Consumer watchdogs have placed a permanent ban on gambling on binary options in the UK. The Financial Conduct Authority ban starts from April 2, 2019 and applies to anyone selling, marketing or distributing binary options to customers in the country. Binary options are a simple ‘yes/no’ bet on the movement of an investment. The potential … Read more
Buying a bargain because the cost is cheaper than buying new has proved a false economy for thousands of shoppers. One in three consumers regret not shelling out a few extra pounds to buy new, according to a survey from Sainsbury’s Bank. Paying car and home insurance premiums monthly was another regret for 29% of … Read more
Pension trustee Roger Bessent boosted his own finances by treating other people’s retirement savings as his personal piggy bank, a court heard. Bessent siphoned nearly £300,000 from pensions he was running to fund his business and buy to let investments. He covered his tracks with false records alleging other trustees had agreed the spending – … Read more
While inflation in the UK has generally been higher than in European countries that make up the Euro-zone, due primarily to more buoyant economic conditions since 2011, it has always been associated with higher growth. However, following the Brexit referendum inflation continued unabated, while growth has declined. UK Inflation In October of last year, we … Read more
After another week of those seemingly endless Brexit negotiations, what has happened? Despite the smiles and approving noises coming out of London and Brussels, the answer seems to be nothing has changed. Neither side has given in and no deal has been reached. Tory MPs are still growling at each other in anger about if … Read more
Retirement savers expecting a cash windfall after the level of benefits paid by the Pension Protection Fund were ruled unlawful can expect to wait for their money. Last month, the European Court of Justice decided that any PPF payments that amounted to less than 50% of their pre-insolvency entitlements were too low. The PPF caps … Read more
The over 50s are plagued with worries about their finances in retirement, according to a new report. The main causes for their concerns are how much money they need because they do not know how long they are likely to live and a decade of low interest rates that have done little to boost their … Read more
Young women are still more likely to end up with a significantly smaller pension than their male colleagues because of barriers that stop them investing. Even women who save according to auto-enrolment guidance issued by the government may still have smaller pensions. Research by investment firm Fidelity International reckons their pension pots will be at … Read more
It’s important to do your home work when buying a property overseas as a second homer or an expat. You need to sort out your finances well in advance of putting an offer in on that home of your dreams. Here are some points to consider before putting in an offer: Location, location, location –The … Read more
The numbers just don’t add up in the first state-backed cryptocurrency offering. Venezuela launched El Petro amid a blaze of publicity with President Nicolas Maduro claiming that the venture raised $5 billion for the cash-strapped economy that has seen inflation rage like a wild fire for the past five years. Mismanagement by the government and … Read more