US job figures better than expected

Stock Markets worldwide have leapt higher this afternoon after better than expected news concerning US job figures.

The FTSE 100 jumped 1.3% higher to 5442.6 after the US announced a smaller rise in unemployment in August, well below the consensus view that

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Paying Tax on Shares

The Global stock markets have really improved from their low point of March 2009. In fact the FTSE 100 increased by over 12% in the second quarter of 2010.

If you got the timing right and invested in shares or collective investments , you could have made a substantial gain over

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The Future of Emerging Markets

With the UK facing budget cuts and the possibility of quantitative easing (QE2- printing money) combined with inflation it would be easy to be nervous about the financial future. Investors in emerging markets such as Brazil, Russia, India and China have a great deal

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Standard Life drops Bonuses

Standard Life has announced the thousands of policyholders will see their annual bonuses cut or frozen. It has claimed that the reason for this is to maintain the guarantees on their with profit policies.

The bonus announcement confirmed that most polices increased in

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Swiss and UK come to Tax Agreement

A landmark agreement between the British and Swiss governments will force UK taxpayers to pay tax on undeclared money held in Swiss accounts. The tax levy of 50% was announced after the agreement was announced. The targeting of undeclared money held in private

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Is it Time to review your Investments?

Would you like to increase your capital, improve your income or both? Your response will determine the kind of investments you choose and, furthermore, you have to be aware about the idea of ‘total return’. This is actually the way of measuring of

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Mortgage approvals lowest for 12 months.

The number amount of borrowing approved in August fell to the lowest level in more than a year.

The Bank of England confirmed in its most recent lending publication that approvals fell from 47,000 to 45,000 for the month of August 2010.

The number of

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FSCS confirm new limits

The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) has confirmed that the limit of protection for savers will increase from the current level of £50,000. The revised limit, due to be introduced in January will be 100,000 Euros.

The change has been announced to bring the

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Child Benefits for 40% Taxpayers to Go

The Chancellor, George Osborne has confirmed to the BBC that Higher Rate tax payers will not benefit from child benefits from 2013.

He confirmed that parent earning over £44,000 who pay 40% tax will no longer be entitled to receive the benefit.

It is

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UK Interest Rates remain unchanged

For the 21st Month in a row the Bank of England has maintained interest rates at 0.5%

The Monetary Policy Committee confirmed that although the level of inflation was above the agreed target, the economy was still to fragile to consider rate increases.

The MPC

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FSA to reveal RBS Failings

Financial Services Authority (FSA) has offered to publish a limited report on the failings of RBS. This agreement follows calls for the regulator to provide public information about its findings and the Government Bailout. The FSA confirmed it had finished its

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Bank bailout costs taxpayers £5 bn a year

A National Audit Office (NAO) overview of Britain’s bailed out banks show they cost the taxpayer £5 billion annually in interest.

The Treasury pays out £5 billion annually to cover the interest on the loans used to prop up banks, and although this is

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Clegg and the Banks Head to Head

Deputy leader from the coalition Nick Clegg has warned the UK’s banks how the government will not ‘stand idly by’ and let big bonuses be paid out.

Speaking to the Financial Times, Clegg gave his opinion on the banks failed tries to co-ordinate bonus cuts and

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VAT and Tax increases start to Bite

Well another tax rise came into force yesterday. Everyone seems to have different views about the Vat increase from 17.5% to 20%. George Osborne announced it was necessary the fairest way of increasing revenue to reduce the budget deficit. Labour has a different

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FTSE 100 up on mornings trading

Investor in the United Kingdom were given a boost by the better than expected United States jobs data. Good news lifted the FTSE 100 this morning on opening by 0.2% to 6057 which gave an extra boost to companies offering very good news this morning.

Corporate

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Between now and the end of the tax year.

Well hopefully if you have to complete a self assessment tax return you will have completed and submitted it online. If not you might be in for a shock, fine and interest on the outstanding tax due.

However we have to remember that the 2010 -2011 tax year

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Is residential property a good investment?

Over the last ten years owners of residential property have benefitted from rental income above the returns available from deposit based investments.

In addition to good rental income levels, landlords have also enjoyed a substantial increase in the

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Barclays fold on legal Challenge

The banking industry has discontinued its legal challenge over payment protection insurance (PPI) mis-selling, a move which will probably cost banks billions of pounds in compensation payments.
After a prolonged, time consuming fight involving the British Bankers’

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Rise in UK CPI

Yesterdays rise in inflation came as a shock. The rise exceeded the expectation of 4.1%

The consumers prices index(CPI) is the measure of inflation used by the Bank of England.

Although CPI was expected to rise after the drop in March the increase was more than expected. The UK

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FSA Consultation paper on accreditation

The Financial Services Authority has proposed in its recent consultation paper concerning the bodies that will be able to accredit financial advisers from 2013. In total the FSA received six applications and following consultation it was proposed that the

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