'Stock Market Update', Harry Morgan

President Ian welcomed Harry Morgan who is a well known and regular speaker at our Club. Harry is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Securities and is now Chief Investment Officer at Anderson Strathearn which he recently joined from Thomas Miller Investments where he was Head of Private Investments.

Harry is recognised as a leading figure in the Edinburgh financial community and has been a wealth manager for some 30 years. Anderson Strathearn is a boutique asset management business that looks after the corporate and private sector relating to investment and financial planning, pensions and general insurance.

During his talk Harry commented on the interaction between politics and economics and how perceived economic competency on behalf of a political party has a track record of winning elections. He cited the results and economic impacts of UK elections in 1992 and 1997 and explained how the economic policies and subsequent actions/decisions of the then respective Conservative and Labour governments impacted on the Markets and Interest Rates. Similarly, the election outcome in 2015, against the backdrop of an expected hung parliament, has so far impacted positively on the Markets but it is anticipated that the future events front, taking into account the EU Referendum, political rhetoric about austerity and unrest in the Middle East, etc, may yet prove interesting both politically and economically.  

John Dea thanked Harry for his excellent talk and hoped that he would be able to join us again next session. 

Report by Graham Low