Why we should be worried that many women are reliant on their partners’ pensions August 20, 2019 We may have come a long way since the days when women were the property of men, but we still face some huge challenges when it comes to addressing financial gender inequality. According to a new report from Fidelity, 12 per cent of married women plan to rely on their partner’s pension in retirement, while [...]
What to do about staff skipping work for the beach August 20, 2019 We’ve heard it all before: “my cat is having kittens”, “I’ve hurt my back”, “I’ve got food poisoning”, “my bathtub fell through my ceiling”, or “my car broke down”. When the sun is out, employees might feel inclined to use one of these excuses in order to skip work and do something a little more [...]
What do “lower for longer” interest rates mean for value investors? August 19, 2019 | City Talk “Lower for longer” has been one of the rallying cries of this bull market cycle. Indeed, interest rates are not simply staying low; they have recently been cut again by the US Federal Reserve. Why do low rates matter? If interest rates remain low, economic growth is stimulated, defaults are scarce, financing is easy and [...]
‘Dearth of supply’ sees London office vacancies drop to lowest level since 2007 August 19, 2019 A supply starved market and weakened investment has led to vacancy rates in London offices falling to their lowest level since 2007, a new report has found. The amount of available office space in London has fallen 19 per cent over the past year, with vacancies in the City dropping 27 per cent, according to [...]
European funds back to modest inflows amid tough conditions August 19, 2019 The European fund industry has weathered volatile conditions to enjoy estimated net inflows for the first half of 2019, after seeing estimated net outflows for the first time since 2011 last year. Mutual funds in Europe saw estimated net inflows of €41.3bn (£38.1bn) for the first half of the year, according to Refinitiv’s review of [...]
The founder of Yulife on avoiding the grey-suit mentality of the insurance industry August 19, 2019 Dressed in a tie-dye T-shirt and jeans, Sammy Rubin looks more like a climate change activist than the chief executive of an insurance company. But then, there’s a lesson on why you shouldn’t judge people on how they look. Indeed, there are many things we can learn from Rubin – his hippyish dress-sense feeds right [...]
Debunking four common myths around temporary workers August 19, 2019 Work is the hub around which the spokes of society revolve: we depend on our labour to make a living. But one big thing has changed over recent years, as work today is less about the perceived value of the job and more about the level of control and choice that the worker has. The human [...]
DEBATE: Do the students who have just got their A-levels have less to look forward to than past generations? August 16, 2019 Do the students who have just got their A-levels have less to look forward to than past generations? Charlotte Gill, a freelance writer, says YES. A-level results day is one of the most joyous occasions of the year, reminding us of how much talent the UK has. But among the fanfare remains an awful fact: [...]
Economy on red alert with yield curve close to inversion August 16, 2019 | City Talk Both the US and UK yield curves are on the verge of inverting. The yield curve has been a reliable predictor of US recessions over the last four decades, less so in the UK. With only one exception, each time the yield curve has inverted, the US economy has entered a downturn within 18 months. [...]
How to keep cool while covering for colleagues during holiday season August 16, 2019 August can be a stressful time for remainers. No, not people anxious about the prospect of a no-deal Brexit, but those left in the office during the holiday period while their colleagues are sunning and Instagramming themselves on the beach. A study by OnePoll last year found that covering for co-workers generally results in a [...]