Standard Life on the hunt for a Brexit guide to add to its public affairs knowledge August 31, 2016 Those with a head for Brexit-related red tape might want to dust off their CVs, as insurance and pensions company Standard Life is looking out for somebody to help guide it through the referendum fallout. The new hire will report to Graeme McEwan, chief communications officer, and will help advise the FTSE 100 firm on policy [...]
Experts welcome Treasury proposals to allow tax-free draw-downs to fund financial advice August 31, 2016 With millions of workers being automatically enrolled into a workplace pension the Treasury launched a consultation to ensure that they are adequately advised in preparation for retirement. The launch follows an announcement by the government in the March 2016 Budget to consult on recommendations by the Financial Advice Market Review (FAMR). The FAMR proposals were to allow [...]
10 London startups named the hottest in Europe August 31, 2016 Dinner delivery startup Deliveroo and and an artificial intelligence company acquired by Twitter have both been named among the hottest startups in Europe to emerge from London. Top entrepreneurs and investors from across Europe have chosen the startups, along with a further eight, to compile a top 10 list of the capital's newest tech companies making a name for themselves, [...]
Here’s why government spending isn’t fixing the housing crisis, according to Shelter August 31, 2016 The government is pouring money into schemes that boost demand for properties – but is failing to put enough cash into house building, according to research from housing charity Shelter. The current parliament has spent two thirds of its housing money – £28.7bn – on programmes such as the Lifetime ISA and Help to Buy, which [...]
Punch Taverns reports profits up as Pubs Code comes into force August 31, 2016 Punch Taverns' share price moved marginally higher this morning as it reported that profits were up across its pubs The figures Punch Taverns reported that it has managed to pressure profits up by four per cent across its pubs in its year end trading statement. The company also said it had completed its pub sales, [...]
House prices went up in August – but Nationwide says the outlook post-Brexit vote is “cloudy” August 31, 2016 Despite the recent Brexit vote – and changes to stamp duty rules – pouring cold water on new buyer enthusiasm, house prices picked up again in August. The Nationwide house price index for August showed prices increasing by 0.6 per cent, with annual house price growth increasing to 5.6 per cent, up from 5.2 per cent in [...]
Pension or property: Which is the better option for your retirement? August 31, 2016 The Bank of England’s chief economist Andy Haldane drew ire from the pensions industry for the second time this year, when he claimed that property was a better investment option for retirement than a pension in an interview with The Sunday Times this weekend. “It ought to be pensions but it’s almost certainly property,” Haldane said. [...]
Berkeley and housing stocks risk being evicted from FTSE 100 index August 31, 2016 Housebuilder Berkeley Group could be booted from the FTSE 100 today after a near 30 per cent slump in its share price so far this year. Building materials company Travis Perkins is also teetering on the edge of the blue-chip index with shares now down about 12.5 per cent since the UK voted to quit the [...]
Post Brexit Britain can get a much better US trade deal than the EU’s failing TTIP August 30, 2016 Many people are now questioning the viability of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), the free trade deal under discussion between the US and the European Union. Over the weekend, German Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel stated that the TTIP talks had collapsed, despite the protestations of his Chancellor and the United States Trade Representative Michael [...]
Mortgage approvals fell to 18-month low in the first full month since the Brexit vote August 30, 2016 Mortgage approvals hit an 18-month low last month, according to figures from the Bank of England. In the first full month after the Brexit vote, approvals fell to 60,912 – down from 64,152 approvals in June. The number of approvals has been falling since March, when the stamp duty hike on second homes came into effect. There [...]