Analysis, General, Market Watch
Business Events in Review from TWM
March 1st- 7th • In a big victory for the City of London, a court in the European Union overturned a decision by the European Central Bank that would have forced clearing houses to relocate their euro-denominated business to within the euro zone. • Actavis, a drugs company, issued $21 billion in bonds, making it […]
Explained, General, Market Watch
Political Events in Review from TWM
March 1st – 7th • Thousands of Russians attended the funeral of Boris Nemtsov, an opposition politician who was murdered in Moscow two days before he was due to take part in a rally to protest against the war in Ukraine. • The leader of Turkey’s Kurdish rebels, Abdullah Ocalan, called on his Kurdistan Workers’ Party […]
Political Events, World Business, World Economy, World News, Worldwide Politics
8 Reasons to Use Your Vote
It is the season for the indifferent, droopy types to offer a million and one reasons that they do not intend to place a vote in the UK elections. That’s fine. If you are completely uniformed about the policies each candidate is pushing, then frankly we don’t want your opinion. That said, here are 8 […]
Conservative, Expatriates, Featured, General Elections, Labour, Liberal Democrats, UK, UKIP, Vote
Financial Planning, Long Term Savings, Regular Savings, Retirement Planning
UK Interest Rates Are Putting Off Savers
It seems with five short weeks until the general election, one thing will remain the same regardless of the resulting vote: UK interest rates are unlikely to be raised in the first year by any party. The prediction is that the base rate will stay at its current level of 0.5pc for at least the […]
Diversification, Interest Rates, Investment choices, Long term planning, Long term Savings, UK
Financial Planning, Pensions, QROPS, Retirement Planning
Prove you’re alive or lose state pension
Words of warning for British Expats; if you don’t want to lose your state pension, then you need to act. It is more than 100 years since David Lloyd George first oversaw the introduction of the state pension. At the time, he probably did not anticipate so many British pensioners choosing to live abroad. Equally, […]
British Pensions, Expat Retirement, Featured, Overseas, Retire Overseas, State Pension, UK Pensions
“It is a truly scary time”
One hedge fund manager who correctly predicted the last financial crisis has warned that he is seeing parallels in today’s market. In an internal memo, Andy Redleaf, the CEO of Whitebox Advisors, said that “[he thinks] it is a truly scary time”. Whitebox Advisors is a $4.2 billion hedge and mutual fund. In the same […]
Financial Crisis, Market watch, Oil Prices, Predictions, Stock Markets
European Banks Fail Stress Tests
American banks pass their “stress tests” whilst European banks fail. The stress test review, carried out by the Federal Reserve, is designed to gauge whether the biggest banks operating in the US have the “ability to lend to households and businesses even in times of stress”. In other words, to test how prepared they are […]
Financial Planning, Long Term Savings, Regular Savings
Saving is on the rise in UK
Britons are saving 9.25 per cent more than they did last year according to a recent survey by National Savings and Investments (NS&I). The quarterly survey shows that younger Brits are feeling more positive about their ability to save. On average each per person is saving approximately 20 per cent more per month than they […]
Financial Planning, Pensions, QROPS, Tax-free Growth
Changes to British Teachers’ Pension
In the UK, there will be changes to Teachers’ Pensions from 1 April 2015. Active members who have been building up benefits since joining, may now be wondering what will happen to them. The idea is that they will continue to be protected, and will remain in the final salary arrangements. However, it should be […]
British Pensions, Government Changes, Overseas Pension Schemes, QROPS, UK Pensions
Analysis, Financial Planning, Long Term Savings
Fund Managers Are Paid Too Much
One of the most successful fund managers in the UK has openly criticised his industry for charging clients too much and overpaying its managers. There is a difference between fund managers actively managing a fund, and following the herd. According to Neil Woodford, the majority of fund managers claim to be doing the former, when […]
Active Fund Managers, Index funds, Industry Analysis, Management Charges
Analysis, Financial Planning, Market Watch
Eurozone Not Viable
One of the UK’s most successful fund managers has warned that the eurozone is not viable in its current form. Neil Woodford, who set up his own investment fund last year, said that the concept of treating Greece like Germany was “fundamentally flawed”. In addition, Mr. Woodford said that continuing uncertainty over Britain’s EU membership […]
Eurozone Growth Forecast Increased
There is good news coming out of Europe for a change as The European Central Bank has raised this year’s growth forecast for the Eurozone. The growth forecast has grown from 1% to 1.5% for the year ahead. The ECB has also said that it will begin its quantitative easing programme next week that was […]
