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Interest Rate Cut

By Ben Yearsley | 05 Dec, 2008
In a move that was widely anticipated, the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee cut the base rate in the UK from 3% to 2% yesterday (4th December). This follows on from the 1.5% cut in November leaving rates at their lowest level in the UK since 1951. This cut should be good news for those with borrowings linked to a variable rate as banks and building societies should pass at least some of the cut on, indeed some banks have already indicated they will do so. The stock market barely reacted to the news with the FTSE closing broadly level yesterday as the cut was anticipated - much economic data over the last few weeks has been particularly gloomy. The reaction of the market suggests that this will not be the last cut and it is entirely probable in the New Year we will see a further 0.5% or maybe even 1% knocked off rates.  Unfortunately, until the banks have the...

Recent comments

Half empty or half full?

By Richard Hunter | 04 Dec, 2008
They say that it takes two views to make a market. As the usual December round of market forecasts begins to get published in anticipation of 2009 (including our own observations in the December edition of “ StockHunter ”), the difficulty of...

Deferring your state pension

By Tom McPhail | 03 Dec, 2008
In view of the falling interest rates, it is worth taking another look at the generous terms on which you can defer drawing on your state pension. I also think that this is particularly relevant because of the risks of...

Revolution in financial advising

By Danny Cox | 01 Dec, 2008
Up front commissions on financial services products, arguably the source of many of the mis-selling scandals over the years, is set to be replaced in 2012, according to the latest proposals issued by the Financial Services Authority. At the same time,...

Past comments

• A week in advance 1st - 5th December 2008

  By Keith Bowman | 28 Nov, 2008
  This coming week sees the UK major corporate calendar remaining reasonably busy, with interest rate policy dominating the economic calendar. In the US, with the third quarter corporate results season all but finished, economic data releases remain centre stage. Economics In...

• Indian market steady after terrorist attacks

  By Stuart Goodwin | 28 Nov, 2008
  The recent tragic events in India remind us of the dangers the world is now facing. Much has already been written about the personal and political impact of the terrorist action. Investors in India may be wondering how the country’s...

• Lifetime limits

  By Tom McPhail | 27 Nov, 2008
  Picking up on one of the many fiscal bombshells in the pre-budget report, there was the announcement that the lifetime limit for pension funds will be frozen in 2010 at £1.8 million. This will affect a surprisingly wide range of...

• A fair deal for Retiring investors?

  By Nigel Callaghan | 26 Nov, 2008
  Retiring investors have had the ability to switch their pension savings between insurance companies when buying an annuity to secure a bigger income for life since being introduced in 1978 - 30 years ago (also known as the Open Market...

• Premium bonds - ERNIE isn't being so generous now

  By Ben Yearsley | 25 Nov, 2008
  One of the fallouts from the large interest rate cut last month that was designed to help borrowers is that savings rates are being slashed. Generally the safer savings institutions such as National Savings cut rates first and by the...

• Tax cuts to boost economy

  By Stephen Lansdown | 24 Nov, 2008
  With government borrowing already high in an attempt to stave off a banking crisis and a major recession, the Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling is about to increase this to £120 billion in his pre-Budget report today.  This will...

• New Star - reorganisation to improve performance

  By Meera Patel | 21 Nov, 2008
  New Star has announced a number of changes to its fund range including the departure of Stephen Whittaker, joint Chief Investment Officer and manager of their flagging New Star UK Growth Fund. The fund has underperformed recently and New Star...

• A week in advance 24th - 28th November

  By Keith Bowman | 21 Nov, 2008
  This coming week sees the UK major corporate calendar remaining busy, although only one event looks likely to dominate the economic calendar. In the US, a relatively quiet week lies in prospect, with events being cut short due to the...

• Bonds good for care fees?

  By Danny Cox | 21 Nov, 2008
  Prompted by our recent Guide to Investment Bonds, a client queried the relationship between insurance bonds and care fees. When a local authority conducts a financial assessment to establish whether a person has to pay for their own care, this assessment...

• Market update

  By Richard Hunter | 20 Nov, 2008
  Perhaps the only surprise that global markets have taken another downward lurch overnight should be that it is a surprise. The latest sell-off follows comments from the US Federal Reserve that economic growth is likely to be flat this year and...

• The inflation ogre

  By Nigel Callaghan | 19 Nov, 2008
  A number of newspapers have recently suggested that inflation could drop to only 1 or 2% in the coming months. Now that immediate inflationary fears are rapidly becoming yesterday’s news, is there less of a need to buy a retirement...

• Tough times at New Star

  By Stuart Goodwin | 18 Nov, 2008
  Security of capital has perhaps been the major concern of investors this year, even more so than falling stock markets. The perception that some UK banks were near failure earlier this year caused shockwaves. Now even a whisper that a...

• Bank deposit safe again?

  By Stephen Lansdown | 17 Nov, 2008
  Although I have always understood the risks involved with banks I never for one moment thought that we would be faced with the possibility of major banks going to the wall. This period will go down in history and will...

• A week in advance 17th - 21st November 2008

  By Keith Bowman | 14 Nov, 2008
  This coming week sees the UK major corporate and economic calendars remaining busy. In the US, a steady flow of economic announcements is scheduled, whilst the third quarter corporate results season begins to reach its end. Economics In the UK, inflation...

• Market update

  By Mark Dampier | 14 Nov, 2008
  It always amazes me how sentiment changes so rapidly in stock markets. Only a few months ago, Goldman Sachs were forecasting a price of $200 a barrel for oil, but is now below $60 a barrel as a global recession...