Budget 2017: Philip Hammond could raise the pensions Lifetime Allowance to fund social care and end inheritance tax discrimination to improve the nation's finances

The weeks leading up to George Osborne’s Budget statements were filled with frenzied speculation. Famed for his tinkering, the former

March 1, 2017

Political risk is about more than populist election victories, as UK insurers know

As the anti-globalisation stone gathers moss, political risk has been weighing on the minds of investors. Many worry that the

February 28, 2017

With possible changes to the way that some defined benefit pensions are indexed against inflation, there may never be a better time to cash yours in

Your gold-plated final salary pension may lose some of its shine, if the ideas put forward in a new government consultation

February 22, 2017

Coup de grace: Are investors misjudging Marine Le Pen's chances of victory in France's presidential election?

"Fool me twice, shame on me,” goes the idiom. Caught out by shock victories for the Leave and Trump campaigns

February 21, 2017

OAP (Old And Partying): UK pensioners have higher average incomes than their working age children, and spend more on having fun

For the silver generation, this truly is a golden age. Two reports released in the last week indicate that pensioners have

February 15, 2017

As the Co-Op Bank goes on sale, is now the time to buy UK banks?

It wasn't hard to spot the irony when Paul Flowers, chairman of the avowedly ethical Co-Operative Bank and a methodist

February 14, 2017

The rising tide of inflation: Investment ideas to protect your portfolio

Inflation is a real bogeyman for investors, and it rankles most when you don’t see it coming. Few predicted the oil

February 8, 2017

Investing in automation: If robots are coming for your job, how can you make money out of it?

"Robots are coming to take our jobs,” scream the headlines. The debate around automation has become alarmingly dichotomous – either your

February 7, 2017

How can we get ourselves to save more? Use behavioural economics

It's a convenient excuse – we all vow to save more when we earn more. A new survey by YouGov

February 1, 2017

China, Mexico, Japan: Who's afraid of Trump's protectionism?

Anyone hoping that Donald Trump’s campaign promises were just talk can’t have been encouraged by this weekend’s events. Stock markets fell

January 31, 2017