GDP revision to reveal whether UK consumers are still penny pinching November 25, 2012 MARKET watchers will be keenly anticipating the second estimate of the UK’s third quarter GDP growth from the Bank of England tomorrow. While economists cheered the first estimate of one per cent, they are hoping any revision will only be a small one, and not a sign of further dips in consumer spending. Howard Archer, [...]
US debate over tax may cause market swings November 25, 2012 WITH the S&P 500 above 1,400 after five days of gains, traders will be hard pressed not to cash in on the advance at the first sign of trouble during negotiations over tax hikes and spending cuts that resume next week in Washington. President Barack Obama and US congressional leaders are expected to discuss ways [...]
Online shopping for an enterprising capitalist November 25, 2012 NOT many early-stage companies justify an equity research note. And few get described as “one of the most exciting growth stories in the market”. But the recently-listed Blur Group – led by Philip Letts – is deservedly attracting the right kind of attention. Only three technology firms have joined London’s Aim market this year. Blur’s [...]
Who qualifies for investment relief November 25, 2012 THE Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) was launched without much fanfare in April this year. Designed to help early-stage companies raise equity finance, it offers tax relief to investors, with the aim of offsetting the reticence some feel about staking their money on a high-risk venture. Not all small companies qualify, however. Firms must have [...]
High childcare costs needn’t give you a case of baby blues November 25, 2012 RISING childcare costs are deterring British mothers from returning to work. According to a 2011 Eurostat survey, 48.8 per cent of women with three or more children are in employment in the UK, compared with 71.3 per cent in the Netherlands and 68.2 in Finland. But family formation patterns have changed over the past few [...]
Trust a trust to protect your child’s education November 25, 2012 SINCE 2002, private school fees have risen at 1.8 times the rate of inflation. The average cost today is £11,500 per year, up from £6,800 in 2002. Private education is becoming more of a luxury, and it may be a good idea to find a more innovative solution than relying on your Christmas bonus. A [...]
Prepare for a brave new world of more investment choices November 25, 2012 NEW rules from the Financial Services Authority – the retail distribution review (RDR), which comes into effect on 1 January – intend to empower consumers by making investing more transparent. The idea is to help retail investing work more effectively. But investors will also face greater choice in how they buy their investments, and this [...]
A technology revolution is empowering investors November 25, 2012 EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, GEKKO INVESTMENT platforms came about because switched-on providers realised that the more choice investors were given, and the more they understood the wisdom of diversifying their investments, something needed to be done to simplify the whole investment process. More choice and greater diversification meant investors had to deal with a host of detailed [...]
Strong commodities and SAB Miller drive FTSE to a three-week high November 22, 2012 BRITAIN’S top share index reached a three-week high yesterday after gaining for a fourth straight session, driven by strength in commodity stocks after a return to growth in China’s manufacturing sector. The FTSE 100 index closed up 39 points, or 0.6 per cent, at 5,791.03, extending its gains for the week so far to almost [...]
