“It’s amazing to see the size of the economy back to pre-pandemic levels” A raft of economic news landed in the last week or so, one of the most prominent being the latest UK gross domestic product (GDP) statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which highlighted that the UK economy surpassed pre-COVID levels […]
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In the news – Money
Scam victims suffer a £9.3bn wellbeing impact Unfortunately, scams continue to be rife. As well as having devasting financial impacts, a study1 has found that scams affect personal wellbeing. By using a model that allows researchers to value changes in wellbeing in monetary terms, the impact of scams on victim wellbeing has been calculated at […]
In the news – Wealth
Your 2022 playlist Research studies over the years have reinforced the idea that equity prices are not solely driven by analysis of a company’s prospects but also by outside factors which can impact investor mood. Correlation has been found between improved stock market performance on sunny days or poor performance after a country loses a […]
What trends will dominate the housing market in 2022?
Last year house prices rose to new heights and the sales market was at its most active since 2007. Last year’s property boom was fuelled by a desire for more space, a mismatch in supply and demand, and the temporary Stamp Duty holiday. Looking ahead, what trends will dominate the housing market in 2022? Strong […]
Prepare with confidence
If you are in the dark about how to prepare for retirement, then join the club. Nearly half (47%) of working age people are a bit lost when it comes to getting their retirement planning in the right place1. The research also shows that just 28% feel secure in their understanding of how to manage […]
News in Review
“Although supply chains remain severely stretched, there are at least signs that the situation is stabilising” As the new year takes root, the latest IHS Markit/CIPS Purchasing Managers’ Index has highlighted an elevated level of optimism amongst UK manufacturing firms. Although supply issues and staff shortages continue to hamper growth in the sector, production rose […]
Money for new homes in the Autumn Budget
The Autumn Budget included fresh spending pledges on housing from the Chancellor, with £1.8bn set aside to assist housing supply via land regeneration. Community focus The additional funds are aimed at delivering 160,000 new homes and will be divided into two parts: £300m for councils and combined authorities to help them unlock smaller brownfield sites […]
Great expectations as a new year dawns
We could be forgiven for focusing on life’s trials and tribulations heading into 2022, given the challenges that we’ve faced over the last couple of years. Despite inflation-related concerns, new COVID variants and supply chain disruption, which may be disconcerting for investors, there are indications that the coming year will present opportunities as well as […]
Building financial resilience in 2022
The new year is the perfect time to reassess how your finances are faring and take advantage of any opportunities that may lie ahead. Household budgets are likely to be stretched in 2022, with rising inflation and tax increases already on the table. It makes sense to quantify your assets and position them appropriately to […]
Economic Review – December 2021
Bank sanctions December rate rise The Bank of England (BoE) sanctioned a 15-basis-point increase in its main interest rate on 16 December and warned that inflation is now likely to hit 6% by spring. At its latest meeting held in mid-December, the BoE’s nine-member Monetary Policy Committee voted by an 8-1 majority to raise Bank […]