News Archive
02/08/07
No change to the base rate. Could rates have reached their peak now?
16/07/07
Good news if you are soon to be taking an annuity from your pension. Annuity rates at their highest level for some time.
05/07/07
So they did it! 0.25% added to bank base rate. Still scope for another rise this year before we will see a gradual easing of rates, subject to whether China catches a cold!
25/06/07
£GB passes $2 mark.
18/06/07
Interest rate increases are good for annuity purchasers. If you can delay taking your annuity for a short while you could benefit from the next interest rate increase.
11/06/07
Warning of further interest rate rise to keep inflation under pressure.
07/06/07
Relief, Bank of England hold base rate at 5.5% for now. Forecast is still further increases expected this year.
24/05/07
Another Government U-turn, this time it is Home Information Packs that are affected. Now delayed and will initially only apply to properties of 4 or more bedrooms. A half baked scheme that has been forced through to this stage by what is probably the most inept Government we have ever had.
10/05/07
Bank of England hikes up base rate to 5.5%. Could it now be peaking before a fall later in the year?
23/04/07
It is better to invest monthly through the year into your ISA than to wait until the end of the tax year. Pound cost averaging should assist long term growth in volatile markets.
16/04/07
Markets still ahead. Should you be thinking about safety?
05/04/07
Bankrate on hold but beware of a rise next time! If you haven’t invested in an ISA this tax year it is too late.
30/03/07
Make sure you have topped up your ISA before the end of the tax year on 5th April. Use your allowance or lose it.
08/03/07
Bank base rate (UK) remains the same after BoE meeting.
13/02/07
Increased annuity rates announced from Norwich Union
08/02/07
10 year fixed rate mortgage at 5.37%. Contact us for details.
06/02/07
0% initial commission on ISAs. Limited offer. Contact us now.
16/01/07
Only a small percentage of company directors and partnerships have a director’s share protection or partnership protection plan in place. This is crazy when you consider the effect the death of a director or partner can have on the business.
1/01/07
Bank base rate rise came as a bit of a shock! The bad news is that with inflation reaching 3%, there will be more rises on the way this year.
01/01/07
Happy New Year to all our readers. Another year gone and a new one starting. Have you made New Year resolutions? Why is it that so many of them are never kept for long?
20/12/06
Good news! The Treasury and HMRC have decided that pipeline applications for Pension Term Assurance applications that were fully completed before 6th December 2006, will be allowed to qualify for tax relief on the premiums. Certain conditions apply so please check the full statement on the HMRC website.
06/12/2006
Pension Term Assurance shocker! Gordon Brown announced in his pre-budget report, that he was withdrawing tax relief on pension term assurance with immediate effect and subject to consultation.
30/11/06
Markets looking a bit volatile. Heading for a correction or more room for an increase?
21/11/06
Have the potential of rising income and an increasing capital base. Contact Brian Rilatt.
16/11/06
Abbey launch their new buy-to-let mortgages including great deals for re-mortgaging.
09/11/06
As stated last month the expected rise in bank base rate has been announced today. Base rate now 5%.
02/11/06
With-profit bond bonuses should be increasing, but are you happy with the low (or nil) percentage you are receiving? Contact us to consider your alternatives if you have held your bond for over 5 years.
01/11/06
Best performing UK fund over I year to date with over 40% return: - Standard Life UK Equity Unconstrained
25/10/06
Your interest only mortgage can potentially pay itself off with the help of a specialist currency manager. Contact us to see how this is possible and if it could apply to your mortgage. Minimum loan £250,000, Maximum LTV 65% and earnings £100,000pa. (Remember: your home is at risk if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage or other loan secured on it). Ideal for individuals, companies, pension and property portfolios.
15/10/06
Is Latin America going to be the next investment market to take off again? Brazil is one of the keys.
05/10/06
No change to Bank Rate today but be prepared for a rise in the near future.
25/09/2006
Nil initial commission on a wide selection of Investment ISAs and Unit Trusts. Check our links to MultISA and MultiFUND.
21/09/09
No increase to American Interest rates as they have remained at 5.25%
19/09/06
Smokers get higher annuity rates, check out what we can offer.
05/09/06
On the death of a Partner, if a written Partnership Agreement is not in place, the Partnership MUST be dissolved under the Partnership Act 1890. Do you have a Partnership Agreement with your fellow Partners? Have you life assurance to pay your partner’s estate their share of the partnership in the event of death?
04/09/06
UK Pension contribution limits have not been updated on a lot of UK web sites. As a reminder the amount that may be invested into an approved pension scheme is up to £3600 per year regardless of earnings or up to 100% of your UK relevant earnings per year. However, the maximum contribution equivalent to your relevant earnings is subject to an earnings cap of £215000 in tax year 2006/7.
01/09/06
As Eurozone interest rates have remained at 3%, what is the forecast for UK interest rates? Pundits are forecasting further rate rises towards the end of this year, bewarned.
23/08/06
Enhanced Annuity Rates. Are you about to take your pension benefits? Do you realise that, if you smoke or suffer from a life threatening condition, you may be able to enjoy a higher annuity income than the standard rate offered by your pension company. Contact us for more information and a no obligation quote.
21/08/06
Can your interest only mortgage potentially pay itself off? Contact us to see how this is possible and if it could apply to your mortgage. Minimum loan £250,000, Maximum LTV 65% and earnings £100,000pa. (Remember: your home is at risk if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage or other loan secured on it).
09/08/06
Oil and gold prices fell as the fighting ceasefire between Hizbollah and Israel came into force on Monday.
