From funding pub refurbs to legal costs, here are some unusual Isa investments on offer March 6, 2019 Nobody wants to put their hard-earned savings into rubbish assets. Unless, that is, you want to use your annual Isa allowance to invest in an eco-friendly waste processing facility. This is just one of the esoteric investments available to subscribers of the Innovative Finance Isa (IFISA), which lets investors lend to businesses in search of returns. [...]
Is the Innovative Finance Isa worth it? We look at the pros and cons March 6, 2019 At barely three years old, the Innovative Finance Isa still has some proving to do. And for some savers, it’s a product that is deemed too risky. But how risky is it really? Of course, the IFISA is merely a tax-free wrapper, so the risk actually depends on the underlying investments held within. And while [...]
Telford Homes strikes investor alliance for London plan March 4, 2019 Housebuilder Telford Homes has struck a major deal with two global real estate giants, amid efforts to offset woes in the capital’s traditional housing market by doubling down on Britain’s growing rental sector. City A.M. can reveal that the residential developer is partnering up with M&G and Invesco in a bid to tap into the [...]
Looking for space for homes in the capital? Build over rail lines March 4, 2019 A new survey of housebuilders published last week by construction consulting and design agency McBains is depressing reading for Londoners looking to get a foot on the housing ladder. Although two thirds of housebuilders in London reported that they had built more homes over the last 12 months, those that stated a decrease cited a [...]
Rightmove shares slump despite strong results March 1, 2019 Shares in property website Rightmove fell this morning despite the company reporting an increase in revenue and profits. Rightmove’s share price dipped 5.6 per cent to 455p today as the firm announced its full-year results for 2018. Read more: London house sales drop over political uncertainty The figures Underlying operating profit was up 10 per [...]
Foxtons swings to a loss in weak London property market February 28, 2019 Foxtons swung to a loss last year as the estate agent struggled with a weakened London property market, the company announced this morning. The figures The estate agent reported a £17.2m loss in its 2018 full-year results this morning, down from £6.5m profit the previous year, in part due to a non-recurring charge of £15.7m [...]
UK house prices: Housing market ‘on its knees’ amid Brexit uncertainty February 28, 2019 UK house price growth remained sluggish in February, as property experts warned the housing market is “on its knees”. Prices rose just 0.4 per cent year on year compared to January’s 0.1 per cent rate of growth, new data published today reveals. Read more: January transactions flat as uncertainty weighs on housing market But prices [...]
Brexit uncertainty sparks public to private takeover trend February 27, 2019 Brexit uncertainty has sparked private equity fund interest in UK take-private transactions, new research shows. Of the 42 firm offers for UK public companies last year 31 per cent were made by private equity, analysis by investment bank Jefferies shows. Read more: Why tech startups are snubbing IPOs Public to private deals completed in 2018 [...]
Why the Fourth Industrial Revolution may create beach hotspots for investors February 27, 2019 The Industrial Revolution resulted in a rail network that has influenced real estate values ever since. Now the Fourth Industrial Revolution is driving the latest wave of value creation – for certain beach locations. Our focus on this blog is on identifying the shifting fortunes of global cities. Part of this involves careful analysis of [...]
If you’re stuck on which tax-efficient investment scheme to go for, let’s weigh up your options February 27, 2019 At first glance, venture capital trusts (VCTs) and enterprise investment scheme (EIS) funds seem like peas in a pod. They are both government-backed tax wrappers, and they both let you invest in risky young companies. They also come with the same 30 per cent income tax perk, meaning that if you invested £10,000, you would [...]