Simplicity is often a virtue September 23, 2010 WITH markets still directionless and a second-half slowdown looming, those with savings are increasingly looking into more exotic ways to preserve their nest-egg. The desire for safety combined with sinking government bond yields has fed demand for a series of structured products for private investors – that is, investment vehicles that promise a defined return [...]
Get paid more for being unhealthy September 23, 2010 ADEQUATELY funding your retirement has become a hot topic in the past couple of years, with a combination of falling interest rates and pension annuity rates eroding the value of pension pots. Earlier this month, it was reported that annuity rates, which are a key determinant of annual income post-retirement, had tumbled to a 20-year [...]
PERSONAL FINANCE NEWS September 23, 2010 LONDONERS WORRY ABOUT DEBT… R3, an insolvency trade body, has conducted research showing that 40 per cent of adults in the UK are anxious about their personal debt levels. Londoners are most affected: 49 per cent admitted being concerned. Nationwide, credit card debt is the source of the greatest worry at 51 per cent, followed [...]
A fresh take on fund managing September 23, 2010 HE MIGHT not look like your typical rebel, but Alan Miller is one through and through. First he railed against British divorce law and, since last year, he’s turned his sights to the wealth management industry. He launched SCM Private in mid-2009 after he became frustrated with the way his personal money had been managed [...]
Outsourcing is not just for large firms September 23, 2010 CONSUMERS are used to reading “made in China” on everything under the sun. After all, with every business in need of cutting costs, outsourcing looks ever more appealing. But, contrary to what you might think, this does not just apply to large corporates. The cost savings for small businesses can also be huge, allowing entrepreneurs [...]
FIRING September 23, 2010 Q. How do I fire someone and stay within the law? A.Letting someone go can be a bit of a legal minefield, made more complicated by the distinctions between different types of dismissal and the various processes that apply. To put it simply, there are five reasons deemed fair cause for dismissal: capability, conduct, retirement, [...]
More than Voho, darling: Vauxhall is in for an overhaul September 23, 2010 SANDWICHED between the South Bank and the Battersea waterfront, it was never going to be long before Vauxhall took off. Until now Vauxhall has traded on two cards: “Voho” – Gayer Soho – and housing London’s politicos. However, this week’s launch of St George Wharf, more commonly known simply as The Tower, is a sign [...]
It’s a landlord’s market for hungry Londoners September 23, 2010 THE period of fear, uncertainty and stagnation in the aftermath of Lehman Brothers’ collapse is well and truly behind us – if you’re looking at the rentals market, that is. Prices in central London are at levels not seen since before the meltdown, according to property services firm LSL. Rents in London rose by 2 [...]
Where the cleverest of sun-seekers are heading September 23, 2010 IN 2012, Brazil will host the World Cup and in 2016, the Olympics. The north-eastern city of Natal, where some of the games will be hosted, is to complete the first phase of the world’s sixth biggest airport in 2012, making direct flights to London possible. Known as the city of sun, Natal has 360 [...]
FOCUS ON: EPSOM, SURREY September 23, 2010 ELEMENTS Price: From £294,995 for a two bed terrace Constructed on a former hospital site, this development consists of 322 two, three and four-bed homes. There are private rear gardens while some properties also have balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows. Contact: Crest Nicholson on 0870 751 3958, www.crestnicholson. com/elements by Jessica Mead 13 COURT FARM AVENUE [...]
