Government’s Lloyds Banking Group share sell off attracting huge number of first-time investors, claims Hargreaves Lansdown October 26, 2015 The government's plan to sell off £2bn-worth of Lloyds Banking Group shares is attracting first-time investors in their droves, creating a new generation of "Tell Sids". Hargreaves Lansdown, which has received more than 170,000 individual registrations to take part in the public offering next spring, estimates that one in eight people have never invested in equities [...]
FTSE 100 ends the day flat as InterContinental Hotels Group leads the pack October 20, 2015 The UK's top share index traded relatively flat on Tuesday but outperformed other European indexes. The FTSE 100 closed 0.02 per cent up, at 6,353 points, while France's Cac closed 0.50 per cent lower at 4,680 and Germany's Dax finished Tuesday's session 0.01 per cent up at 10,165. However the FTSE 100 is still trading nearly 11 per cent below its [...]
10 crazy ideas for the future of London housing which just came a step closer to reality October 12, 2015 Floating houses and homes on top of hospitals: these are just two radical ideas which are a step closer to becoming reality in London. They are just two of 10 concepts which have been chosen as winners in a search to find ideas for the future of housing in the capital and that help solve [...]
The future of education finance is here – enter new crowdfunding platform EdAid October 8, 2015 There is a new alternative lending platform on the scene, and it’s called EdAid. While we’re familiar with those crowdfunding and peer-to-peer platforms that offer loans to businesses, equity stakes in startups and invoice trading opportunities, EdAid is doing something a bit different: it’s creating a competitor to the government’s Student Loans Company, and giving [...]
UK businesses slam Tory tax hikes ahead of Conservative party conference 2015 October 6, 2015 Britain's biggest business groups are putting pressure on the government to row back on its latest tax proposals ahead of the Conservative party conference in Manchester this weekend. In formal submissions sent to the government today, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), EEF, British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and Institute of Directors (IoD) have all [...]
Paying the professionals: Do I need a wealth manager? October 5, 2015 Annabelle Williams explains when it’s worth enlisting the help of a professional Getting your affairs in order is complicated and many people will have considered enlisting the services of a wealth manager, either on an ad-hoc or more permanent basis. But when do you need one, and what should you sort out first? DO [...]
Know your stuff: Five things everyone needs to hear about pensions October 2, 2015 Charges and not taking enough risk can massively dent your long-term savings. Seismic shifts have taken place in the pensions world in recent years – and there may be more to come. Generous employer pension schemes have all but disappeared, and new freedoms brought in by the government this year aim to offer savers [...]
Should you invest in India? Inside the last major emerging market left standing October 1, 2015 Shifting fortunes in emerging markets mean India is now standing out as more investable than the rest. The last two years have seemed like a new dawn for investors in India. The country elected reformist candidate Narendra Modi as its new Prime Minister in May last year and experts around the world cheered his [...]
Glencore earnings beat estimates as it shoulders commodities rout September 28, 2015 The figures Switzerland-based Glencore said attributable net income fell seven per cent to $4.3bn (£2.7bn), down from $4.6bn a year earlier. This beat expectations as analysts had forecast $4.1bn. Meanwhile, net debt rose to $30.5bn. It set aside $1.1 billion of impairment charges for crumbling commodity prices. The company has also recommended a final cash [...]
Who will pay Edward Bramson’s tab for TGI Fridays bid? September 23, 2015 Perhaps Edward Bramson just likes caravan holidays. There are few other obvious reasons why the prominent activist investor is returning for a second bout of City-style pugilism with Electra Private Equity. Electra, the owner of Park Resorts and TGI Fridays, has barely recovered from its bruising (but victorious) encounter with Bramson’s investment vehicle, [...]