FIRE v London
firevlondon.bsky.social
FIRE v London
@firevlondon.bsky.social
www.firevlondon.com . #Investing to be Financially Independent and able to Retire Early.

In £££London, and having fun, so FatFIRE really.

November: a generally poor month in the markets, despite US federal shutdown ending after 42 days. Australian equities had worst drop for a while. UK equities were the tallest dwarf.
December 6, 2025 at 11:48 AM
The perils of top slicing - I sold $GOOG at $255 and $265 in the last month. Heading up to $295 based on this week's results. Thankfully I still hold plenty.
October 30, 2025 at 7:32 AM
$GOOG is on an absolute tear. I have been top slicing (as it's one of my biggest holdings) above $255 and my holding is still worth more than a month ago.
October 29, 2025 at 7:34 PM
There is something extraordinary about HMT issuing this gilt: 5.25% 2041. 1/4
October 12, 2025 at 8:37 AM
Sep '25 markets: bouyant, in a word. S&P has really shaken off the Tariffs Tantrum, with AI/Tech leading the way, and is pulling everything else with it so far as I can see.
October 5, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Markets in August: US rate cut looking more likely has pulled USD down, but lifts US Equities & Bonds; elsewhere, currencies steady, moderating equity gains, but bonds dip slightly.
August 31, 2025 at 7:33 AM
I'm being beaten by the Wellcone Trust. But I'm beating Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard. I'll take that. 10 year returns stats. firevlondon.com/monthly-retu...
August 14, 2025 at 6:36 AM
July's markets - Equities were quite a pleasant place to be, particularly in the UK. Bonds easing off a little bit, everywhere. Tariff shocks nowhere in sight.
August 9, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Excellent writing by FT's Robert Armstrong re bitcoin
July 28, 2025 at 6:55 PM
June markets: S&P posted another strong month as tariffs fade from view, tho USD down; UK generally weak, reflecting general gloomy mood. Bonds in UK/US up, Equity in other markets also up.
July 5, 2025 at 2:31 PM
May was a good month for investments - with a slight exception for UK bonds. S&P led the charge, as the TACO meme took hold (slightly denting USD).
June 4, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Excellent, astute piece by James Max in ££FT on.ft.com/43SmvxZ
May 30, 2025 at 10:13 PM
BoE cuts rates by 25bps to 4.25%. Time for an update on my portfolio leverage #dontdothis. Loan To Value (green) close to target. Interest costs (pink columns) continuing to fall, though still high relative to a 'free money' era back in 2021. #investing #marginloans
May 8, 2025 at 11:53 AM
March markets.... just before the plunge. GBP sandwiched between falling Dollars (USD & AUD) and rising EUR. Equities dropping in anticipation of tariff-mania. Bonds quiet, and uncorrelated to equities (for once).
April 7, 2025 at 6:46 AM
The stock markets are swooning, but my 12 month return is still (barely) positive. Still very ignorable.
April 4, 2025 at 3:14 PM
For once, Bonds (Yellow) are doing what they are supposed to do vs Equities (Blue) - be uncorrelated.
April 4, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Two limit orders filling on the last day of the month round out a busy month for the portfolio firevlondon.com/diary/
March 31, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Despite the prevailing narrative about S&P declining, Euro stocks gaining, it is worth noting that over the last 12 months
a) S&P 500 is up 11%
b) Eurostoxx 50 is up 7%, somewhat less than S&P.
All exc divis. 1/2
March 26, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Great writing in Speccy
#pensions #investing #welfare
March 19, 2025 at 12:18 PM
February markets: GBP rose, USD fell, froth continues to blow off USA S&P, European/UK equities up, ASX down (tariff-driven?).
March 7, 2025 at 11:20 PM
The key chart is this one. The overall size of loan, as a % of the assets in the portfolio, is the green line - currently at 13%, which is on target. The base rate change doesn't affect that one. 3/6
February 7, 2025 at 9:39 AM
Markets in January: deepseek or no deepseek, equities loved the Trump effect, particularly in Europe (?!)... USD up too as cash/gold/etc moved into USA. Even bonds rose a bit. The high watermark, as tariffs announced just after Jan closed? We'll see.
February 2, 2025 at 11:45 PM
A lesson in cognitive bias errors... I made several here with META/Facebook. Once share price dropped to $90, I topped up (yay!) but I was so cross that, as it recovered, I sold my entire holding. If I'd held it until now I'd be 3x up in <3 years.
January 26, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Market review: December saw some of 2024's froth blown off, but 2024 remains a strong year - standout in USA equities, driven by AI mania and then a Trump rally. Bonds were weak this year, particularly in UK where % fell more slowly than hoped. GBP and USD rose.
January 2, 2025 at 9:20 PM
November markets: Trump election boosts US equities, ragging other equities up too - except EU eqs. USD up, EUR down. Not sure why bonds up - as long run ir expectations slightly higher - but up they are too.
November 30, 2024 at 8:45 AM