Do not think twice about calling in military, says PM February 11, 2014 DAVID Cameron has urged flood-hit communities not to think twice about calling on the armed forces for help as severe weather warnings remain in place across the south east. Water levels are set to rise further today as heavy rain falls on saturated ground. The Prime Minister said he wants local council leaders to make [...]
London Report: Insurance firms start a deluge of UK earnings February 23, 2014 A BUMPER week for UK earnings kicks off today with results from Hiscox, one of the big home insurers reporting full-year figures. Figures from Hiscox, RSA and Direct Line could give more detailed estimates of losses for UK industry and themselves after recent flooding and storms. Aviva and L&G are also set to give end [...]
Save money on your international transfers October 1, 2014 Moving money abroad in a digital world should be one of the easiest things you can do, especially with the cost savings you would expect a global marketplace to offer, yet choosing the wrong service to send your funds overseas, can leave you paying more than you’d expect. Most people head straight to their bank [...]
FCA whacks Lloyds with record £28m fine December 11, 2013 City watchdog the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has slapped Lloyds Bank with a £28m fine "for serious failings in their controls over sales incentive schemes". This is the largest fine ever imposed by the regulator or its predecessor, the Financial Services Authority. The failings affected branches of Lloyds TSB, Bank of Scotland and Halifax, it [...]
Autumn Statement 2014: George Osborne hits banks to help home buyers December 3, 2014 Chancellor plays Robin Hood by grabbing from the wealthy to fund stamp duty sweetener for those lower down property ladder. THE UK ECONOMIC OUTLOOK ● The UK’s economic growth has outperformed the March forecast of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), giving Britain the fastest growth rate in the G7. ● Unemployment has fallen [...]
Scottish independence will work as currency competition laboratory – Australian central bank staffer July 2, 2014 If the Scots vote for independence this September, the country could be a testing ground for currency competition, according to the Reserve Bank of Australia's assistant governor, Guy Debelle. But Debelle cautioned today that private issuance of competing currencies in Scotland has been tried before, and while it worked well for a spell, was [...]
Aviva Investors’ Euan Munro on why markets will see more Wobbly Wednesdays November 11, 2014 It’s lunchtime at Aviva Investors’ offices at No.1 Poultry, but the three platters of fish, meat and vegetable sandwiches supplied by catering lie untouched on the table. Euan Munro, chief executive of the fund management house, is sitting drinking full fat Coca-Cola from a glass, while the pungent aroma of the Coq d’Argent restaurant upstairs [...]
Boost your budget when buying abroad October 8, 2014 Buying a property overseas is a dream for many Britons, and turning it into reality will take a lot of time and effort in finding the right property for the right price, and working through the potential language barriers to get a good deal. But with property prices in some areas of Spain still around [...]
Lazy small firms blamed for bad banking market July 21, 2014 BRITAIN’S small firms have to try harder to push their banks to work for them, and be prepared to walk away if they do not, Britain’s competition chief said yesterday. Banks have been hit by waves of complaints from small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) even since before the financial crisis. But only a tiny proportion [...]
Don’t give up on the Union: Scots should vote with their heads, not their hearts July 3, 2014 SEVEN hundred years ago, the Scots won a glorious victory at Bannockburn. The Yes campaign says we should seize this September’s referendum to be that nation again! My heart hears the call: I am Scots first and foremost. But my head says no. Why give up on a Union that has immeasurably improved the prosperity [...]