Annuities may be regaining popularity, but here’s eight myths we’re still falling for June 22, 2016 Interest in annuities may be on the rebound, but research out today shows that some people might be starting out on their retirement product shopping trip with a few misapprehensions in mind. Common preconceptions unearthed by Retirement Advantage included "annuities are poor value", "I won't live long enough to worry about buying an annuity" and "I'd [...]
EU referendum: UBS roadmap for day after vote points to FTSE falling below 5,000 if Brexit happens June 22, 2016 The blue-chip FTSE 100 index could fall to lows not seen since 2011 if the UK votes to quit the EU, UBS analysts have warned. In a note to clients this morning UBS cautioned the FTSE 100 could slip under 5,000 points post Brexit, though could rise to up 6,800 if the country votes to remain. The polls are currently [...]
Wealth manager’s share price drops after reporting £1m loss in “challenging trading environment” June 22, 2016 The share price of wealth manager European Wealth dropped nearly two per cent this morning after the company reported a pre-tax loss of £1m. The results The alternative investment market (Aim)-listed firm reported a 20 per cent increase in funds under management (FUM) in the year to 31 December 2015. Read more: Wealth managers facing [...]
Five of the best: Ethical banks to stash your savings June 22, 2016 Banks have been mired in scandal over the last decade. The 2008 financial crisis has been followed by countless investigations and fines. Big banks have variously been caught out for mis-selling products, violating sanctions and manipulating prices of gold, silver, currencies, and libor interest rates. Not surprisingly, headlines have been filled with ire over banks’ unseemly [...]
UK’s pension black hole grows by £120bn in the space of six weeks, as equities fluctuate ahead of EU referendum June 21, 2016 The combined black hole in the UK's pension schemes expanded by more than £100bn in the space of just six weeks, research out today has found. The analysis by Hymans Robertson revealed that the total deficit of the UK's defined benefit (DB) pension schemes rocketed by £120bn, or roughly the equivalent of five per cent of GDP, over [...]
Eleven million people would boost their retirement savings if only they knew more about this particular pensions rule change June 21, 2016 As many as 11.4m people could be encouraged to boost their pensions savings if they had more information about a rule change that came in last year, research out today has found. The study by Aegon found that a third (33 per cent) of the 4,000 people surveyed were clueless about the pension freedoms, which came into [...]
Cash is still king: Why hard cash continues to be a vital asset class for investors June 21, 2016 To many, cash represents an opportunity cost, an opportunity lost. These investors believe cash is a temporary holding medium between risk-assets, held unwillingly, often for a lack of better ideas. That is a limiting, myopic view. Cash is a core asset class, not a blank canvas from which to create an investment. Sometimes – even [...]
Now the PPF is warning proposed changes to British Steel Pension Scheme could set a precedent June 21, 2016 Proposed changes to the British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS) could set a precedent for other troubled industries, the UK's pensions lifeboat has cautioned today. Responding to an ongoing consultation into the BSPS, the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) has warned that one of the options on the table – which would involve using legislation to slash [...]
EU referendum: Confidence among private investors holds up ahead of vote June 21, 2016 Confidence among private investors edged up this month, despite widespread talk of unprecedented market volatility in the run-up to the EU referendum. A poll of more than 1,000 UK investors for the Lloyds Bank investor sentiment index showed the outlook towards most types of assets had improved slightly over the last few weeks, but is still considerably [...]
How to trade EU referendum night June 21, 2016 Sterling volatility has rocketed over the past few weeks, as markets have digested the ups and downs of the opinion polls in advance of the EU referendum. But if you think the sealing of the ballot boxes at 10pm on Thursday night will be the end of it (until UK stock markets re-open on Friday [...]