The World Bank has warned that the Russian economy would shrink by at least 0.7% in 2015 if oil prices do not recover. This revelation forced Russia’s central bank to admit that it intervened last week to support the rouble in foreign currency markets spending a total of $4.53bn (£2.9bn). Furthermore, it has spent more […]
The European Central Bank (ECB) has “stepped up” preparation for even more stimulation procedures focused on revitalising the eurozone economic climate, banking Head of state Mario Draghi has claimed. His remarks followed the ECB held rate of interest at 0.05 %. Mr Draghi also said that the bank would evaluate the influence of its existing stimulation […]
Eurozone, Great Britain, Investments, Market watch, Stock Market, World Economy
Financial Planning, Pensions, QROPS
One in six MPs believes the state pension will certainly be extinct in 30 years time, a survey has shown. Presently people who get to retirement age with a complete national insurance policy record get £113.10 a week. Cost of the payments is rising as Britain’s population ages, with official numbers revealing the expense will […]
Headline reads: The majority of people with mortgages could cope with a rise in interest rates, the Bank of England has said. Small print reads: The assumption above is based on a 10% rise in household incomes. According to the Bank’s annual survey of household finances, just 4% of mortgage holders would need to take […]
Japan has plunged into a deeper recession due to a big fall in business spending. Already in a technical recession following difficult first and second quarters, Japan’s economy shrank more that initially estimated in the third quarter of 2014, according to revised gross domestic product (GDP) figures released yesterday. An increase in the country’s sales […]
Trading data from China, the world’s second largest economy, came in well below expectations on Monday, intensifying fears of a sharper slowdown. China’s economic growth had slowed to 7.3% in the third quarter, marking its weakest quarter since the global financial crisis. A cooling property market and tighter credit conditions clearly weighing on growth. Last […]
According to the latest figures from Halifax, the annual growth of property in the UK had slowed to 8.2% in November compared with 8.8% in October. The lender, part of Lloyds Banking Group, said that property prices were 0.4% higher last month than they were in October. The figures came on the same day that […]
Financial Planning, Long Term Savings, Pensions, Retirement Planning
The graphic story of 100 young people, currently aged 25 years old. Forty years later, this is what awaits them at retirement age. FYI: 93% of those who live to retirement age will be dependent on friends, relatives, and charity! So maybe the question should be, where do you want to be?
UK interest rates have been held at 0.5 % for another month by the Bank of England. Additionally, it chose to preserve its quantitative easing programme, created to promote financing in the economy, at the £375bn current rate. The Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee has actually held prices at 0.5 % considering that March 2009 to […]
Financial Planning, Pensions, QROPS
Pension transfers from public sector pension schemes will be banned forever in five months. This means that from April 2015 transfers will no longer be permitted from the following ‘unfunded’ public sector schemes: NHS Teachers Civil Service Police Armed Forces Fire fighters Pension members, who are thinking of moving abroad or who are already living […]
Army, Civil Service, Police, Public Sector Pensions, QROPS, Teachers, UK Pensions
Financial Planning, International Mortgages, Regular Savings, Retirement Planning, Tax-free Growth
A question that I often face as a financial advisor is, “would I be better putting my money into property?” The answer is, that it very much depends on your personal circumstances and you should sit down with an advisor to discuss those circumstances in full. As a general rule of thumb, if you are […]
International Mortgages, Investments, Long term planning, Long term Savings, Property, Retirement Planning, UK
Financial Planning, Regular Savings, Retirement Planning, Tax-free Growth
Retirement always feels like a long way off, but how many of us daydream about what we might do when we reach that golden age? Whilst we might dream about what we could do in our retirement, how many of us think about, or plan for, how we might pay for that lifestyle once we […]
Expatriate, Future Planning, Offshore Savings, Retirement Planning, UK
