Gareth Culpan Financial Planning

01/09/2026

WeekWatch

A round up of the last month, and what’s to come in markets in the UK, Europe and beyond, including inflation and interest rates, Iran, AI and Andy Burnham!

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26/08/2026

Whether Albert Einstein ever actually said this about compound interest is up for debate, but what’s not up for debate is the power it holds.

Growth, then growth on your growth, then growth on your growth on your growth, then growth on your gro…. You get the picture!

Start now, play the long game, reap the rewards.



garethculpanfp.co.uk

24/08/2026

WeekWatch

According to the US Federal Reserve’s own figures, publicly held federal government debt has doubled since mid-2009. The record $40 trillion figure equates to daily interest payments of $3.8 billion. By comparison, the US spends about $2.3 billion every day on defence.

On this side of the Atlantic, UK headline inflation rose to 2.9% in the month to July, up from 2.6% the previous month. The jump had been expected by analysts and was driven by a 13% increase in the Ofgem energy price cap. This covers the period 1 July to 30 September for the 60% of customer accounts not on fixed tariffs. Elsewhere, core inflation (excluding energy, food and alcohol and to***co) remained unchanged at 2.6%

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20/08/2026

17/08/2026

WeekWatch

The S&P 500 reached a record high this week buoyed by low US producer and consumer inflation readings in July indicating inflationary pressures are being contained. A stream of strong AI earnings releases reinforced bullish sentiment.

Meanwhile, buoyed by the good weather and England’s progress in the World Cup boosting food and beverage sales (as well as alcohol manufacturing), the UK economy (GDP) grew by an unexpected 0.3% in June. This contributed to second quarter GDP growth of 0.6%, ahead of analysts’ expectations. The combined 1% growth in the first half of this year means the UK is the fastest-growing economy in the G7 group of advanced economies (US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan).

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12/08/2026

What does security mean to you?

I’m not talking about security guards and CCTV. I’m talking about a well rounded holistic financial plan that covers both the short and long term plans and provides some protection for your loved ones.

Confidence
Clarity
Free from worry.

That’s security

Garethculpanfp.co.uk

10/08/2026

WeekWatch

While opinions may vary on whether the current hot, dry summer is nicer than Britain’s typical grey and drizzly experience, its effects on farming are less up for debate.

The heat has encouraged the spread of Bluetongue disease across southwest England and several crops – such as winter wheat – are experiencing notably poor yields. Lower food production are likely to translate to inflationary pressures, though the extent of this may take time to fully materialise.

Meanwhile, reports are emerging that Iran and Oman are close to reaching a deal around the future of the Strait of Hormuz.
This led to renewed hopes that a peace deal might not be far off. As well as helping equity markets, this optimism has seen oil prices move lower.

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07/08/2026

£31.1 billion

That’s how much is estimated to be in lost or unclaimed pensions in the UK, according to the Pensions Policy Institue.

• Do you know where your old workplace and personal pensions are?
• Do you know how much is in them?
• Should you consolidate them into one pension for ease?

Something to think about over the weekend perhaps…

Garethculpanfp.co.uk

03/08/2026

WeekWatch

US companies are delivering one of the strongest earnings seasons since the post-pandemic bounce in 2021. Multiple sectors are delivering high (20%+) double-digit profit growth compared with 2025. This has been led by energy, buoyed by the 40% rise in the price of oil over the past year. Communication services and technology were also strong contributors, supported by AI-related activities.

The FTSE 100 ended July within a couple of points of its all-time high of 10,934. During the month it rose by 4% in local currency terms, outperforming the S&P 500 which fell by 1% over the period. The FTSE 100 has also led over the past 12 months, rising by almost 20%. This is ahead of the S&P 500’s 18%, and just ahead of the global MSCI ACWI.

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02/08/2026

The power of hindsight

I spoke with someone recently who told me about a cancer diagnosis.

“I wish I’d taken that critical illness insurance you suggested”

It’s easy to look back and think how we’d do things differently. We protect pets, cars, homes and holidays but often miss the thing that provides all of that - you!

Speak to an expert if you need to review your protection.