Budget 2017: NS&I saving bond disappoints those looking for a decent return March 8, 2017 Savers on the hunt for a better rate of return may not be jumping for joy, after chancellor Philip Hammond failed to impress them with the launch of a National Savings & Investment (NS&I) three year bond that pays a 2.2 per cent return. Labelling it a "welcome break for hard-pressed savers" in today's budget, Hammond [...]
Budget 2017: Chancellor commits to raising income tax thresholds March 8, 2017 The Conservative government has committed to its 2015 manifesto promise to raise income tax thresholds. Chancellor Philip Hammond said today the government would raise the point at which people pay tax to £12,500 per year by 2020. Furthermore he pledged that by the same year the 40 per cent tax rate would not kick into [...]
How safe are dividends? March 8, 2017 | City Talk The income paid by stock market companies to investors could be about to come under pressure. The twice yearly payments made to investors can be a vital income supplement for those in retirement. Others reinvest the dividends to boost long-term returns. But research compiled by Schroders shows European and US companies are diverting a high [...]
Marine Le Pen could win the French election: Markets need to expect the unexpected March 8, 2017 If there's one thing markets have had to come to terms with in recent years, it’s that assumption breeds complacency. Such is the case with the upcoming elections in France: investors should have hawk eyes focused eyes on The Republic. With the yield spread between French and German 10-year government bonds touching their highest level [...]
Online investment platforms help close the gender participation gap in equity markets by a fifth March 8, 2017 Online investment platforms could help tackle gender inequality in participation in equity markets, according to an investor study of diversity trends. Research by SyndicateRoom into attitudes to investment found that online investment platforms had reduced inequality in male-female participation in equity markets by nearly 20 per cent. Men were 17 per cent more likely to access [...]
Budget 2017: Experts make eight predictions as to what is in store for pensions and savings March 7, 2017 In his Autumn statement chancellor Philip Hammond resisted the temptation of making sweeping changes to pensions and savings. However, according to AJ Bell's senior analyst Tom Selby: “Tinkering with pension contribution allowances is a perennial favourite of chancellors on Budget day and Philip Hammond showed he was no exception in the Autumn Statement." Here's eight topics experts are [...]
Look beyond pensions and Isas to VCTs and EIS for (higher risk) tax-efficient saving March 7, 2017 In advance of the new tax year, starting on 6 April, many people will be thinking about how to make the most of the tax-efficient investments available to them. Traditionally, this has been the time of year to make pension contributions, taking advantage of tax relief offered by the government. However, times have changed, with restrictions [...]
There’s a dead simple reason for these record market highs March 7, 2017 As equity markets continue their extraordinary and interminable upward trajectory, it was wonderful last week to see the ever modest leader of the free world taking time off from bashing journalists, among others, to take some well-earned credit for stocks putting on $3.2 trillion in value. Given the fact that both the Dow and the [...]
Pensions taskforce to call for £1.5 trillion superfund to plug black holes in UK’s retirement funds March 6, 2017 A group of pensions experts will call on the government in the next few days to set up a £1.5 trillion superfund to fix the UK's pensions crisis. According to Sky News, which first reported the story, the committee set up by the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) is expected to urge ministers to consolidate all of [...]
Brexit challenger Gina Miller’s firm condemns active fund management industry for having “no genuine price competition” March 6, 2017 Brexit challenger Gina Miller has condemned the active fund management industry for having “no genuine price competition”. SCM Direct, an investment management group co-founded by Miller, today released research showing 70 per cent of actively managed equity funds charge an identical annual management charge (AMC) of 0.75 per cent. Read more: Two ways investors can [...]