Lay all your bets on a winner: Why optimism beats calculation November 25, 2012 I WAS so tired at breakfast that, when the waitress asked if I wanted coffee, I just tapped the table a few times. When she asked about sugar, I flattened my hand, palm downwards, and slowly waved it left and right. As a casino worker, she knew the blackjack signals for yes and no. And [...]
Who qualifies for investment relief November 25, 2012 THE Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) was launched without much fanfare in April this year. Designed to help early-stage companies raise equity finance, it offers tax relief to investors, with the aim of offsetting the reticence some feel about staking their money on a high-risk venture. Not all small companies qualify, however. Firms must have [...]
High childcare costs needn’t give you a case of baby blues November 25, 2012 RISING childcare costs are deterring British mothers from returning to work. According to a 2011 Eurostat survey, 48.8 per cent of women with three or more children are in employment in the UK, compared with 71.3 per cent in the Netherlands and 68.2 in Finland. But family formation patterns have changed over the past few [...]
Trust a trust to protect your child’s education November 25, 2012 SINCE 2002, private school fees have risen at 1.8 times the rate of inflation. The average cost today is £11,500 per year, up from £6,800 in 2002. Private education is becoming more of a luxury, and it may be a good idea to find a more innovative solution than relying on your Christmas bonus. A [...]
Prepare for a brave new world of more investment choices November 25, 2012 NEW rules from the Financial Services Authority – the retail distribution review (RDR), which comes into effect on 1 January – intend to empower consumers by making investing more transparent. The idea is to help retail investing work more effectively. But investors will also face greater choice in how they buy their investments, and this [...]
A technology revolution is empowering investors November 25, 2012 EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, GEKKO INVESTMENT platforms came about because switched-on providers realised that the more choice investors were given, and the more they understood the wisdom of diversifying their investments, something needed to be done to simplify the whole investment process. More choice and greater diversification meant investors had to deal with a host of detailed [...]
Strong commodities and SAB Miller drive FTSE to a three-week high November 22, 2012 BRITAIN’S top share index reached a three-week high yesterday after gaining for a fourth straight session, driven by strength in commodity stocks after a return to growth in China’s manufacturing sector. The FTSE 100 index closed up 39 points, or 0.6 per cent, at 5,791.03, extending its gains for the week so far to almost [...]
European shares given a boost by data from China November 22, 2012 EUROPEAN shares rose for a fourth consecutive session in thin volume yesterday as strong Chinese data and results from SABMiller encouraged some investors to bet on a continuation of the recent bounce. SABMiller was the top riser, adding 6.9 per cent in volume after it reported strong growth, and heavyweight basic resources stocks were also [...]
No need to break the bank on winter travel insurance November 22, 2012 RECENT disasters – from airline collapses to volcanic ash and Hurricane Sandy – have led to disrupted travel plans, increased pressure on travel insurance companies, and vulnerable travellers facing financial loss after independently booking their holidays. You may choose to spend your winter holiday on a beach rather than white water rafting down the Colorado [...]
Getting insured for your ski holiday is snow joke November 22, 2012 You’re heading to the ski slopes for a well-earned break from City life. Your passports have been rediscovered, your flights booked, and your bags packed. But have you arranged your travel insurance? A survey of winter holiday-makers by the AA found that a third of those buying travel insurance did not check the level of [...]
