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Where to get a 9 per cent yield, the tale of two Aim shares plus is a reader's high cash holding a good thing?

Income-starved investors know by now that they can leave no stone unturned in the quest for a decent yield on their investments. If you haven't already been to view property investment trusts, it's worth noting their attractive income pull. According to the Association of Investment Companies the average yield for these trusts is around 7 per cent. One trust in particular stands out for its near-10 per cent yield. Not only does it boast an enticing yield, the shares are also trading on a large discount. Is the dividend sustainable? Well, with the exception of 2008, the company has consistently paid covered dividends since listing in 2005. Elsewhere Graeme Davies compares two of the most popular retail punters' plays on the Alternative Investment Market (Aim) which are suffering wildly contrasting fortunes right now. One, once the darling of the Aim market, has put its investors through a rollercoaster ride over the past few years but now looks to be close to rehabilitation. In contrast, a more recent Aim darling is still travelling south at pace after a torrid year which has seen its shares lose 80 per cent of their value. We also review a risk-averse reader's portfolio: is his high cash holding justified? And Lee Wild reports on how dealmakers expect little rest in 2012 as the scramble for growth driving aerospace and defence M&A shows little sign of easing up.
February 16, 2012

Income-starved investors know by now that they can leave no stone unturned in the quest for a decent yield on their investments. If you haven't already been to view property investment trusts, it's worth noting their attractive income pull. According to the Association of Investment Companies the average yield for these trusts is around 7 per cent. One trust in particular stands out for its near-10 per cent yield. Not only does it boast an enticing yield, the shares are also trading on a large discount. Is the dividend sustainable? Well, with the exception of 2008, the company has consistently paid covered dividends since listing in 2005. Elsewhere Graeme Davies compares two of the most popular retail punters' plays on the Alternative Investment Market (Aim) which are suffering wildly contrasting fortunes right now. One, once the darling of the Aim market, has put its investors through a rollercoaster ride over the past few years but now looks to be close to rehabilitation. In contrast, a more recent Aim darling is still travelling south at pace after a torrid year which has seen its shares lose 80 per cent of their value. We also review a risk-averse reader's portfolio: is his high cash holding justified? And Lee Wild reports on how dealmakers expect little rest in 2012 as the scramble for growth driving aerospace and defence M&A shows little sign of easing up.