Overall, the stock market has been generous over the course of the past eight years or so. This optimism continued into 2018, with further strong gains seeing equity indices around the world soar. This run was halted at the end of January and the market subsequently witnessed a correction with many share indices retreating from […]
HMRC’s latest statistics provide an insight into the income tax paying population. The figures reveal changes in the distribution of tax revenue over the last decade, with a growing share now coming from higher earners. The pie chart shows the proportion of 2018/19 tax expected to be paid by taxpayers in various bands of […]
Planning for retirement and the need for laterlife care are becoming the decade’s most talked-about areas of social policy. In the UK we are seeing a major shift in emphasis; financial provision for our retirement years is moving from being the responsibility of the state, to being the responsibility of the individual. Increased life expectancy […]
Important interest rate announcements were made in June, both in the UK and the US. The US Federal Reserve announced its seventh 0.25% increase in interest rates since December 2015, taking the level to 1.75%-2.00%. The rise had already been incorporated in market prices by the time it arrived, so of more interest were the […]
National Savings & Investments (NS&I) has introduced limits on its offerings for wealthier savers. In mid-June NS&I announced a revision to the terms of its popular Guaranteed Growth and Guaranteed Income Bonds. The interest rates were left unchanged, but the maximum investment per person, per issue was cut by 99%, from £1 million to £10,000. […]
The latest quarterly review of the FTSE 100 revealed common misunderstandings about how the index is drawn up. Every quarter FTSE Russell, which operates all the FTSE indices, decides which companies are promoted or demoted from the FTSE 100 index. There had been speculation that the June review would see Marks & Spencer (M&S) replaced […]
