Chilango’s minibond offers 8 per cent interest – that’s tasty, but is the burrito bond right for you? February 19, 2019 Last October, the burrito chain Chilango made headlines when it launched a new bond aimed at retail investors that pays an eye-popping eight per cent interest per year for four years. Compared to most high street banks, which currently offer just one or two per cent on cash savings accounts (well below the rate of [...]
Options are running out for the man who destroyed Venezuela February 14, 2019 It takes some front for a man who has presided over a double-digit recession for three successive years to claim that his country is being destabilised by a “gang of extremists” rather than his own inept economic performance. But that is exactly what Venezuela’s embattled President Nicolas Maduro did this week, when he stated that the [...]
The Restaurant Group shares fall as chief executive Andy McCue prepares to step down February 14, 2019 The Restaurant Group (TRG) led the market fallers this morning after chief executive Andy McCue surprised the City by announcing plans to resign "due to extenuating personal circumstances". TRG's share price plunged almost 15 per cent in morning trading following a statement today from McCue, who is set to remain in his position until a new boss is [...]
How to make your pension last a lifetime February 11, 2019 New pension freedoms bring flexibility, but not necessarily peace of mind. Moira O’Neill discusses some amendments to this outdated retirement rule. It’s terrifying to think of running out of money in your later years but it would be devastating to go through retirement scrimping and saving when you could have had a better life. And [...]
January discounts give retailers a boost but high street caution remains February 5, 2019 Retail sales rose last month thanks to a boost from January discounting, but retailers remain cautious as uncertainty on the high street continues. Total sales were up 2.2 per cent in January compared to the month before, an improvement from the 1.4 per cent increase seen in the same period last year and the highest [...]
Fyre Festival, influencers, and the CMA – why are regulators finally getting involved in the world of social media sponsorship? February 4, 2019 Social media influencers are back in the headlines, and as usual, it’s for all the wrong reasons. Late last month, the government’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced that it had told 16 high-profile celebrities – including models Alexa Chung and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, musician Rita Ora, and YouTube star Zoe Sugg (better known as Zoella) [...]
Banking on diversification February 1, 2019 With a number of headwinds facing markets in 2019, it can be hard to see the wood for the trees. Alex Crooke, Fund Manager of The Bankers Investment Trust, explains how his team approaches the complexities of global stock markets. As we start 2019 there are plenty of reasons for investors to be cautious, as [...]
Oddbins falls into administration for the second time in eight years February 1, 2019 Oddbins today became one of the first high street casualties of 2019, as news emerged that the off licence’s owners have fallen into administration for the second time in eight years. Administrators Duff & Phelps confirmed that the companies behind Oddbins and a string of high street alcohol stores are now insolvent. Read more: Oddbins set [...]
Barclays boss feared payments to Qataris could be seen as a ‘bung’ January 30, 2019 A Barclays boss feared that fees paid by the bank to Qatari investors might be see as a “bung”, a court was told today. Richard Boath, one of four former Barclays executives charged with conspiracy to commit fraud, told investigators two advisory services agreements (ASAs) that form the crux of the Serious Fraud Office’s (SFO) [...]
Venezuela is a humanitarian crisis – and the British left just laughs January 25, 2019 “Nice company you’ve got there, @Dyson! Shame if we nationalised it.” So tweeted Owen Jones, Guardian columnist and fierce supporter of Jeremy Corbyn, in response to news that Dyson is relocating from Britain to Singapore. The tweet sparked the predictable outrage from people who believe that a private company should be able to take its [...]