Six CV mistakes that could end up costing you: Including personal details could leave you vulnerable to fraud June 21, 2015 In the fight to distinguish yourself from other job applicants, your CV should be your principal weapon. But with recruiters looking for any reason to bin your application, it is easy to shoot yourself in the foot. Here are some crucial errors to avoid. TOO MUCH PERSONAL INFO It may seem like a formality [...]
Why corporate culture fads don’t work June 18, 2015 Flat organisations may inspire creativity, but they’ll quickly deflate if staff feel directionless. There are certainly advantages to open, forward-thinking corporate cultures. Mark Zuckerberg hosts weekly Q&A sessions with Facebook staff. Richard Branson has offered unlimited holiday to employees in London, New York and Geneva. These are motivating ideas, but back in the office, [...]
World view: The figures that matter most this month June 18, 2015 From collapsing currencies to diverging growth rates, asset bubbles to infrastructure splurges, we highlight the figures that matter this month.
The future is bright: Buy solar panels now to lock in 20 years of savings June 18, 2015 Energy costs have been rising – but you could cut your bills with solar panels. A government scheme aimed at increasing take-up of alternative energy means you will be paid for the amount your solar panels generate – both for the quantity you use yourself and the amount sent to the grid. The Feed-in [...]
China’s equity markets have rocketed: Bubble waiting to burst or the market unleashing its true potential? June 18, 2015 China's equity markets have rocketed – is this a bubble waiting to burst or the market unleashing its true potential? China is a world of contradiction for investors. With its billion-strong population and the second-largest economy in the world, it should have been a marvellous place for investment. Not so. The giant economy [...]
Sinking supermarkets: Tesco has had a disastrous year. Can it recover? June 18, 2015 The UK’s supermarkets were once investment darlings. The likes of Tesco and Sainsbury’s emerged on the stock markets, radically changed our shopping habits and then rose to dominance on the FTSE 100. But times have changed, and the supermarkets have been down on their luck. Are they still worthwhile investments? “Part of the [...]
Ladies who don’t lunch: Pretty Sagoo talks science, stress and Solvency II June 18, 2015 The whole pension thing was completely by accident,” says Pretty Sagoo, explaining how she ended up in banking, working with insurance and pension fund clients. In the language of the industry, her career has revolved around structuring and pricing deals, de-risking, swaps, hedges and the like. But Pretty doesn’t do jargon. “It just winds [...]
Breaking new ground: Why the investment trust is offering unique – and growing – opportunities June 18, 2015 Investment trusts have been around since the 1860s, but a perception of obscurity and limited choice has meant that they have not been as well-regarded as their open-ended counterparts. In recent years, however, their popularity has been on the up. Indeed, in 2014, investment trust assets hit a record high of £122bn, with purchases by [...]
Britain’s still great: Opportunities abound from the Northern Powerhouse to infrastructure revamp June 18, 2015 EUROPE REFERENDUM To the relief of many, the UK election turned out to be a simple affair. But while we avoided protracted wrangling over the make-up of the government, the key risk facing the UK now is the referendum on European Union membership. It is due to be held before 2017 – but some business [...]
The importance of income: Regular dividends will make a massive difference to your portfolio June 18, 2015 Most new investors build a portfolio in the hope of capital growth. You put money into shares, the price rises, and you sell out with a handsome profit. But investing in assets which make regular payments can make a real difference to the overall performance of your portfolio, and some of the world's most successful [...]