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 [...]
If you’re an equity crowdfunding investor, think about the following before committing October 6, 2016 Thankfully, investing in early-stage equity goes far beyond the much publicised fan-led campaigns, where for as little as £10 you get a stake in your favourite local restaurant. It now includes fundraises for some of the UK’s most promising tech startups. I am thrilled to see that private investors can now back entrepreneurs to help [...]
This is how many Brits have no clue how much credit card debt they have October 5, 2016 More than a quarter (28 per cent) of Brits with a credit card do not know how much debt they have on it and the same proportion (28 per cent) of adults cannot recall how much money they have in their current account, according to a study out today. The research, carried out by VoucherCodes.co.uk and [...]
Tesco’s pension headache is a real challenge because of the financial strength of the company say experts October 5, 2016 Pension experts warned that Tesco's ballooning pension deficit could cause the supermarket problems when it comes to tricky conversations with the scheme's trustees. The deficit – which doubled to £5.9bn – was higher than anticipated and will likely prompt detailed scrutiny by the trustees, in particular when it comes to next year's triennial valuation. "The ballooning deficit at Tesco is [...]
Experts react to potential changes in pension tax relief October 5, 2016 Hints that the government intends a pension tax shake-up has led to mixed reactions from experts. Chancellor Philip Hammond's parliamentary private secretary, John Glen MP, responded to questions at the Conservative Party Conference on whether the government intended to change pension tax relief. "There needs to be some serious examination about how we can re-balance incentives towards the [...]
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 [...]
European consumers turn their noses up at price comparison websites in favour of brokers. And it’s a trend that isn’t changing soon October 4, 2016 Continental Europe is shunning price comparison websites for sales of motor insurance because brokers have managed to adapt better to the needs of the market unlike their British counterparts. Two-thirds of all UK motor insurance policies are sold through price comparison websites – a medium that has only been around since the turn of the millennium. But according to [...]
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 [...]