The word “recession” hasn’t been far from the headlines for quite a while now, as the economy struggles to bounce back from the pandemic and soaring inflation hits consumer confidence. But the latest figures have raised some eyebrows. According to the latest official data, the UK economy shrank by 0.3 per cent in the three …
Introduction Savers and investors will not shed many tears for the end of 2022. A year that was beset by inflation and rising interest rates meant only three of the major stock markets we report on made gains in the year. That was how we started the final Stock Market Bulletin of last year. So …
It’s a term we’ve heard a lot recently, so let’s take a close look at what open banking actually is, and how many people know about it. Open banking means allowing third-party financial services providers, such as budgeting apps, to access a person’s banking information, like their payment history and previous transactions. These services have …
If you haven’t got a will, you don’t have control over what happens to your money and assets after you die. That means your wealth may not go to your chosen beneficiaries, and could cause lots of lengthy and costly legal issues for the loved ones you leave behind. Here are our top reasons why …
Investing is a good way to make your money work hard for you, so you can build wealth faster than you could if you put it in a savings account. But the value of your investments can go down as well as up and can expose you to a greater level of risk than leaving …
Introduction As 2022 drew to a close, there was a mixed picture worldwide as major economies sought to respond to soaring energy prices, rising living costs and the continuing impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In our first round-up of the year, we look at where we left off in 2022 all across the world… …
With soaring inflation and rising interest rates, many people are feeling justifiably anxious about making ends meet. That’s partly because the key triggers of the cost of living crisis are beyond our control – so it’s easy to start feeling completely helpless. But there is something you can do – speaking to a regulated, professional …
Introduction War? Soaring energy and food prices? Covid surging in China and people taking to the streets in protest? Worries about a prolonged recession here in the UK? In November, there was plenty for world stock markets to worry about – but, as we will see below, the markets largely shrugged aside the concerns, with …
If, like many people, you’ve had several jobs throughout your working life, you’ll have picked up multiple workplace pensions. But these can be hard to keep track of, both in terms of how much you’re paying for them and how well they’re doing, so you might be thinking of consolidating your pensions into just one …
Early last month, City AM had a dramatic headline: ‘Cash-strapped homeowners turn their properties into personal cash machines.’ They reported that equity release was ‘booming’, with homeowners releasing a total of £4.8bn from their homes in 2021. Ten years previously, the amount released was just £790m with only two years out of the ten – …
