The hurdles holding back home ownership October 3, 2019 There is good news and bad news when it comes to the numbers of first-time buyers in 2019. The good news is that, despite existing homeowners taking a more cautious approach in this uncertain political and economic climate, sales are up almost six per cent compared to this time last year. However, the positive statistics [...]
Islamic finance 101: Debunking the common myths October 1, 2019 Islamic finance is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world, targeting a vast portion of the global population that has been largely underserved by the financial services industry. It’s thought that the Islamic finance industry will reach $3.8 trillion in assets globally by 2022, from $2.2 trillion in 2016. Traditionally, Islamic finance has focused [...]
Why as an investor I’m looking through Brexit fears September 24, 2019 | City Talk Following the twists and turns in Westminster of the past few weeks I expect many more market participants will simply place UK equities in the “too difficult” basket. Anecdotal stories of overseas investors selling their last UK stocks could start doing the rounds again. Brexit and political uncertainty have been a drag on UK equities, [...]
UK households most pessimistic about finances in almost six years September 23, 2019 UK households are the most pessimistic they have been about their financial outlook for almost six years, with job security perceptions also deteriorating. Households’ outlook for finances dropped to its weakest level since November 2013, according to IHS Markit’s UK Household Finance Index. Read more: UK households’ inflation expectations at highest in six years, survey [...]
Why M&S’ relegation from the FTSE 100 doesn’t mean the death of the High Street September 20, 2019 | City Talk Marks and Spencer (M&S) is set to be relegated from the FTSE 100 after the close of business today. This will be the first time that the company has lost its blue chip status. The UK retailer was a founder member of the FTSE 100 and a stalwart of the UK High Street. But its [...]
Can we avoid an energy crunch? September 18, 2019 | City Talk The energy transition has to happen. Climate change can no longer be ignored and the political will is finally there to confront the substantial challenges. The first stage of this process is the switch from energy produced by coal and gas to energy produced by renewables, such as wind, solar and geothermal. As part of [...]
For the tax avoidance of doubt: In light of the review into the controversial loan charge, what are the options? September 18, 2019 With reports of people losing their homes, going bankrupt, and even committing suicide, it’s clear that the government’s so-called “loan charge” is hugely problematic. Tens of thousands of freelancers and contractors are being chased for retrospective tax, with some expected to pay debts that date as far back as 1999. Why? Because they signed up [...]
‘Gen Xers care more about sustainability than millennials’ September 17, 2019 | City Talk People from Generation X – defined as those between 38 and 50 years of age – appear more motivated to invest sustainably than millennials. New research found 61 per cent of “Generation Xers” always consider sustainability factors when selecting an investment product, compared with 59 per cent of millennials, who are 18 to 37 years [...]
Is this the start of a new downtrend for gold? September 16, 2019 | City Talk Is this the start of a new downtrend for gold, or a pause before the longer-term uptrend is resumed? As safe haven asset appeal has diminished in the last week or so, so has the price of dollar-denominated gold. The move sees the precious metal trading back below the psychological $1500 and ounce level, beckoning [...]
What a con: Four common tactics used to scam pension savers September 11, 2019 The impact of pension fraud can be devastating, with victims losing an average of £82,000 last year. Even those of us who are savvy with our money can end up falling victim to fraud. In fact, it is estimated that five million pension savers in the UK are at risk, with 42 per cent of [...]