Black Friday: It is not just shoppers hunting for value

Fundamental versus relative value

As many shoppers are warming up their laptops and mobiles in preparation for bargain-hunting on Black Friday, it is a good time for investors to take a look at whether there are any bargain investments to be found in the market at present.

In recent years, benign economic conditions have enabled many companies to grow, which has encouraged investors to focus on that part of the market rather than looking purely for value. But with many markets in the developed world trading at or near-record highs, such as the US, and warnings of a global economic slowdown on the horizon, some investors are now placing more emphasis on value to help protect against any future market volatility. Chatfeild-Roberts: Value investors should be in Japan While the US market now looks quite expensive by historic standards, the UK offers rela...