Labour will need more than a change of leader July 18, 2016 Attention politics junkies: do you feel robbed of a drawn-out party leadership election? Before Andrea Leadsom dropped out of the Tory race we were all set for a nine-week campaign. And then before it had even started, there was just one candidate remaining. If you’re wondering what political news to feast on this summer instead [...]
Investing beyond 100: How rising life expectancy will change everything July 14, 2016 A century is an important milestone worthy of celebration. We recently commemorated 100 years since the Battle of the Somme. Vogue made headlines in May for featuring a 100-year old model to celebrate the magazine’s centenary year. On your hundredth birthday, you can expect to receive a message from the Queen. But what happens when living [...]
Tory leadership contender and energy minister Andrea Leadsom has published her 2014/15 tax return July 10, 2016 Tory leadership contender Andrea Leadsom has published details of her tax affairs after becoming one of the final two candidates to succeed David Cameron. The figures prepared by Isis Accountants of Wellingborough show a total income of £83,930 for 2014/15, with £7,333 derived from dividends, tax credits and interest on top of her ministerial salary. [...]
The risks and rewards of SME investing: Not all small business investments are made equal June 30, 2016 The emergence of crowdfunding has made SME investing – once a relatively hard-to-access asset class – now open to everyone. This is great news for small and mid-sized businesses and for investors alike. After all, small businesses are a key driver of economic growth, and the returns potential can be substantial. However, as with any [...]
Amazon who? Ocado shares jump as it delivers 14 per cent sales rise June 28, 2016 Everyone and their mum may be trying to get into the food delivery business at the moment (Amazon and Uber have both just launched offerings…) – but Ocado has suggested with experience comes wisdom, after it posted a juicy rise in sales. The figures Retail sales rose 13.9 per cent to £582.9m in the 24 weeks to the end of May, [...]
Here’s what Brexit might do to your tax bill June 23, 2016 If the UK votes to leave the EU today, tax experts are advising that it could result in a shakeup to certain parts of the tax regime – although exactly how is not quite certain. Will a Brexit vote result in a complete overhaul of tax as we know it? While some taxation rules might be ripe for a [...]
Will Brexit put paid to the sector giving the next generation of British businesses a leg up? June 23, 2016 Today's vote, should it be to exit the European Union, is likely to have far reaching consequences – some potentially negative, but some potentially positive – for the alternative finance scene here in the UK. This market accounted for £3.2bn of investment into startups, scaleups and the “S” in SMEs in 2015, and is now an [...]
Britain’s bright Brexit future: A trader’s perspective June 22, 2016 I have been working in the City since I left school at the age of 15 in 1968, so I think it’s fair to say I know a bit about finance. As the founder and chief executive of CMC Markets, an online trading company with a market cap of approximately £800m which entered the FTSE [...]
Ashtead Group’s share price is on the up, building on a set of good results June 14, 2016 Ashtead's share price was on the up in morning trading after the construction equipment provider announced a set of strong results. The figures Ashtead's rental revenue for the year grew 17 per cent. There was also double-digit growth for the company's pre-tax profit, up 24 per cent to £645m, from £490m in 2015. This year the company invested £1.2bn [...]
These are the top concerns for UK landlords (Brexit is pretty low down) June 13, 2016 As everyone else bites their nails over the EU referendum, the outcome of the big vote has only just made it into the list of the top concerns of UK landlords. Instead, their top worry is the exemption of residential property from the new capital gains tax cuts, according to a survey by Amicus Property Finance. Read more: Brits [...]