“The near-term outlook for prices is now more mixed” The latest UK inflation data for September was released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) last week, disclosing that the overall Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rate unexpectedly remained at 6.7%, ending three consecutive monthly declines. This clearly exemplifies that the battle with inflation is still […]
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Time to crackdown on ‘finfluencers’
Influencers who generate content on financial topics are rapidly rising in popularity on social media, having been dubbed ‘finfluencers.’ The good news is that finance is becoming more accessible and appealing to younger generations through bite-sized, more light-hearted formats. Coupled with a lack of financial education in their school years, Gen Z and millennials are […]
Residential Property Review – October 2023
Conditions remain challenging The residential sales market continues to be challenging, according to the latest UK Residential Survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), with demand, sales, instructions, and prices remaining in negative territory. At a national level, new buyer enquiries recorded a net balance of -39% in September, which although weak, is […]
Commercial Property Review – October 2023
Industrial and warehouse space in demand New analysis has highlighted that the most in-demand UK commercial property sector currently is industrial/warehouse space, as companies look to facilitate and improve their ability to deliver online purchases to customers as efficiently as possible. According to data from Sirius Property Finance, buyer demand for hospitality and leisure assets […]
News in Review
“The UK economy is holding up but remains in a precarious state” The most recent data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) highlighted a modest 0.2% expansion in August, following a sharp 0.6% reduction in July. The monthly growth was in line with expectations from a Reuters poll of economists. Contributors to the growth […]
Investor implications – Dividend Allowance cuts
With the UK in the midst of a sharp tax-raising drive, understanding the full impact of fiscal changes on investments has arguably never been so critical. One area that has been subject to particularly draconian reductions is Dividend Allowance, with changes in this area likely to have a significant impact on many investors. Six-year slide […]
Mortgages – keep calm
After successive Bank Rate rises, the cost of a mortgage hit a 15-year high in July and will likely stay high for much of the next year. In unpredictable and unsettling times, here are some ways for mortgage holders to keep a cool head. Help is available If you’re worried about your mortgage payments, in […]
News in Review
“It’s great to see financial services firms reporting another positive quarter” Financial services activity held relatively firm in the third quarter, according to the latest Financial Services Survey released last week by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). In total, optimism and business volumes grew slightly less quickly than in the buoyant second quarter. Moreover, […]
Mortgage Charter provides relief
A helping hand for mortgage holders was announced at the start of August by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt with a view to providing support to residential mortgage customers suffering from rising interest rates. Three-part plan The Mortgage Charter has three key elements: More flexible Further flexibility relates to customers approaching the end of a fixed-rate deal. […]
Your long-term financial goals
After more than a decade of putting up with paltry savings rates, the sharp increase in rates over the past two years has certainly brought considerable cheer to savers. However, while the rise is certainly welcome, it is important savers do not overly rely on cash savings but carry on investing if they are to […]