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Very little change this month in the cash rates, which is at least a positive that they haven’t moved any further downwards!
I have produced our latest rate sheet summarising some of the best rates available for corporates, charities, pension funds (SIPP & SSAS) and Trusts. The list I provide is not exhaustive and is based on the research I have conducted. Read More
Markets are running scared at the possibility of a Greek exit from the eurozone. Greece’s indecisive election means the country now faces the conundrum that the majority of its population want to stay in the eurozone yet few are willing to weather the austerity measures to enable it to do so. The Far Left talks vaguely of renegotiating treaties with Germany, but there can be little doubt Greece’s future place in the eurozone looks precarious. Read More
With the long weekend nearly upon us I am writing my last blog article of the week before my week off.
We have seen volatility return to the markets over the last month and have provided some commentary on this in our monthly update. Read More
The Follett Stock Great West Run half marathon is taking place in Exeter this year, and our very own Claire Kelly is taking part in the run for the second time.
The run is a key event in the Exeter calendar and is now in its 28th year. The half marathon starts and finishes at the Exeter Arena Athletics stadium and will follow a two lap course taking in Exeter City Centre. It is a big community event with a significant amount of money raised for local and Exeter South West charities every year. Read More
Markets would have hoped for more from the most recent round of economic indicators. The UK lurched back into recession, the US disappointed and eurozone purchasing managers’ indices (PMI) data showed even the previously untouchable Germany struggling to show growth.
Each country had individual problems. In the US, the biggest weakness was business investment, which will be a headache for President Obama as business investment drives job creation. Read More
When the Federal Reserve Committee meets in the US this week, it will have digested some conflicting information. There has been a recent deterioration in economic data from the world’s largest economy. Notably there were substantial revisions to unemployment figures, suggesting the recent expansion in job creation may be relatively short-lived.
These are not the only disappointing statistics. Housing sales have been weak with sales of ‘previously owned’ homes falling for the third time in four months, against market expectations. This suggests, at best, an uneven recovery in the housing market. Read More
A recent study by the Institute of Directors’ (IoD) has revealed that millions of people in Britain are abandoning pensions in favour of Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs). The report entitled ‘Roadmap for Retirement Reform 2012’ accuses Britain of having a ‘failing pension architecture’, which is ‘hugely complex’, ‘unattractive’ and lost in ‘a forest of regulation’. Read More
When meeting with a couple recently at a key change in their lives, retirement, they asked me a surprisingly common question. A friend had told them that they should put their house into their sons’ names and they asked my opinion of whether they should do so. Read More
Weaker-than-expected Chinese growth figures would normally prompt much hand-wringing on the part of economists – after all, it is China that is supposed to be keeping the world economy afloat while developed markets recover. Yet the recent poorer growth figures were greeted with a shrug.
Forecasts had been for quarter-on-quarter growth of between 8.3% and 8.4% but instead the first-quarter figures came in at 8.1%. This represented a significant slowdown from the previous quarter, when growth was at 8.9%.
So why has no-one proved particularly troubled? Initially, it seems that not many people believe the estimated figures. Read More
People often leave any thoughts of Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) until the last minute, making their investment on the cusp of the 5 April deadline. Although the date is useful for focusing the mind, investing earlier in the tax year means investors enjoy the tax breaks for longer. It is particularly beneficial to invest early when using ISAs to generate a tax-free income stream.
Therefore, although the tax year has only just got underway, it is a good time to start planning where this year’s ISA may be best invested and how to use the tax breaks most effectively. The maximum allowance for 2012/13 has been increased to £11,280 and this can be invested either as a single lump sum, a series of smaller amounts or via regular monthly savings. Read More
