The Bank of England raised interest rates 14 times between December 2021 and August 2023, as part of an effort to tackle soaring inflation. So as the rate of price increases has moderated, members of the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) have changed course, and recently opted to keep interest rates on hold at 5.25 […]
Click to view the detailed analysis of the recent Spring Budget
Overall Market Backdrop, February: U.S stock markets rallied as the S&P 500 and Nasdaq concluded with the most robust February performance in nearly a decade, as investors processed pivotal inflation metrics. In January 2024, the UK’s inflation rate held steady at 4.0%, holding close to the two-year low recorded in November and falling below market […]
Introduction It’s been a mixed picture across the globe in the last few weeks. Many of the world’s major economies have continued to see minimal growth in recent months, while the UK and Japan have slipped into recession. But the US is bucking this trend, as are many emerging markets such as India. As always, […]
The economy shrank by 0.3 per cent in the final three months of last year, following a fall of 0.1 per cent in the previous quarter. That means that the UK fell into a technical recession in the second half of 2023. And although figures for the year as a whole showed that gross domestic […]
The end of the tax year is fast approaching, so you should be using the next few weeks to prepare and make sure you’re not paying more tax than you have to. One of the best ways to do this is to maximise your pension contributions. Contributing to your pension is one of the most […]
Money can often be something of a taboo subject, so many of us stay tight-lipped even if we’re desperate to say something. But a new trend, termed “loud budgeting”, suggests that attitudes could be changing. This trend, which is growing in popularity on platforms such as TikTok, encourages open discussion about your finances and why […]
Overall Market Backdrop, January: In December, U.S. inflation exceeded predictions, reaching 3.4% annually – surpassing the expected 3.2%. This development dampened market expectations of an imminent decrease in interest rates, originally anticipated for March. Official government reports indicate a 5.2% growth in China’s GDP for 2023, but analysts outside China express scepticism, offering estimates as […]
When you think ahead to your retirement years, you’ll have an image in mind of you taking it easy and enjoying hobbies, holidays and precious family time, free of any financial concerns. But this doesn’t happen by itself. Securing a comfortable retirement depends on sensible and disciplined financial planning, so you have the means to […]
This year is a massive year politically, with elections taking place on both sides of the Atlantic during 2024. So what does that mean for you and your money over the next 12 months? Even if you’re excited about the prospect of a new government, the run-up to an election still brings with it considerable […]