London remains on top of the world for global financial services says major report March 26, 2018 London has retained its top spot as the world’s leading financial centre, fending off stiff competition from New York and Asian cities, according to an authoritative study to be published today. The global financial centres index, compiled by think tank Z/Yen, will show the City leading the pack of 110 cities analysed for the 23rd [...]
Bed & ISA: shelter existing shares from tax March 19, 2018 Investing in an ISA is a great way of building up investments tax efficiently. But did you know there is a straightforward means of making Stocks & Shares ISA subscriptions without investing any new money? Simply by using existing shares held outside an ISA in a process known as a “Bed & ISA” you can [...]
This stock market index rose 289% but could still be good value March 17, 2018 Over time, smaller company shares have outperformed larger ones, research shows. The FTSE Small Cap index has risen 289% since its nadir in February 2009, compared with a 158% rise for the FTSE 100. Because of their size, “small caps” have the potential to grow more quickly. The quicker a company can grow its earnings [...]
Make the most of your tax breaks before the end of the tax year March 15, 2018 ISA allowance ISAs are often the first port of call for investors looking to save tax. They are simple, flexible and tax-efficient. By using your full ISA allowance each year (£20,000 in the current 2017/18 tax year) it’s possible to build up a large pot of money sheltered from capital gains tax or income tax. [...]
Don’t underestimate the power of pensions March 14, 2018 Whether you are new to investing or nearing retirement, pensions are likely to be an important consideration. When you make a contribution to your pension, the government adds money. This is called tax relief and is one of the main advantages of using a pension to save for retirement. Not everyone is aware of this [...]
Investors plan to plough even more into private equity this year – and get more back through distributions March 13, 2018 Investors in private equity funds are planning to plough even more money into the asset class over the next 12 months, according to a new survey, after a record year in 2017. These institutional investors, surveyed by adviser Rede Partners which helps match private equity funds with investors, are also expecting to get “significantly more” [...]
Peer-to-peer platform Funding Circle appoints bankers ahead of potential float March 11, 2018 British unicorn Funding Circle has appointed bankers to lead an initial public offering (IPO) which will likely value it at more than £1.5bn, according to reports. The peer-to-peer lending platform has appointed Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and London-headquartered Numis Securities to broker the deal, according to Sky News and Bloomberg. [...]
Six reasons to use your ISA allowance March 6, 2018 1. Excellent tax benefits ISAs are one of the simplest and most effective ways to save tax. If your investments are in an ISA you don’t have to pay tax on income from them, and there is no capital gains tax to pay on any profits. Even if keeping your money outside the clutches of [...]
Saving for school fees March 6, 2018 A good education can be predictably expensive. Parents can now expect to pay upwards of £200,000 in order to secure their children a private education, from nursery to upper sixth. The onset of autumn is synonymous with the start of the new school year and parents of young children, or prospective parents, might be looking [...]
Fed chair willing to hike rates faster if necessary February 28, 2018 On Tuesday, US Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell’s prepared comments to Congress were released ahead of his appearance before the House Financial Services committee. In them he downplayed concerns over recent stock market volatility, claiming dramatic swings do not weigh heavily on his outlook for the economy and maintaining his expectation for further gradual increases [...]