There were mixed results from the world’s main share markets in 2014, with the US coming up trumps. Index 2014 Change FTSE 100 – 2.7% FTSE All-Share –  2.1% Dow Jones Industrial +  7.5% Standard & Poor’s 500 +11.3% Nikkei … Continue reading →

The Taxation of Pensions Bill received Royal Assent just before Parliament upped sticks for the festive season. The second stage of Mr Osborne’s radical revision of money purchase pensions became law on 17 December, the day before Parliament ended business … Continue reading →

The bank of England’s latest Quarterly Inflation Report (QIR) suggests an interest rate rise will not now occur until well after the General Election. The Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, has been described as “an unreliable boyfriend” … Continue reading →

The Chancellor is paying off some very old government debt It was a good headline for the Treasury’s press release: “Chancellor Osborne to repay part of our First World War debt.” The reality, however, was slightly different. What the Treasury … Continue reading →

The government has amended the Taxation of Pensions Bill, paving the way for inheritable pensions.   At the end of September the Chancellor surprised many people by announcing at the Conservative Party conference new rules for treatment of money purchase … Continue reading →