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 […]
Author archives: matthew
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 […]
House number 13 – unlucky or not?
A recent study1 suggests that some Brits are superstitious, as homes numbered 13 are valued lower than the average property. Over 10 million houses have been analysed, each with a door number between 1–100. It seems many homeowners would like to be number one, as the first house on the street is worth the most […]
The financial pitfalls that primarily affect women
Research1 has shone a spotlight on the financial challenges that prevent women from accumulating the same wealth as their male counterparts. The report found that having children continues to have a disproportionately large impact on women’s finances, as do other life events such as the menopause. The findings Amongst the report’s findings were the following […]
The sophisticated scammers targeting YOU
According to a study from NatWest1, seven in 10 people have been targeted by scams over the last 12 months. Vulnerabilities brought on by cost-of-living challenges have likely contributed to the high numbers. Sadly, 13% of people have fallen prey to such scams, which are growing in both number and sophistication – targeting young and […]