Time for greater fairness in pensions March 10, 2011 IF you are youngish, work in the private sector, and are not the chief executive of a major firm, your company is unlikely to offer you much of a pension. In most cases, sorting out your retirement will be entirely your responsibility; in a minority of cases, your firm will assist you to fill a [...]
Consumer confidence plunges December 17, 2010 Consumer morale plunged in November to its lowest since the UK was in the depths of recession, as the announcement of government spending cuts raised fears over the future, a survey showed. The Nationwide Consumer Confidence index fell 7 points to 45 in November, its fourth consecutive fall and the lowest since March 2009. The [...]
New mortgage loans set to dip January 30, 2011 MORTGAGE approvals could have fallen to their lowest level in around two years, according to City economists awaiting the Bank of England’s latest data on bank lending, released tomorrow. Yet the Bank’s figures for December may signal a steady rise in lending to businesses, some analysts said. “We think mortgage approvals slipped to 42,000 in [...]
Mortgage approvals in unexpected rise January 4, 2011 Mortgage approvals rose unexpectedly in November to their highest level since July, but unsecured consumer lending suffered its biggest monthly fall since August, Bank of England figures showed. The mortgage approvals figures chime with an unexpected rise in the Nationwide house price index in December, though activity is still much lower than 12 months earlier [...]
Mortgage approvals in unexpected rise January 4, 2011 Mortgage approvals rose unexpectedly in November to their highest level since July, but unsecured consumer lending suffered its biggest monthly fall since August, Bank of England figures showed. The mortgage approvals figures chime with an unexpected rise in the Nationwide house price index in December, though activity is still much lower than 12 months earlier [...]
Diageo buys Turkish firm in £1.3bn deal February 21, 2011 DIAGEO, the world’s biggest spirits maker, yesterday confirmed a deal to buy the Turkish spirits group Mey Içki for £1.3bn, in its latest move to attract middle class drinkers in emerging markets. The London-based maker of Johnnie Walker whisky and Smirnoff vodka is buying Turkey’s biggest spirits company from investment firms TPG Capital LP and [...]
High street sales edge up in November but retailers sweat over big item sales December 16, 2010 HIGH street sales were up in November, official figures showed yesterday. Sales rose 1.1 per cent on the previous year, and have now increased for every month since February, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The news came as John Lewis announced a sales boost of 12 per cent so far this week, [...]
Irish banks will offer to restructure December 8, 2010 NATIONALISED lenders Anglo Irish and Irish Nationwide Building Society will submit a joint restructuring plan to the European Commission proposing they be merged and run down over time. The plan, which must be completed by the end of March, was one of the demands the IMF, European Commission and European Central Bank made as a [...]
Irish banks will offer to restructure December 8, 2010 NATIONALISED lenders Anglo Irish and Irish Nationwide Building Society will submit a joint restructuring plan to the European Commission proposing they be merged and run down over time. The plan, which must be completed by the end of March, was one of the demands the IMF, European Commission and European Central Bank made as a [...]
Make sure you cash in on competing ISAs March 2, 2011 THIS year’s individual savings account (ISA) season is in full swing, as banks and building societies try to lure canny savers. The market for the tax-free savings accounts has been buzzing since the start of February, with 82 new launches or rate increases, according to Moneyfacts.co.uk. Patrick Connolly, at AWD Chase de Vere, the independent [...]