Fresh start for Argentina: Investors say Argentina is the bright spot in Latin America as President Mauricio Macri ends 15-year long dispute with hedge funds and gets serious about economic reform March 8, 2016 The land of beef, red wine, ranches and hinterland. Argentina is on the cusp of great change. The combination of a newly elected pro-change President, Mauricio Macri, and the resolution of a nearly 15-year long dispute with international lenders both mean Argentina is going to draw a line under its checkered past. Experts are now tipping [...]
Pensions in Budget 2016: Government urged to hurry up on pensions dashboard plans, after consumer group discovers those approaching retirement are not sure of how much they have saved March 8, 2016 A consumer interest group has today called on government to speed up its plans to introduce a pensions dashboard after discovering that many of those approaching retirement have little or no idea how much they have saved. According to figures from Which?, almost half (47 per cent) of employees aged over 50 with a personal [...]
Alliance Trust, Canada and Bankers Investment Trust: Dividends at these 19 investors have been raised for 20 or more years in a row March 7, 2016 While high-profile banks such as Barclays and a number of companies have had to cut their dividends already this year, if you're an income seeking investor, don't be put off: the dividend heroes are here. A list of 19 investment companies with at least 20-year records of dividend rises, dubbed the "dividend heroes", has been [...]
We need some better speakers on the London speaker circuit: When anyone can be an “authority”, any fraud can get an audience March 7, 2016 I used to be in awe of people who were recognised as an “authority” on something or other. Those who spoke at conferences. Or frequented panel discussions. Or gave prolific press commentary. Or – the pinnacle of any career – appeared on TV. If a CV saying “X regularly speaks at high-profile industry events” landed [...]
BIS warns market volatility was just the beginning as global credit binge stalls and investors lose faith in central banks March 6, 2016 The volatile start to the year for financial markets may only mark the beginning of a realisation that the world economy has become more fragile, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) warned today. “The tension between the markets’ tranquillity and the underlying economic vulnerabilities had to be resolved at some point. In the recent quarter, we may have [...]
George Osborne scraps pension reforms package including tax relief plans March 5, 2016 Chancellor George Osborne will scrap plans to introduce a package of reforms on pensions including cutting tax relief for higher earners. It was feared that the radical reforms, which would have made pension pot withdrawals tax-free but eliminated relief on contributions, could have triggered a run on savings and backlash from high-earning voters. A product of an [...]
UK pensions: Auto-enrolment gives savers a false sense of security, and mismatch between pension freedoms age and state pension age causes further confusion March 4, 2016 Those who think that paying the minimum into their pension pot under auto-enrolment is going to fund them a comfortable retirement are in for a nasty shock, as pension experts warn the savings contribution system is lulling people into a false sense of security. Portal Financial also today warned that some people could be confused by the [...]
UK pensions and Waspi campaign: Why state pension age is going up and what we need to do to bring it down, be it a more productive workforce, immigration, building more houses or having more children March 4, 2016 The current Waspi campaign by women affected by changes to state pension age has brought the issue back into focus again. And it will really ignite in 2018 when male state pension age starts to increase above its current level of 65. It’s a common misconception that the national insurance we and our employers pay [...]
Budget 2016: George Osborne’s plan to create pension Isas could create “Northern Rock-style run on the pension system”, Hargreaves Lansdown March 4, 2016 George Osborne's plans to reform pension taxation by creating so-called pension Isas could cause a "Northern Rock-style run on the pension system" – and may end up costing investors billions of pounds. The plans are expected to be revealed as part of the chancellor's Budget on 16 March. It is thought they will see the current regime scrapped in [...]
Pension tax relief reform: A fairer flat rate system will drive up saving rates and prepare people for rising life expectancy March 4, 2016 I read a startling fact recently. The first person who is going to live to 150 years old is already alive today. Think about that for a moment. That is potentially 75-plus years in retirement. If that person is in this country, either the state is going to have to pick up the bill for [...]