been and remains badly neglected by the government – but the fall in the pound means that it will boom regardless, says Jonat…
18 Aug 2016
How to make money in a greying world
Economy

How to make money in a greying world

Fewer babies are being born and the elderly are living longer. That’s a demographic time bomb for economies, but smart investors can profit from the t…
15 Apr 2016