Budget 2016: Here are the reactions to Osborne’s announcements on sugar tax, corporation tax, Insurance Premium Tax, Isas, education and growth prospects March 16, 2016 George Osborne has just announced some Budget surprises – a sugar tax, longer school days – as well as an increase in sin taxes on tobacco, alterations to ISAs and savings, and corporation taxes. Here's what analysts are already saying about the chancellor's latest agenda on… Personal allowance David Kilshaw, private clients services partner, EY [...]
Budget 2016: Commercial stamp duty cut for small firms while large-scale buyers get hit March 16, 2016 Commercial stamp duty has been cut by the chancellor George Osborne in the 2016 Budget, while the government is set to go ahead with plans to increase a duty on buy to let properties and second homes. The stamp duty on commercial property will have a zero rate band on purchases up to £150,000; a two per cent rate on [...]
Budget 2016: George Osborne’s speech in full March 16, 2016 George Osborne has just revealed the Budget for 2016. There was good news for businesses with corporation tax being sliced and business rates being reformed – but bad news for smokers and students who hate maths. Mr Deputy Speaker, Today I report on an economy set to grow faster than any other major advanced economy in [...]
Budget 2016 predictions: When is it and the key points Chancellor George Osborne will cover in his speech? March 16, 2016 Last year we had three of them. So far we've made it through two months without one, but fear not campers – there's a new Budget in town. This is everything you need to know about this month's fiscal update from the government. When is the Budget 2016 and how to watch live Chancellor George Osborne is [...]
Buy to let tax changes: Why a landlord exodus remains unlikely March 16, 2016 The growth of buy-to-let has been among the defining characteristics of the post-crisis mortgage market. Council of Mortgage Lenders figures released this month show that lending to landlords accounted for 17 per cent of all new loans in the third quarter of 2015. With rising property prices, meanwhile, property consultants Savills estimated last year that [...]
John Lewis boss talks about “the Midlands Engine” and why Birmingham is the next major economic hub March 15, 2016 John Lewis boss Andy Street says Brum is booming, as he talks up the city in Cannes. Andy Street may be better known as managing director of one of the UK's biggest department stores John Lewis, but the Brummie born and bred was in Cannes donning a different cap today, promoting his home town as [...]
UK Budget predictions 2016: What do free marketeers want from chancellor George Osborne? March 15, 2016 Chancellor George Osborne normally pulls something out of his hat on Budget day, but with pensions seemingly pressured off the table, his choices are restricted. But in an ideal world, what do free marketeers want from him next week? Corporation tax This, the TaxPayers' Alliance says, is undermining what is already weak public confidence in [...]
London house prices: Iranian billionaire investors poised to splurge £6bn on properties around the world – and London is one of the top destinations March 15, 2016 Ultra high-net-worth investors from Iran are poised to go on a buying spree of properties around the world – and London is likely to be the top location. Research by high end estate agent Rokstone claims that millionaires and businesses will spend £6bn over the next five-to-10 years on property outside Iran, following the lifting of sanctions. [...]
A record $1.34 trillion of property will change hands this year as new capital, investor appetite and geopolitical unrest drives investment March 15, 2016 A record $1.34 trillion of global real estate is expected to change hands this year, as new sources of capital and investor appetite combined with geopolitical unrest and increased uncertainty drives further investment into the sector. Cushman & Wakefield’s Atlas Outlook Report, presented this morning at the annual MIPIM property conference in Cannes, shows that [...]
What are ETFs and why could they be useful for your Isa? March 15, 2016 In today's environment of volatile equities and low bond yields, achieving strong returns is a tall order. So many investors have sought to mitigate the impact of lower returns by cutting out the fees and charges associated with active fund management. With $3 trillion invested in ETFs, or exchange-traded funds, by the end of last year, [...]