Let Jeff Bezos be a lesson: Have a plan for if your marriage ends January 14, 2019 Amazon chief Jeff Bezos and his wife MacKenzie have announced that their marriage is ending, likely leading to the largest divorce settlement in history. Though the couple has asserted that their separation will be amicable, the divorce proceedings could still be complex, highlighting the risks to entrepreneurs when marriages end. The law in Washington State, [...]
FTSE risers and fallers: Housebuilders climb on reports of Brexit delay January 11, 2019 Brexit sensitive housebuilders were the biggest risers in the FTSE 100 today after it was reported that the deadline for the UK’s departure from the European Union could be extended. Taylor Wimpey, Persimmon and Barrett Development took the top spots in the FTSE 100 today after it was revealed that a backlog of six essential bills, [...]
House sales fell in 85 per cent of London boroughs in 2018 January 11, 2019 House sales slumped in 85 per cent of London boroughs in 2018 amid a difficult time for the UK’s property market, new data revealed today. London fared worse than the rest of the country in terms of the number of transactions, with a 6.5 per cent overall year-on-year drop compared to a 4.9 per cent fall [...]
Focus On Westminster: The home of Big Ben hasn’t traditionally been home to many Londoners, but nearby Victoria is changing that January 11, 2019 It is a curious truth that while Westminster may be home to the capital’s most famous icons, from Big Ben to the Houses of Parliament, Westminster hasn’t traditionally been home to many Londoners. Its proximity to the seat of government and its grand offices of state inspired companies to sprout up around it, creating a [...]
Nike’s Dutch tax status to be investigated by European Commission January 10, 2019 The European Commission has opened a detailed probe into whether Nike has received an unfair advantage over its competitors by being granted a favourable tax environment in the Netherlands. The Commission said the Netherlands issued five tax rulings since 2006, two of which are still active, which endorsed a method of calculating royalty payments that "may not reflect [...]
Outflows from UK funds hit highest level since the EU referendum January 10, 2019 Outflows from UK funds in November hit the highest level since the EU referendum. Net retail sales were negative, with outflows totalling £2.1bn – the most since the 2016 Brexit vote – as investor caution increased due to international trade tensions, Brexit and market volatility, according to the latest figures from the Investment Association. Fixed income [...]
Qualcomm says Apple chief Cook’s comments are ‘misleading’ January 9, 2019 Chipmaker Qualcomm has today accused Apple's chief executive Tim Cook of making 'misleading' comments, after the tech boss claimed settlement talks between the two rowing companies ended in September. Qualcomm and Apple have been embroiled in several ongoing lawsuits surrounding hardware patents for the chips in Apple's iPhone and other products, which Qualcomm argues infringe [...]
Why the cheapest mortgage deal isn’t necessarily the right one January 9, 2019 The Financial Conduct Authority’s report into the mortgage market found that around 30 per cent of borrowers were unable to see that they were eligible for a cheaper deal. On average, these consumers paid around £550 per year more over the introductory period compared to the cheaper product. But this poses a question: is the cheapest [...]
Five ways to clean up your buy-to-let portfolio in 2019 January 9, 2019 While January is a great time to be making financial resolutions, with many over-spending at Christmas, it’s sometimes best to concentrate on making the most of what you already have. For 2.5m people owning £1.4 trillion of buy-to-let, investment property is the best place to start. It comprises an enormous part of personal wealth, it [...]
Taylor Wimpey shares jump as housebuilder maintains expectations despite uncertainty January 9, 2019 Taylor Wimpey saw its share price rise today as it remains on track to meet its full-year expectations, despite the slowing housing market. In an eagerly-anticipated trading update the housebuilder said total house completions increased three per cent in 2018 to 14,947, while total order book value was £1.78bn, up from £1.62bn the same time last [...]