Want to empower women? Fund them March 8, 2019 In the century since the first International Women’s Day was celebrated, the UK has taken great strides towards gender equality. From the right to vote to equal pay, across many fields the battle has been won. Since the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act of 1919, women have moved into paid employment outside the home in ways that [...]
M&A could be the cure for the UK’s threatened pharmaceutical industry March 7, 2019 Six in 10 UK hospital pharmacists report medicine shortages daily – twice the rate as the whole of the European Union. And this is before the fast-approaching EU withdrawal agreement puts additional pressure on the medicine supply chain. According to Mike Thompson, chief executive of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry: “every month, 45m [...]
There are plenty of reasons for investors to be optimistic about China March 6, 2019 Since the election of Donald Trump, one story has dominated global markets news: the trade war between China and the US. As negotiations reached a critical phase last month, markets fluctuated as setbacks led to breakthroughs, only for talks to stall again. But while investors are right to worry about currents of protectionism in the world’s [...]
How savers can use an Innovative Finance Isa to reap the rewards from the property market March 6, 2019 "If things go wrong (and they can), then a property-backed Isa at least means that there is a tangible asset that can be sold to recover your money,” says Frazer Fearnhead, chief executive and founder of property peer-to-peer lending platform, The House Crowd. “While it’s not a guarantee, it does mean that the secured property [...]
How to use an Isa to invest in peer-to-peer loans March 6, 2019 Since peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platforms began to enter the market in 2005, savers have used the services to hand out more than £10bn to borrowers. Aside from providing a significant boost to the UK economy, P2P offers attractive interest rates to lenders by cutting the banking sector from the borrowing process. The Innovative Finance Isa [...]
From funding pub refurbs to legal costs, here are some unusual Isa investments on offer March 6, 2019 Nobody wants to put their hard-earned savings into rubbish assets. Unless, that is, you want to use your annual Isa allowance to invest in an eco-friendly waste processing facility. This is just one of the esoteric investments available to subscribers of the Innovative Finance Isa (IFISA), which lets investors lend to businesses in search of returns. [...]
Is the Innovative Finance Isa worth it? We look at the pros and cons March 6, 2019 At barely three years old, the Innovative Finance Isa still has some proving to do. And for some savers, it’s a product that is deemed too risky. But how risky is it really? Of course, the IFISA is merely a tax-free wrapper, so the risk actually depends on the underlying investments held within. And while [...]
The Innovative Finance Isa didn’t get off to a flying start – so how’s it doing now? March 6, 2019 When the Innovative Finance Isa and its not-so-catchy acronym, IFISA, entered the scene back in April 2016, it’s fair to say that it didn’t get off to a great start. This was partly because, compared to its Isa cousins, the IFISA didn’t get much publicity (admittedly, the UK was two months away from the EU referendum, [...]
To buy to not to buy? The pitfalls of online shopping when at work March 5, 2019 A furtive glance to the side, to gauge your neighbour’s gaze. A quick dart over the shoulder, perhaps a slight bob upwards in the chair above the rim of the screen, to check if the coast is clear. And then, the adrenaline building, comes the lightning-quick rattle of the keyboard, the double click and, yes, there [...]
Thinking about taking on an apprentice? National Apprenticeship Week is a good time to start March 5, 2019 One of the great things about my job as a minister is hearing from employers about the positive impact that apprentices have had on their businesses. Employers often talk about the energy and enthusiasm that apprentices bring to the workplace. And they are not just talking about young people either, but apprentices of all ages [...]