03/08/06
Interest rates rise in the UK rise for the first time in two years from 4.5 per cent to 4.75 per cent.
17/07/06
Home Information packs run into difficulties
Plans to make someone selling their home pay for an information pack were in turmoil after the Government shelved a large part of the scheme.
A home condition report will no longer be needed when the home information packs (Hips) are a requirement on June 1 next year in England and Wales.
12/07/06
UK Unemployment Rises
There were 1.65 million people classed as unemployed in the three months to May, an increase of 90,000 on the previous quarter,
07/07/06
Standard Life announces Share Price
Standard Life has revealed that its shares will trade at 230p when it floats on the stock market next week. Shares are expected to start trading on 10 July.
The share price values the company at about £4.6bn.
06/07/06
Euro up on hopes of August rate rise
The euro spiked higher on Thursday as a hawkish European Central Bank gave a strong signal that it would raise interest rates at its next meeting.
While the bank, as expected, kept eurozone interest rates on hold at 2.75 per cent, the market latched on to comments from Jean-Claude Trichet, ECB president, who warned that “strong vigilance” was needed to counter inflationary pressures in the eurozone.
30/06/06
Dollar extends fall after Fed rate call
By Neil Dennis, Published: June 30 2006 10:48
The dollar continued to fall on Friday, adding to the sharp losses of the previous session prompted by expectations that US interest rates will soon be held in check after two years of steady increases.
The Federal Reserve lifted the main refinancing rate by 25 basis points to 5.25 per cent on Thursday, a widely expected move and the 17th consecutive increase. But the central bank was less hawkish on inflation than many in the currencies market had anticipated, sending the dollar, which had stood near a two-month high against the euro, to a three-week low.
29/06/06
Woolwich and Barclays
Since Barclays bought the Woolwich brand in 2000, they’ve made a few changes but now they are starting to make some bigger changes, which will take place over the next 18 months. These changes will allow their businesses to focus on– Woolwich for mortgages and Barclays for banking.
Over the course of 2007, all Woolwich branches will either be re-branded as Barclays branches or will merge with their local Barclays branch.
28/06/06
Pension Saving
Fewer people are saving enough for their retirement, according to research published by a big insurance company.
Scottish Widows, owned by Lloyds TSB, says that in the last year the percentage of people saving adequately for their old age fell from 55% to 46%.
At the same time, the proportion failing to make any form of pension saving rose from 17% to 28%.
The insurer commissioned market research with questions being put to 5,806 people.
22/06/06
No move on Interest Rates Yet
Most Bank of England policymakers appear in no hurry to change interest rates as the economic outlook faces risks on both sides, minutes of their June meeting showed on Wednesday.
20/06/06
Norwich Union takes steps to tackle non-disclosure
Earlier this year Norwich Union published their critical illness claims statistics for 2004 and reported that 13% of claims were rejected due to non-disclosure of a material fact. They are introducing a leaflet into all of their Life Protection literature packs to address the importance of answering all of the application questions fully, truthfully and accurately to give the client peace of mind if a claim arises.
19/06/06
Standard Life Launches Share Offers
Highlights of the announcement:
The price range for the Institutional Offer and the Retail Offer is 210p to 270p (the “Offer Price”). Based on this range, the expected market capitalisation of Standard Life plc at flotation will be £4.35bn to £5.25bn. This will make Standard Life plc eligible for inclusion in the FTSE 100 Index.
The price range for the Preferential Offer is 199.5p to 256.5p, a 5% discount to the Offer Price.
Eligible Members, policyholders, certain other customers and employees of the group will be entitled to participate in the Preferential Offer at this discounted price and to receive one bonus share for every 20 held continuously for a full year after flotation.
Holders of Demutualisation Shares for a full year after flotation will also be eligible to receive one bonus share for every 20 held continuously for that period.
The Institutional Offer will be marketed to institutional investors in the UK, Europe and to Qualified Institutional Buyers in the US
Members of the public in the United Kingdom will be able to participate in the Retail Offer at the Offer Price.
The Offers are expected to raise £1.1bn of net new capital for the group.
Preferential Offer and Retail Offer applications must be received by 10.00 a.m. on Wednesday, 5 July 2006. The final Offer Price and Preferential Offer Price, and the basis of allocation under the Offers, are expected to be announced on or before 9 July 2006.
It is expected that admission to the Official List will become effective on 10 July 2006.
The Company expects to pay its first dividend in respect of the second half of 2006 of 5.4p per share, payable in May 2007.
12/06/06
Taxation of Trusts
Amendments to proposed Budget announcements, slipped out by the Treasury without fanfare on 8th June, will be debated by MPs this week. This is a significant about-turn by the Government.
The changes proposed by the Treasury mean that life interest trusts set up on death will now largely fall outside the new tax charges. This means that transfers to widows, widowers and civil partners will largely stay under old rules and the new charges - 20 per cent on entry and six per cent every 10 years the trust is in existence - will not apply.
The climb down largely covers trusts set up on death. Those set up by grandparents for grandchildren or on divorce would still be hit.
15/06/06
Resolution has bought Abbey’s life businesses in a £3.6bn deal. Approximately 2.7 million policy-holders in Scottish Provident, Scottish Mutual Assurance and Abbey National Life will switch to Resolution. Resolution Asset Management was formerly Britannic Asset Management and they will take over management of Abbey’s £29bn of funds taking it’s total to £62bn.
05/06/06
Euro interest rate slashed
The European Central Bank has slashed interest rates in the 12-nation eurozone by half a percentage point to 2%, in the face of fears of deflation and renewed recession.
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Independent Financial Advice