What Investment News

Market update (AM): Argos takes care of it for HRG

Joe McGrath — 2010-03-11T10:14:09+00:00

Home Retail Group – the parent company of Homebase and Argos – sent its share price upward this morning by raising profit expectations for the second time in three months. Read

Market update (PM): Investors take advantage of Gulf bailout

Joe McGrath — 2010-03-10T15:07:26+00:00

Investors took advantage of a drop in the share price of Gulf Keystone Petroleum today after the stock dropped 9.3 per cent to 85.1 pence per share. Read

Market update (AM): Standard eases back after initial gains

Joe McGrath — 2010-03-10T09:37:26+00:00

Standard Life’s better-than-expected results made little impact on the life assurer’s share price this morning, despite initial gains. Read

Market update (PM) Antofagasta returns to positive territory

Joe McGrath — 2010-03-09T15:46:34+00:00

Copper producer Antofagasta recovered well on Tuesday afternoon after its share price had initially dipped in the early session. Read

Market update (PM): Resolution finds friends amid rumours

Joe McGrath — 2010-03-08T16:28:33+00:00

Clive Cowdry’s Resolution took over at the top of the biggest gains list this afternoon with rumours continuing about further consolidation in the insurance sector. Read

UBS launches exchange traded commodity range

Joe McGrath — 2010-03-11T10:42:08+00:00

UBS Investment Bank has launched a range of Exchange Traded Commodities (ETCs) on the London Stock Exchange. Read

Fidelity appoints director to Anthony Bolton's fund

Joe McGrath — 2010-03-10T13:59:06+00:00

David Causer – a board member of the Schroders Income / Growth fund – was today confirmed as a non-executive director of Anthony Bolton’s new Chinese fund. Read

Technological innovations set to boost sector growth

Jennifer Lowe — 2010-03-10T09:23:15+00:00

A decade after the technology bubble burst, the convergence of a number of trends is expected to drive growth throughout 2010 and beyond for the previously unloved sector, says Fidelity International. Read

Cru Investment director to stand in election

Joe McGrath — 2010-03-09T13:08:00+00:00

Jon Maguire, the director of the ill-fated Cru Investment Management is to stand in the general election as a candidate for the English Democrats party. Read

Investors returning to UK Companies funds

Joe McGrath — 2010-03-09T11:03:43+00:00

Investors are returning to UK All Companies funds in their droves, according to February’s sales data from The Share Centre. Read

High Court confirms liquidation of Cru Investment

Joe McGrath at the High Court — 2010-03-10T13:11:20+00:00

Cru Investment Management, the investment company behind the ill-fated Arch Cru fund range was officially confirmed as being in liquidation today. Read

UK fiscal situation is most at risk

Jennifer Lowe — 2010-03-09T16:05:23+00:00

Data this morning has shown that the UK trade deficit widened by one billion pounds, more than had been expected in January. Read

F&C in talks to buy Euro fund firm

Joe McGrath — 2010-03-09T11:22:55+00:00

F&C Asset Management has confirmed that it remains in talks with European asset management company C Quadrat with regards to a buy-out. Read

Deutsche Bank launches UCITS III compliant ETF

Jennifer Lowe — 2010-03-08T11:46:48+00:00

DB x-trackers, the exchange-traded fund arm of Deutsche Bank, has launched the first UCITS III compliant ETF, offering investors easy access to China and Indonesia. Read

Investors complain about unit-linked products

Joe McGrath — 2010-03-01T10:08:12+00:00

Complaints about investment bonds offering unit linked guarantees rose by a third over the past year, according the latest data from the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). Read

WEBCHAT: The cost of raising a child

2010-02-16T17:39:33+00:00

The cost of raising a child from birth to age twenty-one now tops £200,000 – or £800 a month, according to the latest data. If you have a question to ask, a comment to make, or want some expert tips on making the most of your family budget, let us know about it now and join us when we go live at 2pm on Tuesday 23 February. Read

BoE puts quantitative easing on hold

Jennifer Lowe — 2010-02-04T12:27:04+00:00

The Bank of England has today (4 February) announced it is to keep the base rate at 0.5 per cent and pause quantitative easing. Read

