Commercial property market update Latest research from Cluttons indicates that vacancy rates hit 4.1% at the end of 2023 – up from 3.8% in September. This is partly due to e-commerce activity remaining strong and the demand for buildings to meet net zero standards. Vacancies are expected to keep increasing as supply continues to be […]
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Crafting your retirement strategy
Have you developed a retirement strategy yet? Whether you’re nearing retirement, or you still have many years of your working life ahead, careful planning is essential to secure financial stability and peace of mind when you stop working. Active planning is important According to a recent report1, individuals on average begin actively planning for retirement […]
What’s the best way to add value to your home this spring?
If you’re looking to sell this year, you might be wondering how to add extra value to your home before listing. It’s not always obvious, though, what are the best ways to do this, so it is easy to become fearful of sinking money into a project that might not increase the sale price. Fortunately, […]
In the news
UK M&A activity drops nearly a fifth in 2023 UK M&A activity in 2023 fell below 2022 levels as economic headwinds continued to affect the number of deals completed in the year, according to PwC’s latest Global M&A Trends 2024 Outlook. In total, the UK saw 3,628 deals across 2023, compared to 4,362 the previous […]
Retirement living costs surge
According to the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA)1, a ‘moderate’ standard of living that includes £55 per week on groceries, a two-week all-inclusive holiday, £10 a week on takeaways and £100 a month to take others out for a meal, could cost a single person £31,300 a year, which is £8,000 more than last […]
Investor confidence returns
Increased investor confidence in equity funds over the last few months has been evidenced by a leading Index1, with UK investors at their most bullish in almost three years. Equity fund inflows reached £2.01bn in January, one of the top ten months on record and the highest since April 2021. In addition, the January Index […]
Spring Budget overlooks first-time buyers
It was a disappointing Spring Budget for anyone looking to get onto the housing ladder. There were no announcements on Lifetime ISAs, no changes to Stamp Duty thresholds, no replacement for Help to Buy and the Chancellor had already scrapped plans for 99% loan-to-value (LTV) mortgages after resistance from the banking community. A deafening silence […]
Economic Review – March 2024
Short-term growth forecasts upgraded New economic predictions produced by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) suggest the UK economy is set to grow by more than previously expected over the course of the next two years. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt unveiled the independent fiscal watchdog’s latest forecasts during his Spring Budget delivered to the House of […]
What could this election year have in store for investors?
If elections have consequences, as Barack Obama said, then 2024 looks like being a highly consequential year. Some 64 countries are due to hold elections this year (including the US, India, Brazil, Russia and very probably the UK), representing over half of the global population and, in economic terms, half of the world’s gross domestic […]
A plan to grow the economy
With the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) predicting the UK economy will expand by 0.8% this year, and by 1.9% in 2025, Jeremy Hunt delivered his last Spring Budget ahead of the General Election, highlighting reforms aimed to ensure the tax system is simple, fair, keeps pace with economic developments, and supports public finances. Expectations […]
