Introduction April was an explosive month as President Trump’s ‘liberation day’ on 2nd April caused major market turmoil. The trade tariff war was more hostile than markets had predicted and most indices went tumbling as the news of the tariffs broke. Trump quickly rowed back on many of his ‘counter tariffs’, allowing many markets to …
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has delivered her Spring Statement, outlining the UK’s latest economic and spending priorities against a backdrop of tightening fiscal constraints. Reeves didn’t downplay the difficulties ahead. She pointed directly to external forces, including Donald Trump’s reintroduction of trade tariffs, as factors compounding the strain on the public purse. These global pressures have …
Savers are missing out on millions of pounds in interest after leaving £54 billion in low-interest savings accounts. Analysis from savings provider Paragon Bank has found £52.4 billion is languishing in instant access accounts that pay less than 2% interest, while £1.7 billion is held in fixed-rate ISAs earning 2% or less. Further to that, …
Introduction Geopolitics continues to dominate the financial news as markets continue to react to Trump’s unpredictable tariff war. In 2024 the US was not just the world biggest economy, it was firing on all cylinders, as Trump returned for a second turn. At the end of the first quarter of 2025 the question on many …
This Spring Statement was always intended to be a fiscal non-event. Chancellor Rachel Reeves had promised that there would only be one major economic event each year and last October’s controversial budget was most definitely intended to be it. Speculation has been rising that this Spring Statement might break that promise, and bring some surprises …
Financial scams are a rising problem in the UK, with more than £1.17 billion in financial losses in 2023, according to banking body UK Finance. UK Finance’s most recent figures suggest over £570 million was stolen in the first half of 2024. Almost everyone knows a friend or family member who has been a victim …
One in every 42 homes – more than 700,000 – in the UK is now worth more than £1 million, according to new research from estate agency Savills. The vast majority of these – just under 350,000 – are in London while another 160,000 are in South East England. This means one in every 11 …
Introduction The FTSE 100 hit another record high in February, and both the UK and the Eurozone fared surprisingly well in the face of Trump’s tariff threats. How long European equity markets will continue to outpace US markets remains to be seen but for now it is with some irony that Trump’s aggressive economic policy …
There’s just under two months left till the end of the tax year on 5 April. Here are key changes to have in mind, and things you can do to ensure you don’t miss out. The end of the tax year is a predictable annual reset for many financial and taxation-related allowances. Although these are …
Inheritance tax (IHT) is one of the most important considerations for anyone with a significant estate they wish to pass on. But far from a rich person’s tax, every year more families are dragged into paying so-called ‘death duties’ thanks to rising asset prices, inflation and the harmful effect of fiscal drag. Fiscal drag is …
