It’s been almost two years since the Brexit vote – where now for the pound? June 20, 2018 It's been an eventful two years to say the least. As our negotiators go to great lengths to untangle Britain from the European Union, no asset reflects this tumultuous journey more than sterling. In the fortnight after the June 2016 referendum, the pound plunged to $1.28 from $1.49. With most speculators pricing in a [...]
A class of their own: The head of Redington is on a mission to stop money from being a taboo subject June 18, 2018 "Let's play a game,” says Rob Gardner, opening up his bag of tricks. A jumble of colourful building blocks spill out onto the table in front of me. He tells me to make as many towers as I want, as high as I want. “I can’t believe I’m being paid to do this,” I [...]
Don’t get caught up in your mortgage lender’s game of Space Invaders June 13, 2018 You might be familiar with Space Invaders – the computer game where you have to shoot aliens. According to UK Finance, that retro 70s game resembles the challenge that lenders face in the interest-only mortgage market. That is, once lenders have recouped cash from the easy targets (or borrowers), they then have to take [...]
We talk to the founder of maternity fashion brand Seraphine about sexism and style June 11, 2018 What do the Duchess of Cambridge, Angelina Jolie, and Gwen Stefani all have in common? At different points in time, they have all worn clothing from the Seraphine fashion range. But Seraphine is no normal fashion label – this is a brand that specialises in maternity clothing. In its 16-year history, it has become a [...]
How the founder of Push Doctor hopes to take the stress away from the NHS June 4, 2018 Nowadays, it’s rare to hear any mention of the NHS without the word “crisis” trailing closely behind. Increasing patient numbers and the worst winter period on record have left the NHS bowing under the pressure. A recent report from the Institute of Fiscal Studies and the Health Foundation said taxes would have to increase by [...]
Safe as houses: How to invest in property without buying a home May 31, 2018 Brits are falling out of love with the property market. A recent report from Rathbones found that more than half of investors now take a pessimistic view on the sector. It’s easy to see why, when the government is making life harder for private landlords – with a tax hike just one of several measures [...]
Death of the deposit: A new type of rental model is emerging, but could it be the next PPI scandal in the making? April 10, 2018 Most renters will be familiar with the drama that surrounds deposits. The average deposit in London is an eye-watering £1,765, according to the Tenancy Deposit Scheme. But saving up hundreds of pounds is only half of the battle. Recouping all of your cash at the end of your tenancy is often a huge headache, and [...]
Healthy habits of Isa millionaires March 21, 2018 For many of us, becoming a millionaire might seem like a farfetched dream. But it might not be as difficult as you first thought, provided you adopt the right behaviours. While the government has regularly ramped up the annual tax-free threshold over the years, in 2017 the allowance saw a massive jump up to [...]
Full stream ahead: With Spotify opting for an unusual IPO route, should investors be wary? March 20, 2018 Spotify, the streaming giant that prides itself on helping people discover music, is about to go public. The company plans to list on the New York Stock Exchange on 2 April, but it’s doing things differently – opting for a direct listing instead. This means that, instead of issuing shares, the private investors and [...]
How artificial intelligence is re-coding the way we manage our money March 14, 2018 It was 1950 when Alan Turing developed a test which looked at a machine’s ability to generate responses that were so human-like that you wouldn’t be able to tell it was a computer. Fast forward almost seven decades, and we are now at a tipping point in tech, as artificial intelligence (AI) nudges us [...]
