News

Market Review – April 2025

UK Tariffs take the limelight: UK share prices fell during March as investors became increasingly jittery about the prospect of a global trade war ahead of an expected swathe of worldwide US trade tariffs scheduled to take place on 2 April. The FTSE 100 Index fell by 2.6% over March, while the FTSE 250 Index dropped... Read More »

Market Review – February 2025

UK FTSE 100 Index hits record high: mounting hopes of lower interest rates, alongside weaker sterling, rising oil prices, and renewed interest in non-technology stocks, propelled the FTSE 100 Index to new highs during January. The blue chip index rose by 6.1% over the month, while the FTSE 250 Index climbed by 1.6%. Muted economic growth: the... Read More »

Market Review – January 2025

UK Cautious Bank of England: the FTSE 100 Index ended 2024 in positive territory, rising by 5.7% over the year to notch up a fourth consecutive year of positive gains. However, the blue-chip index fell by 1.4% over December; investor sentiment was dampened by a cautious Bank of England (BoE), which now expects zero economic growth... Read More »

Market Review – December 2024

UK Power plays: politics – including the US election and the ongoing fallout from October’s Budget – absorbed much of the limelight in the UK during November. The Bank of England (BoE) warned of mounting risks to the UK’s financial system, including geopolitical instability, pressure on government debt levels, and the prospect of trade wars. Nevertheless,... Read More »

Pensions and Inheritance Tax

Pensions and Inheritance Tax You may have read about the budget on 30th October and one of the biggest announcements which was undoubtedly the proposal to include pensions in estates for Inheritance Tax (IHT) from April 2027. We are writing to you now to urge that you take no action in respect of this for... Read More »

Market Review – November 2024

UK Autumn Budget: in Labour’s first Budget since 2010, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves unveiled what the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) described as “a large, sustained increase in spending, taxation, and borrowing”, including £40 billion-worth of higher taxes alongside increased investment1 in health, education, defence, housing, and infrastructure. The rate of employers’ national insurance... Read More »