Official statisticians reveal what Britons think will make them the most money for later years October 11, 2016 Britons think the best way to save for retirement is to invest in property rather than a pension scheme, according to research by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Although respondents to the ONS survey admitted that an employer pension scheme was a safer way to save, nearly half felt that investing in bricks and mortar was best way to [...]
Is the tumbling pound providing a correction, or are we losers now? October 11, 2016 A strong currency can be a sign of a country’s economic success. When a currency rises against another, those earning income in it have greater spending power. Equally, a weaker currency is considered by some to be a source of national embarrassment. Last week’s sterling crash was rather embarrassing for Britain – the pound fell 4.2 [...]
SME finance: Which is best and how can you ensure success? October 6, 2016 British small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) may be ambitious, but without financing, ambition is nothing more than a pipe dream. Whether it’s new equipment, a cash injection for a project, or simply extra working capital, businesses need money to ensure they can continue to grow. Clearly, there are different types of finance for different [...]
As the UK prepares to leave the EU, is it time for investors to get out of the UK? October 5, 2016 With the FTSE 100 reaching 7,120 yesterday, just undershooting its all-time high, this might seem like a strange time to ask whether investors should be ditching UK assets altogether. However, as the blue-chip index surged, DeVere Group founder Nigel Green warned that Brexit-related risk means that such a “precautionary measure” is increasingly likely from UK investors [...]
The number of millionaires increases by a quarter every three years but the nil-rate inheritance tax band remains static until 2021 October 4, 2016 The number of UK millionaires is growing at such a rate that Britain is on track to have nearly half a million of them by the end of the year. Analysis of HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC) UK Personal Wealth Statistics indicates that the number of millionaires is growing by over a quarter every three years and may [...]
Why your investments might be promising something too good to be true October 4, 2016 Investors usually wouldn't turn their nose up at a bumper dividend payout, but research out today has warned many FTSE 100 companies might be promising more than they can deliver. Nearly half (48) of FTSE 100 firms have planned for dividends which are more than two times their forecast earnings for 2016, which AJ Bell [...]
Better infrastructure and new houses: Here’s how to invest for a post-Brexit fiscal stimulus October 4, 2016 Chancellor Philip Hammond used his party conference speech yesterday to tell the public that the government is prepared to take “whatever steps are necessary to protect this economy from turbulence”. Though he gave a nod to his predecessor’s commitment to fiscal consolidation, new spending plans are widely expected when he delivers his first Autumn Statement in [...]
Middle East investment vehicle buys 23 per cent stake in UK broker September 20, 2016 A Middle Eastern investment vehicle today took a 23.1 per cent stake in broker WH Ireland. Kuwaiti European Holding Group (KEH), the vehicle of the Al-Humaidi family, this morning announced it had paid £8.45m for more than 6m shares at 140p, a 39 per cent premium on last week’s closing price. WH Ireland’s share price rocketed [...]
Steepening the curve: The Bank of Japan may modify its bond buying scheme to ease pressure on commercial banks, insurers and pension funds September 20, 2016 In a defiant speech earlier this month, Bank of Japan (BoJ) governor Haruhiko Kuroda insisted that there is plenty of ammo left in his monetary policy clip. With a comprehensive review of the effects of monetary policy on prices and the economy promised at tomorrow’s BoJ meeting, speculation is rife about what surprises could be in [...]
Opec is like a latter-day Ratpack act: It doesn’t need new material to move the market September 20, 2016 How many stories are there in town at the moment? What are the current obsessions for traders who, now that September is here, are routinely swinging the equity market over one per cent on a daily basis? To my mind, after a seemingly endless succession of sessions in July and August without a one per cent [...]