Empty pockets: Why shops going cashless is good for business — and consumers January 22, 2020 In the market stalls, pop-up shops, and beer taprooms of our great city, card payment is increasingly common. And it’s not just a London trend — while card-only shops are primarily cropping up in the capital, they have appeared up and down the country too. This is a phenomenon dominated by small businesses, and it’s [...]
Til divorce do us part: advice for couples considering separation January 16, 2020 Christmas is meant to be a relaxing time, but for many people it’s also a period of stress, tension, and tribulations — especially for married couples. The financial burden of the holidays plus the pressure to have a “perfect Christmas” and the familiar strain of dealing with in-laws can lead to squabbles and even full-blown [...]
Why Open Banking is the next finance revolution January 15, 2020 The saying that the “customer is king” has been an accepted truism for a long time. But it is only recently that this has really been the case, with technology largely driving a shift of power away from traditional providers to the consumer. Think of how music streaming services like Spotify completely changed how we [...]
Britain must become a leader in financial education January 9, 2020 The UK has one of the most thriving and competitive finance industries in the world — a fact that is often overlooked by the public. We know that the financial services industry is battling to improve levels of trust and engagement on the back of a series of scandals and public apathy. Yet, strong personal [...]
Three New Year’s resolutions for the wealth management industry January 8, 2020 The year ahead has the potential to be a defining one for the wealth management industry, following a difficult 12 months that have seen client confidence rocked by a number of high-profile issues. Whether it’s the suitability of investment products, exorbitant and opaque fees, or the need to build a better and more inclusive dialogue [...]
Avoid these 8 financial mistakes in your marriage August 1, 2019 For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer – until death do us part. Sadly, with money fights being the second leading cause of divorce behind infidelity, many of us do not adhere to this marriage vow. Read more: What are banks doing to help survivors of financial abuse? Few individuals consider financial compatibility before [...]
Where to invest following stock market carnage: Europe and China top the experts’ buy lists September 9, 2015 Global stock markets took a battering this summer. At one point, nearly $2 trillion had been wiped off the value of shares across markets as diverse as Germany, China, the US and Argentina. The falls were trigged by worries over the state of China’s economy. Although Chinese companies make up only a small part [...]
Should you invest in emerging markets? From Turkey to India, opportunities abound across the developing world September 2, 2015 From China to Brazil and a few places in between, investment in emerging markets has seemed a grim endeavour lately. But the outlook for some countries looks good, and for patient investors the rewards could be great. Read on for the two main reasons for investing in emerging markets right now, and the best [...]
Biotech and ethical funds were best-sellers as global markets sold off September 1, 2015 Biotech and ethical funds have topped rankings of the most popular investments for savers during last week’s market carnage. The last seven days was disastrous for markets around the world as sharp falls in Chinese equities – dubbed “Black Monday” – caused panic to spread. Stock exchanges across Europe and the US fell, with [...]
Oil prices at rock bottom: Shares in energy companies plummet – should you purge your portfolio? August 26, 2015 Oil prices have fallen to their lowest levels since the financial crisis. The price of Brent crude went down to $42 a barrel earlier this week, before recovering a little. The news is shocking because, when oil prices were first slashed from over $100 a barrel to around $50 last June – due to the fact that [...]