It’s been very easy to get caught up in the economic doom and gloom recently, I’m certainly guilty of it myself, but sometimes you can’t always see the wood for trees.

Despite the dire predictions, it has actually been a very good year for investors and I suspect, with the right advice, many Financial Planners' clients are looking at a positive end of year return on their portfolios.

Perhaps even a bonanza year.

A quick canter through the equity market indices (based on today’s prices) shows the FTSE100 up nearly 20% this year, the FTSE All Share is up over 18%, the Dow is up nearly 14%, the S&P500 over 16%, the Nikkei225 up an impressive near 26% and the Hang Seng Index up an amazing 30%+.

Overall it’s been a very good year to make money for equity investors and, surprisingly, this has been one of the most unreported investment stories of the year.

Financial Planning is, of course, about much more than making a quick buck from investments but there is no doubt that many investors have done rather well this year and a good year for investments will boost many long term financial plans.

The experts are already talking about a market correction, and no doubt this will come sooner or later, but those who put their faith in equities this year as a way to produce long term returns have been well rewarded.

It’s fair to say, however, that while UK markets have done well a pervading grey gloom seems to have settled over the UK economy, some of this sparked by endless Budget fears and speculation (much of it unfounded) and some by the economic figures themselves. UK GDP growth remains lifeless, taxes take is rising rapidly, unemployment is rising steadily and few expect a rapid turn round.

On the more positive side, inflation (the great scourge of wealth growth) is at last subsiding, the Bank of England base rate now seems set on a downward path and wages and incomes are rising (albeit with plenty of help in some cases from rises in the minimum wage).

The UK economy is not out of the woods yet and more needs to be done soon to stimulate growth but a balanced look at recent history and the economic prospects over the next year or two would conclude that things could be much worse and there is some hope for the future.

With this more positive outlook in mind, it’s time to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and, I hope, a prosperous and eventful year ahead. Thank you for reading these columns over the past year and I’ve appreciated the many comments I’ve received. The are all appreciated, even the ones with suggestions some would find offensive if not anatomically difficult to achieve (I'm kidding...).

This column will now be taking a well earned festive break for some mince pies and will be back in two weeks. In the meantime you can continue to enjoy our website content 24/7 and we’ll be bringing you a news service throughout the days ahead.

• You can view the latest issue of Financial Planning Today magazine by registering or subscribing to Financial Planning Today website. You will then be sent links including options to subscribe to a range of packages, including the magazine, within a few days. Check out the options on 'My Account' once you are registered. And why not treat yourself to a subscription to our premium quality print magazine?

Kevin O’Donnell is editor of Financial Planning Today and a journalist with 40 years of experience. This topical comment on the Financial Planning news appears most weeks, usually on Fridays but occasionally other days.  Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Follow @FPT_Kevin 

> Follow me on Twitter / X at @FPT_Kevin for breaking news and key updates