Looking ahead, both assets face challenges. Shares are pricier than the long term average (22 times earnings in the US, versus 15 on average since 2000). Bond valuations are even more extreme, with yields at a level that looks vulnerable to even a modest return of inflation and consequently higher […]
savings
What will negative interest rates mean for my mortgage, savings and investments?
Will the bank pay me to borrow money? The vast majority of mortgages in Britain are taken out on a fixed basis meaning most homeowners would not see their rate change if the Bank Rate were to fall below zero. The biggest beneficiaries would be those on tracker and variable […]
Car premiums at record lows but under-25s locked out of savings
Car insurance premiums fell for the fourth consecutive month in August to the lowest levels since 2016. The cost of the average policy fell by £6 between July and August to £695, according to data from comparethemarket.com, a price comparison site. But these cost savings have not been equally shared across society. […]
Peer-to-peer giant Zopa launches first protected savings accounts
Peer-to-peer giant Zopa has launched its first range of savings accounts that are protected by the financial industry lifeboat scheme. Zopa, considered one of peer-to-peer’s “big three” alongside Funding Circle and RateSetter, has launched five fixed-term accounts for customers looking to save their cash for between one and five years. […]
Mortgage costs hit ‘record low’ but drag savings rates below 1pc for first time
Mortgage rates have fallen to a record low but this has caused further pain for savers, who have seen their average returns fall below 1pc. The Bank of England made two emergency cuts to the Bank Rate at the start of the coronavirus pandemic and this caused mortgage borrowing costs […]
The property hotspots where the stamp duty holiday could create the biggest savings
Meanwhile buyers in London’s Hillingdon and Waltham Forest boroughs will make tax savings of £10,067 and £10,727 against respective house prices of £405,650 and £432,470. There are 80 English local authorities where tax savings are equivalent to more than 2pc of local house prices. All of them are in London, and the […]
Savings habit reversed as Britons splurge on pubs and hairdressers
Spending by Britons on “Super Saturday” jumped 50pc, as people splurged the savings made during lockdown at pubs, bars and hairdressers, according to data from bank Revolut. Its average user spent £41.24 on Saturday July 4, the first day pubs were allowed to welcome in customers 105 days after shutting. This was 53pc […]
‘A man I met online threatened me with revenge porn to make me hand him my life savings’
You have kept this largely to yourself. Other than the police, I am one of the only people you have told. You have kept it from your own parents, as you fear you will bring them shame and they may never look at you again in the same way. For […]
Major pension bodies unite to help Britain through Covid savings crisis
Seven major pension bodies have joined forces to guide Britain through the savings crisis, after pension pots have taken a beating in the market downturn and savers have fallen prey to a rising number of scams. Pension savers have made a huge number of inquiries following concerns about the security […]
No job, no home, no savings. Young people may never recover from coronavirus
While the economy will eventually recover, their career prospects may not pick up at the same time. Young people entering the workforce during a recession are more likely to be earning less or be out of work than those starting their career in normal times. The same is true even five […]