Close Savings launches new notice accounts

Jennifer Lowe — 2010-02-01T10:29:43+00:00

Close Savings, part of Close Brothers Group plc, has launched new 90 day and 120 day notice accounts paying an interest rate of 2.85 per cent AER and 2.95 per cent AER respectively. Read

A headache for savers as CPI begins to spiral

Jennifer Lowe — 2010-01-19T10:16:01+00:00

The consumer price index rose sharply to 2.9 per cent, spiralling above the Government's target of 2 per cent for the first time since May. Read

Santander begins branch rebrand

Jennifer Lowe — 2010-01-11T09:29:29+00:00

Santander has today begun the rebranding of Abbey and Bradford & Bingley branches. Read

Tax tips for pension investors

2010-02-16T10:23:43+00:00

With the tax year end looming, investors should make the most of whatever tax breaks are available to them. Read

Ten tips to beat the tax man

Geoff Everett — 2010-01-14T16:03:31+00:00

Geoff Everett, tax director at Smith & Williamson, shows What Investment.co.uk readers how to meet the 31 January self-assessment deadline. Read

PBR 2009: Lenders concerned by stamp duty decision

Joe McGrath — 2009-12-09T13:48:47+00:00

Lenders have expressed disappointment that the government has decided against extending its stamp duty holiday programme past the 31 December 2009 deadline. Read

PBR 2009: IHT threshold frozen until 2011

Jennifer Lowe — 2009-12-09T13:44:58+00:00

The chancellor has opted to freeze the inheritance tax (IHT) rate at £325,000 until 2011. Read

PBR 2009: VAT to return to 17.5 per cent

2009-12-09T12:51:06+00:00

The chancellor today confirmed that Value Added Tax (VAT) will return to 17.5 per cent on 1 January 2009. Read

VIDEO: Advice for pension savers

2010-03-11T09:00:00+00:00

Alison Morris, savings expert at Scottish Widows, provides advice to consumers on pensions and highlights that Brits are simply not saving enough. Read

Ten retirement tips for 2010

2010-01-05T10:36:47+00:00

Friends Provident’s pensions guru Martin Palmer gives his top ten pointers for retirement planning in 2010. Read

Rowanmoor fraud following Seaton's death

Joe McGrath — 2009-12-21T09:42:27+00:00

Rowanmoor Pensions has informed police that it has identified suspected fraudulent activity on a client account with which former managing director David Seaton had some involvement. Read

PBR 2009: Basic state pension set to rise next year

Jennifer Lowe — 2009-12-09T13:20:51+00:00

Chancellor Alistair Darling has said that the basic state pension will increase by 2.5 per cent in 2010. Read

PBR 2009: Nervous wait for high earners on pension tax changes

Joe McGrath — 2009-12-09T10:24:40+00:00

Investors earning above £150,000 will hear in today's Pre Budget Report (PBR) how the Treasury plans to implement tax relief restrictions on pension contributions. Read

Clydesdale unveils new ISA offering

Joe McGrath — 2010-03-03T15:15:00+00:00

Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks have launched two new fixed rate ISAs offering a choice of one and five year terms with rates between 3 and 5 per cent. Read

Witan extend ISA offer

Jennifer Lowe — 2010-02-22T14:32:48+00:00

Witan Investment Services is extending its free sharedealing period until 30 April 2010 enabling all investors to take advantage of new ISA limits. Read

M&S Money launches ‘Flexi Cash ISA’ option

Jennifer Lowe — 2010-02-04T10:04:11+00:00

M&S Money is to launch its Flexi Cash ISA option next week, offering a variable rate of 2.65 per cent AER/tax-free. This includes a bonus rate of 1.25 per cent for 18 months from initial deposit. Read

Over 50’s get back into ISAs

Jennifer Lowe — 2010-01-27T11:31:32+00:00

Investors aged 50-plus have more than doubled lump sum contributions into share-based Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) in response to the Government’s increase in ISA allowances. Read

Darling urged to make ISAs tax-free

2009-12-01T09:52:44+00:00

Fidelity International is calling on the chancellor to make ISAs completely tax-free in his upcoming Pre-Budget report in a bid to jump-start the nation's savings. Read