Latest filings by British arm of McDonald’s reveals level of royalty payments to Luxembourg entity October 30, 2016 The British operations of burger giant McDonald's paid £123m for franchise rights last year which are part of a structure that is being investigated by European authorities. The company, whose UK operations are captured in a Luxembourg based company, McD Europe Franchising, reported a profit of $541m for the year to December 2015, almost identical to the $540m it [...]
Know your benefit crystallisation event from your pension input period with our A to Z of pensions jargon October 28, 2016 National Pensions Awareness day came and went last month, with no apparent impact on people’s understanding of one of the best ways of saving for retirement. The Bank of England’s media-savvy chief economist Andy Haldane said in May that even he was unable to understand pensions because the system is so complicated. This situation is [...]
London security: Six things Sadiq Khan is considering to tackle terrorism in the capital October 28, 2016 London mayor Sadiq Khan is considering a range of new ways in which to tackle potential terror attacks in the capital, after the publication of a new report on the city's preparedness to deal with threats. The report comes a week after a potential attack was thwarted when a suspicious package was found on a Tube train [...]
The City of London’s newest skyscraper has just confirmed its first commercial tenant October 28, 2016 Times, they are a-changing: once, the Lloyd's Building was the City's tallest (and most recognisable) tower – now the Square Mile's skyline is rising faster than Donald Trump's legal bill. The latest addition to the City's skyscraper family is the Scalpel, aka 52 Lime Street. Although it isn't due to be completed until December next [...]
This government will be more radical on savings and pensions than you think October 27, 2016 For all her bold ambitions to reshape Britain’s economy in a more interventionist direction, Theresa May is unlikely to spend as much time on domestic matters as she might like. Brexit is said to be the most fiendishly complicated task Whitehall has had to undertake since the Second World War, touching nearly every area of [...]
Barclays profits boosted for third quarter but PPI rears its ugly head again October 27, 2016 Barclays has today revealed its profits soared during the third quarter of its year, but its year to date is lagging behind 2015. The figures The banking giant announced statutory pre-tax profits of £837m for the three months to September, up 35 per cent from the £619m it revealed for the same period last year. [...]
Deutsche Bank share price down despite surprise profit for third quarter October 27, 2016 Deutsche Bank share price has dipped in early trading, despite announcing today it was profitable in its third quarter of this year, beating analyst expectations. The figures The German bank revealed net income of €278m (£248.2m), a substantial improvement on the €6bn loss it announced for the same period last year. The lender booked a hefty €13.2bn of non interest [...]
Whiplash-gate: we’re all paying for the unscrupulous few, say motoring experts October 27, 2016 Car insurance premiums are spiralling out of control due to a "whiplash epidemic" according to data released by motoring organisation the AA. The average cost of annual car cover is now £82 higher than a year ago, a 17 per cent year-on-year increase. Alongside spurious whiplash claims, the AA said that recent increases in insurance premium [...]
Time to remortgage? The rates on two-year fixed deals are very low, but watch out for additional fees October 27, 2016 Brexit has been kind to mortgage holders. As the Bank of England’s interest rate has come down, banks have been able to borrow more cheaply, allowing competition to increase and mortgage rates to fall. Borrowers have been quick to take advantage of the deals on offer; in August, the number of people remortgaging hit a [...]
The Big Bang 30 years on: How the City of London has changed since 1986 October 26, 2016 Nothing stands still in the City. The world's financial services powerhouse has seen it all, from boom and bust to bouncebacks and Brexit. Its skyline has changed almost beyond recognition over the last three decades, as have the markets it serves. As we mark the 30th anniversary of the so-called Big Bang, we cannot help [...]