New cases of coronavirus weigh on shares
Posted by siteadmin on Wednesday 26th of February 2020
Global stock markets fell sharply yesterday (Monday 24 February) as reports from Japan, South Korea, Iran and Italy stoked fears over the global spread of the coronavirus. Among the notable falls, FTSE MIB index of Italian shares ended the day 5.4% lower after authorities moved to lock down ten towns in the country’s north to prevent the virus spreading. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 index of US shares fell 3.4%, erasing its year-to-date gains. While stock markets dropped, safe haven assets which investors typically turn to in times of market turbu...
Self-employed? Prioritise your pension
Posted by siteadmin on Wednesday 19th of February 2020
Since the introduction of automatic enrolment, over 10 million eligible employees have been signed up to a workplace pension scheme. But for self-employed people, no such scheme exists, meaning that many of those who work for themselves are struggling to prioritise their pension.
While there are many benefits to being your own boss, including the flexibility to work your preferred hours, better work-life balance and tax-deductible expenses, pension provision is unfortunately not among them. The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PL...
Better Budgeting
Posted by siteadmin on Wednesday 12th of February 2020
We are all guilty of spending cash on things we don’t need. Even the most frugal of spenders could look at their budget and find ways to cut back on non-essential items and increase their savings pot. If money is tight or you are just trying to save more here are some money saving tips.
Avoid the impulse
Before buying anything, especially those items that are more expensive like electronics and gadgets ask yourself:
- Do I need it?
- Can I afford it?
- Will I use it?
- Have I checked if it is cheaper elsewhere?
If you have answered no t...
Providing a retirement windfall for your child
Posted by siteadmin on Wednesday 5th of February 2020
Planning ahead and starting early can really help when it comes to building up a financial future for the children in your life. The Junior ISA (JISA) is a popular choice for many, but one often overlooked investment option is the ability to open a pension for your child, to help set them up for retirement.
Increasingly popular choice
Although retirement is a very long way off for your child, putting some money aside now means they can be one step ahead when they come to plan their retirement. Any parent or legal guardian can set up a pension,...
BREXIT What Does it Mean For You
Posted by siteadmin on Friday 31st of January 2020
Whichever side of the Brexit debate you have been on, Friday 31 January 2020 undoubtedly marks a momentous point in the country’s history. For at the stroke of 11pm, the UK will cease to be a member of the EU: the divorce will finally have been sealed.
It’s clearly been a long and rocky road getting to this stage with the process costing two Prime Ministers their jobs and dividing families the length and breadth of the country. However, since Boris Johnson won a landslide victory in December’s election with a mandate to ‘get Brexit done...
Omnis Income & Growth Fund starts feeling the Whitmore effect
Posted by siteadmin on Wednesday 29th of January 2020
In July, Omnis Investments appointed Jupiter Asset Management (Ben Whitmore supported by Richard Curling) to run the Omnis Income & Growth Fund.
Ben is one of Jupiter’s leading UK fund managers. Omnis specifically sought him to take over this Fund because of his excellent long-term track record in value investing - a style that Omnis wanted to retain within the range - and his skills in identifying opportunities among larger companies. Jupiter also appointed Richard, a specialist in smaller companies, to the Fund. His role is to carefully...
Financial top tips for service personnel
Posted by siteadmin on Wednesday 22nd of January 2020
Service personnel and their families can find it difficult to access commercial products and services because of the time spent outside of the UK.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has been working with the financial sector to improve the ability of armed forces personnel to access financial products.
Credit ratings
Credit reference agencies hold factual data, provided to them by a wide range of companies, including banks, credit card providers and mobile phone providers. As long as you keep your address information up to date, your credi...
What music do you want played at your funeral?
Posted by siteadmin on Wednesday 15th of January 2020
It is a tongue-in-cheek discussion most of us have had with family and friends. What songs would you have played at your funeral? After all, a funeral service andthe music played should celebrate your life in the way you want.
A quick look at the current top 10 funeral songs turns up some predictable results. 'My Way' by Frank Sinatra is favourite, followed by 'Time to Say Goodbye' in second place. Another more ironic choice is 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life' from Monty Python's 'Life of Brian'.
