News Today
Grant Thornton’s top 10 Budget predictions
With Gordon Brown announcing that the Budget will be held on March 24, the tax experts are dusting off their crystal balls.
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Five reasons why insurers are better investments than banks
Stronger than hoped for results from Standard Life have shown again why insurers are better investments than banks.
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Online banking fraud up by 14% amid wave of 'phishing' attacks
Online banking fraud rose by 14% to £60m in 2009, while card fraud dropped for the first time in three years.
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Ten years after the tech bubble burst, the sector now looks cheap
Tech is still only trading on a multiple of 1.1x the market - despite an anticipated M&A boom as the new cycle of technology kicks in.
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The economy is not yet out of danger, Gordon Brown warns
You can trust me, prime minister says, as he unveils a pay freeze for doctors, dentists, and hospital consultants.
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Weak manufacturing data throws doubt on pace of the recovery
A shock fall in manufacturing data put yet more pressure on the pound.
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Consumer groups attack delay to reform of PPI market
Consumer bodies urge Financial Services Authority to push ahead with reform of PPI after it announces a further six week consultation period.
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Market Update: Unexpected fall in industrial production halts early advance
Banks and miners continue to lend support and Tullett Prebon surge after confirming a bid approach.
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Euro equities face long debt struggle in wake of Greek crisis
Economists warn that austerity measures in the PIIGS will result in a protracted period of low growth.
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Fraudster convicted over £34m ponzi scheme
Investment roadshow fraudster Kevin Foster has been convicted of stealing investors' funds after masterminding a £34 million ponzi scheme that ran for nearly a decade.
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Broker Roundup Update: Deutsche Bank positive on Barclays and Lloyds
Goldman neutral on Aviva and Numis has a buy for F&C AM.
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Northern Rock reports £257 million loss
State owned lender says it beat its financial targets in 2009 and will pay out £13 million in staff bonuses.
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Treasury confirms Budget date as 24 March
The Treasury is expected to confirm Budget day will be 24 March, making a 6 May general election more likely.
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Morning Market: Cautious start ahead of industrial production data
Barclays slips on acquisition reports, Standard Life pleases, but sharply lower profits unsettle Tullow and Laird Group.
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Have you paid too much tax?
A key HMRC deadline for reclaiming overpaid tax is fast approaching. The elderly, self-employed and higher rate taxpayers in particular should take care to check they are not still owed by the tax man.
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Broker Roundup: JP Morgan starts coverage of property sector with positive stance
Citigroup cuts Aviva target and Bernstein positive on Diageo and SABMiller.
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Morning Eyecatchers: Standard Life beats forecasts
F&C makes pre-tax profit of £8.7 million, Tullow profits plunge as output and oil prices fall, IG Q3 revenue up 11% and Laird cuts dividend as profits slide.
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Wednesday Papers: Gordon Brown to settle on March 24 as Budget Day -- other news
Fitch warns UK debt will erode investor confidence as Britain's wider trade gap hits recovery hopes.
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Wednesday Papers: Barclays considering large US retail bank deal -- bid news and gossip
Hargreaves Services approaches UK Coal over deep mines merger.
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Wednesday Papers: tips and comment
Comment on Pru, Liberty International, International Power, Inmarsat, Gartmore, Antofagasta, Hill & Smith and Clipper Windpower.
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Personality Finance
When you wish you were insured
Lorna Bourke learns first-hand about the disastrous effects of not insuring against ill health.
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Steve Bee: The state pension is only a fraction of what we are owed
The current state pension rules are the fossilized remains of more than half a century of confused government thinking. But we have no choice but to try and make sense of it.
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Morning Line: Five ideas for an election-winning budget on March 24
Gordon Brown today announced that the Budget will take place in two weeks' time. What might he do to increase Labour's chances of an election victory on May 6?
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The Citywire Debate: should we blame fund managers for the financial crisis?
Former Gartmore chairman, and now the UK's City minister, Lord Myners thinks we should. Charlie Parker says no, Tony Bonsignore says yes.
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Who needs enemies with friendly societies like these?
Rather than being the caring, sharing face of financial services, they are more than happy to rip monster charges out of investors' plans
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Morning Line: Are there alternatives to Labour's 'job-killing' tax hikes?
The main parties are all in agreement on the need to hike income tax and national insurance. And they are all wrong.
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Morning Line: Why Darling should think again on higher rate pensions tax relief
There is a strong case for restricting pension tax relief for the wealthy. But the government's current proposals are complex, costly and contradicatory.
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Use the capital gains tax flat rate while you can
Capital gains tax because it could be the government's next target for a rise to help increase revenue, writes Skandia's Colin Jelley
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Would redundancy leave you homeless?
One of the first casualties of the credit crunch and the ensuing rise in unemployment has been Mortgage Payment Protection Insurance.
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Morning Line: Is war on the baby boomer generation justified?
It seems to be open season on the almost-oldies; is such hostility really necessary?
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Ros Altmann: Pensions crisis will lead to a care crisis
People need to plan for the expense of care requirements at the end of their lives. Pensions campaigner Ros Altmann says pensions might have a role to play.
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Morning Line: Message to 6 Music campaigners – pipe down and connect
However good 6Music is, it’s now just one of a million sources of musical inspiration that surround us. Protesters should put down their placards and go find some of them.
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Housing market’s unsound foundations will soon be exposed
The next government will find itself in the unenviable position of revealing the makeshift underpinning currently supporting the housing market.
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Morning Line: The UK economy is down, but certainly not out
Britain has always come through when its back is up against the wall, and this time will be no different.
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Steve Bee: Questions surround millions of people’s pensions
The choice of whether to save in a personal pension or workplace scheme faces a new twist.
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Morning Line: Is a full-blown sterling crisis a real possibility?
Is this the first act in a rapidly unfolding currency crisis, or simply a natural readjustment for an overvalued currency?
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Morning Line: Will saying 'no' more often rebuild confidence in Lloyds?
Lloyds thinks a return to old-fashioned banking is key to its future success.
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Steve Bee: 800,000 pensioners aren’t getting money they’re owed
Billions of pounds that should rightfully be in pensioners' pockets is sitting in government coffers. We can all help them to claim it back.
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Altmann on the next mis-selling scandal and how Brown got it wrong
Dr Ros Altmann looks ahead to possible pension mis-selling scandals and back at how, in her view, Gordon Brown got it all wrong.
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Morning Line: How steep will the house price fall be?
Don’t trust Nationwide’s figures? Fair enough, but they coincide with data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders showing that mortgage lending has fallen to a 10-year low.
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