The latest inflation numbers show prices rising at their fastest rate for nearly four years. The May inflation data came as a surprise to many pundits. The expectation had been for inflation, as measured by the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), to remain at April’s level of 2.7%. Instead, National Statistics revealed that annual inflation had […]
Last month saw the first suggestions that interest rates could increase soon. In June, the US central bank, the Federal Reserve, increased short term interest rates for the second time this year and the fourth time since December 2015. The 0.25% increase to 1.00% − 1.25% had been well signalled by Fed officials, so there […]
China-listed shares are finally to be included in the leading emerging markets index (MSCI Emerging Markets Index). As has been highlighted in previous investment articles, China has the world’s second largest equity market. But at present shares listed on the Chinese stock exchanges don’t figure in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The MSCI […]
The general election left the future of many spring Budget announcements up in the air, but that situation may soon change. When Theresa May announced her snap election in April, it threw a major spanner in the previous month’s Budget. There was no time to pass the 776 pages of Finance Bill before parliament shut […]
From April 2017, a new Inheritance Tax (IHT) nil-rate band is available in addition to an individual’s own nil-rate band. When it was announced in 2015, media headlines suggested that everyone could leave a tax-free legacy of £1m, but the changes will be introduced over the next few years, and don’t apply in every case. […]
Action Fraud has launched an identity fraud campaign with the City of London Police, Cifas and Equifax, asking members of the public to consider how careful they are with their personal and financial details. A recent YouGov Survey commissioned by Equifax found that the UK population are failing to take basic steps like protecting passwords […]
