Category: Articles

Confidence levels amongst UK investors have risen 20 points (62 - 82) in the last 12 months according to new research amongst 1100 UK investors (£10k+).

Witnessing the scale of the global pandemic has shown us a paradox: as schools, businesses, and borders closed, our lives went online, children and young people turned to online learning; companies shifted to remote working; and our gatherings with family and friends crossed time zones over video conferencing.

When putting your house on the market, there are numerous factors to consider. For instance, you may ask the question “when is the best time to sell a house?” However, before you consider putting your house on the market, you may want to ensure that it is ready first. In doing so, this could help to speed up the process and minimise the risk of losing money.

For many in the sector, the resulting digital drive forced technology adoption faster than we had ever seen. A KPMG study, conducted in April 2021, finds that 74 percent of organisations have accelerated operational digitisation, compared to 50 percent in August 2020 – showing the direct impact of the pandemic on priorities.

With the popularity of cryptocurrency reaching a fever pitch, its development has also attracted new contenders within the trading sphere.

Britain is pinching its pennies. According to the FT, UK household savings have increased nearly 2 percent in the last quarter as 20 million Brits commit to saving more of their income after the pandemic settles. That being said, many Brits aren’t sure where to start when it comes to managing finances.

You might not be aware of this, but selling your house is not going to be easy. In fact, it is very likely to end up being incredibly time-consuming, costly, and stressful. After all, there aren't many billboards next to the roads that state "We want to buy your house in California!" or "We will pay any price you want for your home".

Fintech startups played a significant role in the global financial industry during the pandemic. Payments companies especially, have brought rapid solutions to aid the transition in commerce, which shifted from physical to digital in a matter of months. Many brick-and-mortar businesses began to offer online services, which led to a significant 26% jump in global e-commerce activity last year. That said, the question whether the need for e-commerce-boosting Fintech solutions will remain after the pandemic still lingers.

When users of the online discussion site Reddit banded together recently to bid up the price of shares in GameStop Corp., it showed just how influential - and risky - some online investing communities can be. But Reddit isn’t the only online resource that’s proving popular with investors. Social media platforms are attracting large audiences looking for ideas - including TikTok. Videos with the hashtag #Investing have so far racked up over 2.2 billion views on TikTok, opening up a world of investing to millions of younger people. But it comes with big risks - there is a very real danger of losing money if (and when) things go wrong.

SMEs are increasing their investment in protective measures for both customers and staff as they remain cautiously optimistic that the summer will bring a boost to trade, according to research by Recognise, the UK’s newest SME bank.

Managing business cash flow can be difficult. It involves more than looking at profits and losses. It’s also about looking at revenue streams as a whole and the factors affecting them. Sometimes, an enterprise will have to wait for a few weeks for payments, and this can negatively impact your operational expenses on a daily basis.

While the changes in the Fintech Payments industry, brought on by the pandemic, were seen across all markets, Fast-growing and Emerging economies have experienced the biggest shift. Increased use of mobile payments have put them at the forefront of the new payment technologies adoption.

If there is a possibility that you may sell your business at some stage in its life, no matter whether that is in 3 years or 30, you need to consider increasing its value. By doing so, you increase your chances of securing a more profitable sale in the future.

With money transfer apps becoming the new norm, it is now easier than ever to send money to family and friends back home. People can make payments from the comfort of their homes or on-the-go without having to enter a physical store or bank.

Start Up Loans, part of the British Business Bank, today sets out its commitment to unlock the talent of thousands more people across the UK by helping them to start their own business. The disruptive impact of Coronavirus on the UK’s economy and traditional working patterns has catalysed many to reconsider their careers, whether because of additional time to reflect during lockdown, furlough or a change in employment status.

An increasing number of businesses are focusing on how to embed ESG (Environment, Social, and Governance) goals into their strategies. As the notion of sustainability is gaining more ground in the finance sector as well, Marius Galdikas, CEO at ConnectPay, has shared how fellow fintechs could incorporate ESG practices into their business and what impact it could have on fuelling further growth.

In the modern age of investing, this isn’t easy. New and experienced investors are being bombarded with more information and ideas than ever before. But in all this noise comes the increased risk of mistakes and misinformation – making the idea of getting quick money sound all the more tempting.

Two years on from its successful £15m award of funding from the Capability and Innovation Fund, The Co-operative Bank has delivered on its commitments to launch value added services such as a preferred Business Insurance provider and a mobile banking app for its SME customers. The Bank is also attracting a higher volume of new customers as the number of business accounts opened was 62% more in 2020 compared with 2019. To date, the bank has also doubled its target of acquiring customers through the Business Banking Switch scheme (achieved 12% against a target of 6%).

So, you want to know all about tax fraud? Well, that is one of the duties of every patriotic citizen. We have to educate ourselves on ways in which we can comply with the laws of the land. Else, we may end up paying for crimes we commit through ignorance.

For many of us, online banking and credit/debit cards are an essential part of our everyday lives as they allow us to pay for a multitude of necessities such as food and utility bills. Despite this, they are vulnerable to opportunistic criminals who may defraud an online bank account or use a payment card/cheque that is stolen/forged/cloned by them.

