Reviving consumer spending and economic growth Since the global financial crisis, both the Bank of England and the US Federal Reserve have used the policy of quantitative easing (QE) to try to revive consumer spending and economic growth. When the economy is struggling, cutting interest rates is the traditional way to get us to spend… Continue reading Demystifying quantitative easing
Category: News
Investing in a highly complex world
Easy-to-understand groupings should be viewed with caution Investors like to sort things into neat categories; it helps make sense of a highly complex world. Categories like ‘Emerging Markets’, ‘BRICs’ and the ‘Fragile Five’ have all been invented as easy-to-understand groupings of supposedly similar countries. Yet we have to be careful of such generalisations, because the… Continue reading Investing in a highly complex world
Bank of Gran and Grandad
Three quarters of grandparents say that they have dipped into their savings to help their grandchildren this year Forget the bank of Mum and Dad – today’s young people are now receiving help from the bank of Gran and Grandad, with millions of grandparents offering financial support to their grandchildren. According to retirement specialist LV=,… Continue reading Bank of Gran and Grandad
On the look-out for opportunities
Animal spirits are finally stirring again to you It has been a long wait, but animal spirits are finally stirring again. Not just in financial markets, where the bull market has been underway for more than five years now, but in the real world of corporate activity. After half a decade of caution, rebuilding balance… Continue reading On the look-out for opportunities
Underestimating how long we are likely to live
Making adequate provision for retirement means not running out of money Women have historically lived longer than men, but this is gradually changing. Life expectancy has continued to increase all round as all generations enjoy unprecedented wealth, better nutrition, healthier lifestyles and the benefits of advancing medical science. Mortality rates at older ages are thought… Continue reading Underestimating how long we are likely to live
Mind the savings gap
Having a plan for the future can make the present feel less stressful The number of people in the UK with no savings at all has risen year-on-year from eight million to over nine million, or 1 in 5 of the UK adult population, according to the 2014 Scottish Widows Savings Report. This brings the… Continue reading Mind the savings gap
A continuing role for annuities
Peace of mind for a lifelong secure regular income A huge reform of the defined contribution pension system (as opposed to workplace final salary schemes) announced in Budget 2014 means that under the proposals, from next year, millions of people reaching retirement age will be able to spend their pension pot in any way they want.… Continue reading A continuing role for annuities
Generating a retirement income
Taking on the risk of managing your own pension New research[1] from MGM Advantage shows the risk people are willing to take managing their own pension savings. 28% of the over-55s said they were not comfortable taking on the risk of managing their own pensions to provide a suitable income throughout retirement. The research shows… Continue reading Generating a retirement income
First-time parents
Preparing for the arrival of your first baby First-time UK parents spend more than £492 million[1] each year preparing for the arrival of their first baby, according to research from Aviva. This equates to £1,619 per family and shows a 17% increase to the £1,389 total in March 2012[1]. Essential purchases The new study of 2,000… Continue reading First-time parents
Spending on luxuries in retirement
The reality of living on a pension is taking new retirees by surprise The reality of living on a pension is taking new retirees by surprise, with many under-budgeting their first five years of retirement and overspending by an average of £6,500, according to LV=. This is leading to a surge in older retirees taking… Continue reading Spending on luxuries in retirement
