Newsletter 9th May

When it comes to growing wealth, the hardest part is often just getting started. Research consistently shows that women are less likely than men to hold investments (but get better results than men when they do invest), not because of lack of ability or lack of interest, but because of hesitation… waiting for the “right time” or wanting to have “perfect” knowledge. But here’s the truth: the markets reward participation, not perfection. Inaction is one of the biggest drivers of the gender investing gap.

That’s why we’re here, to help you move from intention to action. Regular investing, even in small amounts, builds confidence, experience, and ultimately, long-term financial security. Whether markets are calm or chaotic, it’s the habit of showing up that counts most.

A word from Ayesha…

Before we look at how the markets have been performing this week, Propelle Founder & CEO, Ayesha Ofori, shares her reflections on consistency and why it’s the key to success.

This past week I attended the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman awards. I was a nominee for the Bold Future award and attended a star studded (business women, not celebrities) event. I was asked to speak on a panel about the challenges of running a startup and how I overcome them. I’ll share the challenges another time, but one of the things that has helped me to overcome challenges and deliver time and time again is being consistent. 

Consistency is a key driver of success. I see it in so many areas of my life. The first is the gym… I hate it! I find it boring and I’m still struggling with the idea of paying to put myself through pain (they tell me my muscles will stop aching, but I’m not there yet). But I committed to show up, no matter what and to push through the pain and… success! I can see some actual muscles forming!  I also mentioned last week that I’m trying to post more on social media, to share more investing nuggets. This is something I have really struggled with in the past, as I just couldn’t find the time to do it. But my friends in the know kept pushing me to do it. So I have been posting more consistently recently and guess what… I’m starting to see success. Had a viral post last week! It’s also a similar story with Propelle. When I started it was so hard to fundraise. Investors (mostly men) would tell me women weren’t interested in money and didn’t want to invest. Despite this I carried on, I kept going, showing up each day and pushing forward. Being consistent. And look at us now! Our user metrics are absolutely flying! (Thanks to all of you who use the app regularly!). If I hadn’t been consistent with it, despite all the naysayers, we wouldn’t be here today. 

Consistency really is key to success. This applies to investing too. 

Check out the video in the Propelle app about consistency. This is the video I posted on social media that went viral – 250K views in a couple of days!

Top 5 Market Headlines of the Week

Here are some of the biggest headlines we’ve seen this week that could affect you and your investments.

• 🇬🇧🤝🇺🇸 UK and US Seal a “Terrific” Trade Deal
• 📉 Bank of England Cuts Interest Rates to 4.25%
• 🚗💸 Car Finance Mis-selling Scandal Could Cost Banks £16 Billion
• 🏦 HSBC Bets Big on UK Wealth Management
• 🔁 BoE Governor Urges Rebuilding EU Trade Ties

Sources: The Guardian, Financial Times, BBC, Financial Times , Reuters 

Little learn of the week

📊 Little Learn: FTSE 100 Just Did Something It’s Never Done Before

This week, the FTSE 100 — the UK’s flagship stock index — closed higher for 15 consecutive trading days, marking the longest winning streak in its history. What’s driving it? A mix of stronger-than-expected U.S. jobs data, cooling inflation pressures, and optimism around potential progress in U.S.-China trade relations. While the index is often seen as a slow mover due to its exposure to large, global companies, this rally shows how quickly sentiment can shift — especially when global economic signals align.

Markets may be volatile, but history keeps showing us: staying invested through the noise often pays off.

Major indexes & Propelle Funds

Last Week’s Major Indexes

Before we dive in…

Indices are lists of major sections of a market. Basically, they give a gauge of the health of a certain financial market. You’ll see below the value of some major global indices, as well as how much it changed last week, with a percentage.

FTSE 100 (UK): 8,561.33 +0.35%

S&P 500 (US): 5,663.94 +0.58%

Euro Stoxx 50 (Europe):  5,311.55 +0.43%

Nasdaq (US): 17,928.14 +1.07%

Dow Jones (US): 41,368.45 +1.62%

Accurate as of Friday 9th May 13:20

Propelle Funds

How many assets are in our Vanguard funds?

These numbers are accurate as of January 2023. Things can change in 2 years, but fund strategies are long term and big shifts from those numbers are unlikely.

Vanguard Lifestrategy 20% – 25,130 assets

Vanguard Lifestrategy 60% – 28,449 assets

Vanguard Lifestrategy 100% – 7,273 assets

We sometimes get asked what the benefit of a fund is compared to buying your own stocks and this is one of the key benefits. Buying into a Vanguard fund gives you a piece of thousands of assets. You’re unlikely to be able to invest in those many assets if you were to do it yourself. And many assets can mean more diversification.

Mini Market Deep Dive

Big News For Renewable Investments
Big moves are underway in the UK’s energy sector. The government is launching Great British Energy (GBE) — a new, state-owned renewable energy company based in Aberdeen. Backed by £8.3 billion in public funding, GBE will invest in green projects like offshore wind, hydrogen power, and carbon capture, with a goal of generating 8 GW of clean energy by 2030. It’s all part of the Labour Party’s push to boost energy independence and drive private sector investment.

For investors, this is one to watch. GBE isn’t just about big government spending — it’s a signal that clean energy is moving from ambition to action. With long-term support baked in, sectors like renewables infrastructure, storage, and smart grid tech could see serious momentum. If you’re thinking about where the UK’s energy future — and capital — is heading, this is a big clue.

Fear & Greed

The Fear & Greed Index is a way to gauge stock market movements and investor attitudes. The theory is based on the idea that excessive fear tends to drive down share prices, and greed tends to see share prices rise.

Whilst it’s based on the US, it matters to us in the UK because it helps us understand where general sentiment of the US market sits, which often has very close ties to other global markets and investment portfolios.

Things are continuing to improve! After a period in the ‘Extreme Fear’ and ‘Fear’ sections, we’re now back in ‘Greed’ territory.  This is a great sign for markets, but let’s remember that we’ve seen things move quickly lately with turbulent world politics, so things can change again. Just remember,  we’re in it for the long run!

Keep your eyes open for next week’s latest and how these market movements affect your finances and investments.

If you invest, your capital is at risk and your investments can go up as well as down. Past performance is not an indicator of the future.