Cryptocurrency bitcoin jumps back above $5,000 after hitting yearly high April 3, 2019 Bitcoin is trading back above $5,000 this afternoon after hitting a 2019 high earlier this week. The cryptocurrency soared 20 per cent within an hour yesterday morning reaching a high of $5,087, breaking the $5,000 barrier for the first time since November last year. Read more: Bitcoin hits yearly high as it rises above $5,000 Bitcoin’s [...]
Oddbins falls into administration for the second time in eight years February 1, 2019 Oddbins today became one of the first high street casualties of 2019, as news emerged that the off licence’s owners have fallen into administration for the second time in eight years. Administrators Duff & Phelps confirmed that the companies behind Oddbins and a string of high street alcohol stores are now insolvent. Read more: Oddbins set [...]
Focus On Balham: What’s the property market like in SW12, the historically less cool neighbour to Battersea and Clapham? May 25, 2018 No one wants to be the runt of the litter, but that is exactly what Balham was historically, sandwiched as it is between the Chelsea-aspirant hordes of Battersea and Clapham. “In the past Balham could have been described as the ugly sister of Battersea and Clapham,” says Hamish Scott, branch manager of Hamptons International estate [...]
Opinion: Why Gibraltar is a rock solid investment, despite being caught in Brexit’s cross-hairs April 30, 2018 Lesser known than some of its European counterparts, the British overseas territory of Gibraltar has hit the headlines recently. A few weeks ago, the British government guaranteed Gibraltar’s access to UK financial markets until 2020 – with a framework being developed to take it beyond that against the backdrop of Brexit. Earlier in January, Gibraltar’s [...]
First-time buyers still have to save for over a decade to get a home in London September 26, 2016 First-time buyers may have hoped the EU referendum would reverse house price growth in the UK, but a Brexit housing crash has not materialised, and saving for a deposit has not become any easier. Would-be homeowners have to save for just over 10 years to get a deposit, according to research by Hamptons International, a figure [...]
Rising Risk (Part I): Accounting shenanigans and alternative investments October 2, 2019 In this first instalment of a two-part piece, Sebastien Canderle says PE fund managers are getting creative with their accounting – and EBITDA seems particularly malleable. Seasoned auditors know that the risk of fraud increases when a client experiences brisk organic growth or M&A activity. During the 1990s, the most spirited dealmakers included telecoms operators [...]
Focus On Chalk Farm: property prices, best streets and house price growth February 16, 2018 Clustered in among some of London’s most popular neighbourhoods, Chalk Farm is a sort of dividing line between the tourists and the nightlife of Camden, and the exclusive neighbourhoods of Primrose Hill and Belsize Park. As such, it’s moments away from both – with 24 hour transport links now the Northern line has joined the [...]
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wants powers to take over empty luxury properties to solve the housing crisis January 28, 2018 Jeremy Corbyn wants to reclaim luxury property that is left “deliberately” empty to help solve the nation’s housing crisis. “We would give local authorities the power to take over deliberately left vacant properties,” the Labour leader said, speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr show on Sunday morning. Read more: Editor’s Notes: May can benefit from [...]
New car market misfires as confusion over government policy and incentives dents demand June 5, 2019 Rule changes to government policy and automotive grants caused hybrid and diesel car sales to plummet in May. Overall new car sales fell 4.6 per cent year-on-year to just 183,724 units. The figures come from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Read more: Car sales fall as removal of subsidies takes its toll [...]
Housing reform is the only way to solve generational inequality May 10, 2018 This week, the Resolution Foundation published a report entitled A New Intergenerational Contract. The report, from the think tank’s Intergenerational Commission, found that millennials (born 1980-1996) are now half as likely to own a home at age 30 as baby boomers were. Four out of 10 millennials now rent privately at age 30 – double [...]