Commercial market update UK commercial real estate continues to perform well, according to BNP Paribas Real Estate. Investor sentiment has improved, with sterling continuing to strengthen, reaching its highest level against the dollar and the euro in over two years. This helps to attract overseas investors and boost UK weightings in global real estate allocations. […]
Author archives: matthew
Women take the lead opening JISAs
Have you opened a Junior Individual Savings Account (JISA) for your child? If so, it’s a great financial priority to support long-term savings goals for the children in your family. Research has highlighted that women have led the way on opening JISAs every year since 2019, when the data was first analysed. Despite the gender […]
Proportion of cash homebuyers reaches 10-year high
The proportion of homebuyers choosing to pay in cash has hit a 10-year high1, analysis has found. In 2023, cash buyers were responsible for a third (34.5%) of all property transactions – the highest percentage seen since data became available in 2013. This trend carried on into this year, as 32.8% of market activity was […]
Steady growth in an uncertain world
Reassuringly for investors, the latest batch of projections from economic soothsayers continues to predict a period of steady, if unspectacular, global growth. The forecasts also highlight a number of economic concerns including ‘sticky’ inflation, large budget deficits and geopolitical uncertainties, which could inevitably create some investment challenges. Growth rates beat expectations Economic growth figures released […]
Autumn housing market outlook
The summer was largely positive for the housing market due to a boost in confidence following the General Election and the reduction to Bank Rate. So, where are we now and what does the autumn have in store? Lenders and buyers alike were already showing signs of confidence before the election, as mortgage approvals steadily […]
Autumn retirement round-up
Several retirement reports have hit the headlines recently with a consistent message: if you want a comfortable retirement, you should plan early and be flexible. Could a phased retirement approach work for you? Research from Standard Life1 suggests a ‘gradual transition’ into retirement could be one of the best ways to boost your pension pot. […]
Economic Review – September 2024
UK economic growth forecast upgraded An updated forecast published last month by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) suggests the UK will be the joint-second fastest growing economy among the G7 nations this year. According to the OECD’s latest projections, the UK economy is set to expand by 1.1% across the whole of […]
Divorces held back by financial considerations
New research1 has found that one in ten married people in the UK have considered splitting up but decided against it, with the financial burden of divorce most commonly given as the main reason. A challenging time While respondents to the survey did cite other reasons for not divorcing a partner, for instance the effect […]
Your pension and the next generation
If you thought your pension was just your retirement savings then think again. As well as ensuring your financial certainty when you want to stop working, a pension is a great way to support future generations. This is because defined contribution pensions are one of the most tax-efficient ways of passing on your wealth. No […]
Residential Property Review – September 2024
Recovery in the residential market Recent data indicates that the residential property market is continuing to recover. According to TwentyCi, in the period from June to August 2024, sales agreed were only 1% lower than pre-pandemic levels. Promisingly, the number of new property listings was up 3%, indicating growing confidence among sellers. Meanwhile, Bank of […]
