Two rules to rule them all: Watch out for companies with dual class shares March 6, 2018 Despite the relentless push towards corporate governance, one trend is going against the tide, threatening the old rule: “one share, one vote”. Regulators are rethinking their rules by letting firms issue controversial dual class shares. Companies that adopt this structure will issue two types of shares to give preferential rights to one set of [...]
Keeping the little guys in the loop: How Funding Circle hopes to fix the financial system March 1, 2018 Let's be honest, financial institutions can be bleak places. Pretentious, impenetrable, and determined to make you feel conscious of your own tiny existence. So when I step into the bustling hive that is Funding Circle’s office, it’s a breath of fresh air. There’s not a suit in sight, the place is immersed in a babble [...]
On trend: Invest in the new era of British fashion brands February 21, 2018 The past few days have been some of the most important in London’s fashion calendar. As Fashion Week graced us with its presence once more, City A.M.’s Alys Keys reported on the shift towards a more democratic industry, propped up by the power of digital influencers. The internet will continue to redefine how we shop, [...]
Top of the food chain: Meet the company helping street-food vendors become the next big thing February 8, 2018 Londoners have a growing obsession with good food. Our European cousins may have scoffed at British cuisine in the past, but a change has taken place over recent years. The multicultural nature of our city means we have been flooded with influences from all around the world, and we now boast an entire smorgasbord [...]
It’s pensioners, not first-time buyers, who should get stamp duty relief January 18, 2018 Stamp duty is in the news again. Earlier this week, Labour’s shadow housing minister, John Healey, called on the government to extend the tax break introduced in the November Budget to first-time buyers who use the shared ownership scheme. Policies that are seen to help struggling first-time buyers always go down a treat from [...]
The future of bitcoin: How the cryptocurrency is touted to trade going forward January 16, 2018 Not a day goes by when we don’t hear about the frolickings of bitcoin. The digital currency has certainly divided opinion. Punters are forever reminding us of the mammoth gains bitcoin made last year. And in the same breath, comparisons are continually being drawn between trading these cryptocurrencies and gambling. As bitcoin reached an [...]
Life-changing investments: The science that could save the NHS January 11, 2018 No one can deny (apart from a handful of politicians) that the NHS is in a bad way at the moment. The crisis reached a head last week when hospitals were forced to cancel tens of thousands of operations in order to free-up resources for emergency care. This – unsurprisingly – sparked a national outcry. [...]
Steady as she goes: Top tips for cautious investors in 2018 January 9, 2018 In the first few days of 2018, markets have surged to all-time highs. Some gutsy investors are throwing caution to the wind by muscling in on these gains, despite warnings that we could see the end of the bull run in the not-so-distant future. You’ve also got investment veterans, such as Brewin Dolphin’s Guy Foster, [...]
Debunking the myths around tax-efficient investing December 13, 2017 Tax-efficient investing is a poorly understood market. This was evident in a recent poll of 2,200 people by national financial planning firm Fairstone, which found that just eight per cent of people are aware of venture capital trusts (VCTs), and a tiny four per cent are aware of the enterprise investment scheme (EIS). With [...]
The Labour danger: Pricing in the possibility of a Corbyn-led government December 12, 2017 It has been 18 months filled with political surprises, and at a time when nothing seems to be off the cards, the possibility of a Corbyn-led government perhaps isn’t as farfetched as some of us imagined. While many businesspeople are praying this never comes to light, it’s still a risk that can’t be ignored. [...]
