China M&A frenzy around the world set to continue according to Freshfields October 4, 2016 CHINA'S vast appetite for overseas acquisitions is laid bare in new M&A monitor by law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. The law firm found that China leads outbound M&A with 173 signed deals valued at $128.7bn, including a number of massive acquisitions in the first half of 2016 such as ChemChina’s $43bn bid for Swiss agrichemicals [...]
Fast forward: What will pensions be like in 20 years? Experts say taking a loan and easy access are on the cards, while inheritance may mean losing the state pension May 26, 2016 The nation's plans for old age have been subject to change lately as the chancellor has announced a range of reforms to how pensions work. There have been radical changes, and everyone believes more are heading our way. So what will pensions saving be like in 20 years’ time? Read more: The planned second-hand annuities [...]
Knight Frank and Markit: London house prices experienced the biggest increase this month March 18, 2016 London house price growth is expected to beat all other regions this month despite a slowdown in the top of the market, new research has shown. Londoners perceived the biggest increase, followed by those in the South East, East of England, Scotland and then the North West. It's slightly surprising given price growth among prime central London properties [...]
As the London Mayoral election looms, it’s time for Zac Goldsmith and Sadiq Khan to think big on housing April 7, 2016 With just under a month to go until London votes for a new Mayor, and less than a week until City A.M. hosts a packed-out hustings between the two main candidates, one familiar issue has raised its rather ugly head – the soaring cost of living in our capital. Some housing market analysts believe that government [...]
Focus On Shepherd’s Bush: Westfield expansion and old BBC Television Centre homes put W12 in limelight May 12, 2016 For years now, the east has been the land of regeneration. The long lead up to the Olympic Games in Stratford and the success of the City fringes have seen most of property agents’ “up-and-coming” rhetoric focused in that direction and one could be mistaken for thinking there was simply nowhere else for traditionally prosperous west [...]
London house prices: Housebuilding is falling in the capital – so rip up planning rules and start again January 29, 2016 Help to Buy. The Help to Buy Isa. NewBuy. Right to Buy. Shared ownership. As the housing crisis worsened in recent years, there was no shortage of government schemes aimed at helping first-time buyers reach that crucial bottom rung on the housing ladder. In the capital, it is becoming increasingly obvious gentle encouragement from George [...]
Another sign that stamp duty deadline sent buy-to-let investors into a buying frenzy April 7, 2016 More proof George Osborne's stamp duty wizard wheeze served to push up prices in the run-up to the deadline, after new figures showed UK house prices rose by the most in at least a year in March. Halifax's house price index, published this morning, showed prices rose 10.1 per cent in the year to March, [...]
First-time housebuyers in a festive frenzy, as number of valuations for this purpose rocketed up 31 per cent compared to last year December 11, 2015 Christmas may have come early for some first-time buyers, as the number of valuations for homehunters in this category jumped up last month. According to a report out today by Connells Survey & Valuation, the number of valuations carried out for first-time buyers in November was 31 per cent higher than the same time last [...]
Meet the man making 10,000 luxury watches a year in Britain February 20, 2017 It takes two years to make a Bremont watch. It takes seven years to train the person who makes it. “We tend to mop up the area when we hire,” says Giles English, one half of the fraternal founders of Bremont, the luxury watch company. “We can’t just rock up and ask for a watchmaker [...]
London house prices: First-time home buyers face nightmare market as deposits soar and supply lags July 31, 2015 We all know how tough the housing market is for first-time buyers, and one of the main reasons is lack of supply. Much has been said about how the government is looking to tackle this problem by encouraging housebuilders to ramp up construction of new builds. But figures out this morning show that far from [...]