Restoring Britain’s reputation for liberal economic policy must be the priority in the coming Autumn Statement October 26, 2016 The forthcoming Autumn Statement brings to mind the old quote from Bill Clinton’s adviser James Carville about wanting to be reincarnated as the bond market – because then he could intimidate everyone. Philip Hammond, the new chancellor, should beware the so-called bond vigilantes. The chancellor is looking for innovative ways to shift the cost of [...]
Travel money exchange disruptor WeSwap launches crowdfunding campaign October 26, 2016 P2P travel money exchange disruptor WeSwap today launched a crowdfunding campaign on Seedrs. WeSwap has reported growth of 204 per cent in the last year, welcoming more than 200,000 users. It has a fundraising target of £1m to accelerate development on the platform and expand into new markets. Read more: Who's responsible for greater transparency in equity [...]
US private equity firm eyeing UK investment opportunities as sterling value falls October 26, 2016 JZ Capital Partners, a US private equity company listed in London, is eyeing investment opportunities in the UK, with the fall in sterling making assets cheaper. The company’s share price rose by more than one per cent today to 518p after it reported a net asset value (NAV) of $873m (£714m), up from $851.7m, for [...]
The economics of iceberg homes: Are mega-basements just a sunk cost? October 26, 2016 Even if you’re rich, London’s above-ground space limitations and conservation rules can put the kibosh on building your dream home. If you have a vision of putting a swimming pool, cinema or bowling alley in your Georgian terrace, you’ll probably have to think vertically to realise it. Over the last decade, iceberg basements have become [...]
The government’s pension freedoms were less popular last quarter as withdrawals fell October 26, 2016 Retirees have taken £7.6bn from their savings since reforms were introduced in April 2015, the Treasury revealed today – but the pace of withdrawals is falling. The amount withdrawn during the third quarter of 2016 dipped to £1.5bn, down from £1.8bn in the previous three months. One of George Osborne's flagship pension reforms announced just over 18 months [...]
Start with a blank canvas: How to invest in the art market October 26, 2016 For years the idea of purchasing art as an investment was frowned upon by purists in the art world – the two should be separate, like church and state. Art as investment is certainly not for everyone: the market is quite illiquid, prices can be volatile, and storage costs can outweigh profits. But as investors [...]
Time is money: Are luxury watches a good investment? October 26, 2016 The current wave of smartwatches, like any new technology, will be outdated by the time you’ve finished reading this article. But certain classic watches not only tell the time, they increase in value with it. While the poorest performing of all the other asset classes (barring furniture), the watch sub-category of the Knight Frank Luxury [...]
Thirty years since Big Bang: The deregulation of the London Stock Exchange democratised investing October 26, 2016 Thirty years have passed since the City of London was radically recast by a package of Thatcherite reforms, known as Big Bang. These saw the privatisation of the London Stock Exchange (LSE), allowed outside companies – not just individuals – to become members, and ushered in the automatic quotation of share prices. The product of [...]
What will it take for the online lending industry to hit profitability? October 26, 2016 Online lending has been having its Uber moment. “Platforms spend as much as they physically can to dominate, with VCs behind them pushing for that growth. But now, a lot of VCs have left. Platforms will have to go out for funding again, and we’ll see massive down rounds,” says one platform founder, speaking on [...]
Criminal activity in connection with loosening of pension restrictions was worse than expected October 25, 2016 The level of fraud following the freeing-up of pension reforms was a lot higher than previously thought according to data from City of London Police. George Osborne's flagship policy to give pensioners greater freedoms – including allowing them to take a lump sum out of their pension – provided criminals a new opportunity to con people out of their money. Read more: Government bins plans [...]