News and comment
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FT.com - Financial Markets News
- Investors drop risk after US GDP data
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:43:20 GMT
Global Markets Overview: The FTSE All-World index is down 0.5% following a lower-than-forecast GDP growth report for the US, and the yen and short-term US Treasuries are seeing record demand
- BP move forces trusts to reduce returns
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:34:58 GMT
Investment trusts are being forced to cut pay-outs or dip into their reserves to fill the hole left by the suspension of BP?s dividend
- Coffee surges on poor Colombian harvests
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:27:38 GMT
Coffee prices hit their highest level in 12 years on the back of low availability of premium Arabica coffee j
- Weak growth weighs on dollar
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:22:47 GMT
The dollar fell below Y86 for the first time in eight months on Friday as mounting concerns about the US economy led to broader weakness for the greenback
- Growth fears leave Wall Street flat
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:01:33 GMT
Wall Street finished flat after spending most of the day in negative territory because of concerns about the slowing rate of economic growth
BBC News
- Action call over prison education
Sat, 31 Jul 2010 23:54:51 +0000
The Liberal Democrats call on the government to ensure more prisoners take up educational courses while behind bars.
- Clintons confirm Chelsea marriage
Sat, 31 Jul 2010 23:53:48 +0000
The only child of former US President Bill Clinton, Chelsea, is married to her banker boyfriend at a ceremony cloaked in secrecy.
- Call over Scottish Water's status
Sat, 31 Jul 2010 23:31:42 +0000
Accountants KPMG say politicians should give "detailed consideration" to changing the status of Scottish Water.
- Gove's academies: 1980s idea rebranded?
Sat, 31 Jul 2010 23:27:49 +0000
The academies schools pushed by Education Secretary Michael Gove bear more than a passing resemblance to the grant-maintained schools brought in under Margaret Thatcher, writes Mike Baker.
- Twitter user sends world's 20 billionth tweet
Sat, 31 Jul 2010 23:03:40 +0000
Twitter, the social networking site which allows users to say something in up to 140 characters, sees its 20 billionth message sent.
BBC Business News
- Iran sanctions: Pressure on Dubai
Sat, 31 Jul 2010 15:53:18 +0000
Ben Thompson looks at Dubai's role on the new frontline of sanctions on Iran.
- Tax credits and child trusts
Sat, 31 Jul 2010 14:25:49 +0000
In this week's Your Money Sally Eden looks at tax credits and child trust funds.
- Power cuts cripple emirate of Sharjah
Sat, 31 Jul 2010 14:02:21 +0000
Power cuts in the emirate of Sharjah have been causing a raft of problems for businesses, with whole districts having to be shut down.
- Tax credit repayments 'to soar'
Sat, 31 Jul 2010 12:39:55 +0000
Many more people will face having to pay back some of the money paid to them as tax credits because of Budget changes, experts say.
- Addresses set to lose county name
Sat, 31 Jul 2010 08:07:44 +0000
Counties appear set to be dropped from postal addresses in future years after complaints about out-of-date names.
Citywire Investment News
- James Montier: The 'Austerians' will destroy the recovery and usher in deflation
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:33:04 +0100
The 'Austerians' could destroy an economic recovery and increase the likelihood of deflation, warns influential investor James Montier.
- Saints hikes divi and expects shareholder payouts to rise
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:10:40 +0100
Manager of the Baillie Gifford trust Patrick Edwardson says as the global economic recovery picks up, so too will company profits and their payouts to shareholders.
- Exeter IFA firm strikes outsourcing deal with Brooks Macdonald
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:54:27 +0100
RK Shipman has entered into an agreement with Brooks Macdonald for the London based asset manager to run its clients' money.
- Push start from Fidelity helped Ocado get its flotation away
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:56:34 +0100
Ocado had to rely on existing shareholders - and fund management group Fidelity in particular - to get its recent stock market flotation away.
- Why did Swip's European experiment fail?
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:51:55 +0100
Lessons must be drawn from Swip's inability to extend its distribution into Europe.
Citywire Money, Tax and Property
- Mortgages: a tracker could save you money
Sat, 31 Jul 2010 00:01:00 +0100
If economists' forecasts are right and the Base Rate is really set to remain at 0.5% until the end of 2013, then trackers look a much better bet than fixed rate mortgages.
- House prices: Nationwide reports first drop since February
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:24:53 +0100
Nationwide has reported a 0.5% drop in the price of an average UK property, adding to evidence that prices are heading lower.
- House prices rise slightly in June
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:07:44 +0100
Land Registry reports 0.1% rise in June following May?s slight fall. Figures come in contrast to other indices which are showing falling prices.
- Morning Line: interest rate rise or not, savers are unlikely to benefit
Mon, 26 Jul 2010 11:51:04 +0100
Seldom have economists been so divided over when interest rates will rise. But whatever happens, it is unlikely that savers will benefit.
- 'Home staging' is all the rage - but there are better ways to sell up
Sun, 25 Jul 2010 00:01:00 +0100
A booming industry in the US aims to help people sell their homes, but here, as a second property price bust looms, it's hard cash that will ultimately speak loudest.
FT.com - Your Investments
- Savers offered higher rates
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:16:03 +0100
Competitive savings deals paying between 3 and 4.25 per cent have been launched by banks and building societies
- Deal of the Week - Free international sharedealing
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:55:22 +0100
Halifax Share Dealing is waiving its commission charge for online purchases of international shares between August 2 and 6
- 'Active' ETF seeks to beat global index
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:52:54 +0100
US fund offers exposure to managed portfolio of global equities with charges similar to an index tracker
- Wealth Questions - Can I cut CGT bill on post-June gains?
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:45:21 +0100
Following the Budget increase in CGT, can I use my £10,100 annual exemption to reduce my higher-taxed, post-June gains?
- Why following the consensus is senseless
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:43:15 +0100
Traders' Diary: The UK stock market has risen 7 per cent in the past month
FT.com - Your Pension
- Pensioners to claim for mis-selling
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:12:10 +0100
"No-win, no-fee" claims handlers have switched focus to the retirement market
- Employees to pick retirement age
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:51:52 +0100
People will have more choice about when to stop working after the government this week launched a consultation on how to scrap compulsory retirement
- Tax threat to final-salary plans
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:01:25 +0100
Thousands face unexpected tax bills next year under changes to pension contribution rules
- QA: Default retirement age
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:38:09 +0100
How will the changes affect you?
- Treasury consults on tax relief changes
Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:37:15 +0100
Proposals include changes to pension contributions and furnished holiday lets
FT.com - Your Tax
- Wealth Questions - Can I cut CGT bill on post-June gains?
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:45:21 +0100
Following the Budget increase in CGT, can I use my £10,100 annual exemption to reduce my higher-taxed, post-June gains?
- Offset upset for furnished holiday lets
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:57:33 +0100
Thousands of second homeowners will face a less generous tax regime from next April
- Wealth questions - Can I reclaim tax from redundancy?
Fri, 23 Jul 2010 19:34:20 +0100
The first £30,000 of my redundancy cash was tax-free but I paid 40 per cent tax on the remainder. I have now learnt that I could have put the balance into my pension to reduce any tax liability
- Premium bond winners 'don't want to tell families'
Fri, 23 Jul 2010 19:26:23 +0100
Jackpot winners keep low profile and won't be photographed for publicity
- Tax haven set to close accounts
Fri, 23 Jul 2010 17:12:53 +0100
Thousands of wealthy UK taxpayers with accounts in Liechtenstein face having their bank accounts closed