Whether you're new or a veteran in a real estate business, foreclosure investing is an incredible strategy to pay attention to. It’s understandable to have hesitations. People’s perception of foreclosure investing could easily affect your judgment. Well, you shouldn't have to be. Contrary to some beliefs, you can actually use it as your opportunity to start a business venture. You can potentially expand your investment portfolio if you can successfully invest in foreclosed properties. Doing so will also boost your chance to generate revenue.

In light of the 'new normal', parents and grandparents are looking for new ways to gift, virtually or otherwise. But in a climate of stock market volatility and low interest rates, are traditional financial investments still a solid choice, and could gold bullion be a safer bet?

With retail, hospitality and leisure businesses opening again, and demand for suppliers, manufacturing and construction greater than ever, it is important that companies have the facilities to expand, grow and invest in the future. With cash flow becoming one of the main concerns for SMEs in the last year, it’s important to get the balance right, and with mainstream lenders come long waiting times, increased scrutiny and endless criteria, more business are seeing their applications for loans, finance and leasing being rejected than ever before. This level of scepticism has a significant impact on businesses and their operations.

When remodeling your commercial property, one of the most important considerations is the return on investment (ROI). You want to make your property attractive to others so they'll stop in or use your business. Plus, your clients and other companies see your building often, so you want to portray the right picture to them.

A recent survey of central banks has revealed that 86% are actively doing research into central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), 60% are already in the experimenting phase and almost 15% doing pilot testing. With CBDCs heavily gaining traction across governments worldwide, Marius Galdikas, CEO at ConnectPay, has discussed how this technological solution could impact the payments market players.

Gone are the days when gold was limited only to jewellery or to décor. When you think about the history of gold, you’ll find that many families have passed it on from one generation to the next as an asset. And, you should, too, particularly if you’re in business. Investing in gold can contribute so much to counter risks, making it a good strategy for risk management.

Buying a home is one of the biggest investments we make in our lives. However, while the average house price in the UK is valued at £249,633, the cost of mortgages among other factors means that the total cost of the home-buying process can vary between individuals.

eToro, the world's leading social investment network, today launches BitcoinWorldWide, a thematic portfolio based on the companies in the value chain behind bitcoin. While it includes some exposure to bitcoin itself, the portfolio's core focus is the companies operating to support further adoption.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Budget announcement of a capital allowance ‘super-deduction’ could be a game-changer for many warehouse owners and operators. The super-deduction, which will apply for two years, allows firms to claim 130% of their expenditure on approved plant and machinery against their tax liability.

Finance teams have been one of the most heavily impacted internal teams over the past year as the COVID-19 pandemic turned the way we work on its head. During this time finance departments in all industries have experienced immense pressure, with their financial priorities rapidly changing; the need to tighten the purse strings and shifting operational challenges becoming the most common changes. While successful businesses have always placed a firm focus on ensuring their finances are in order, this has never been more of a focus than over the past year, while also being more of a challenge.

A year on from the start of the pandemic, business finances in the South West have been badly damaged, with many business owners increasingly reliant upon costly sources of borrowing such as overdrafts and credit cards, a Business West survey has revealed.

There’s no denying that the hospitality industry has been detrimentally hit by the events of the coronavirus pandemic. With the UK’s continuous lockdown measures forcing the part-time closure of hospitality and entertainment venues, the economy is faced with the largest recession since records began. Other than being subject to tightening restrictions limiting the regular functioning of hospitality venues, business have also had to invest more into safety equipment such as PPE for staff, cleaning products, and staff training programmes- causing business revenues to be dramatically impacted.

Despite Lockdown restrictions and post-Brexit trade disruption, February saw the UK economy grow by 0.4%, according to the ONS. Although not quite a boom, this minor growth in economic output is an important foundation for the months to come, and brings ever increasing optimism that the reopening of the economy through April will bring with it an even better performance. “We’re looking for a 4-5 per cent bounce in GDP in the second quarter,” said James Smith, economist at ING.

There is never a “perfect time” to begin investing. While diversifying your assets may be the last thing on your mind this year, the good thing is that all you have to do is start. Let’s explore some ideas that will inspire you to begin your investment journey, no matter how much money you have in the bank.

In the UK, property remains one of the most resilient asset classes. From first-time buyers to portfolio landlords, getting established on the property ladder remains a popular way for many to grow their wealth. Depending on an individual’s circumstances and ambitions, Arbuthnot Latham, Private and Commercial Bank, explains the various routes to securing finance for property investment in 2021 and beyond.

With the ever-increasing popularity of cryptocurrency and NFT (non-fungible-tokens), BluCollar.io is launching its first ICO to capitalize on an underserved market - the manufacturing industry. With little in the way of investable channels, this 2334.60 billion dollar industry (2018) in the U.S. alone, BluCollar is looking to translate those financial transactions and assets to the digital space utilizing the exploding world of NFT’s via its own marketplace.