Financial news

• Where Asos profits will come from is anyone's guess

  18-07-2019 20:47
  Online fashion retailer believes large-scale profits will arrive eventually but there are two big problemsOnline-only clothing retailer Asos has invested about £700m of capital in the past five years on the theory that a pot of gold awaits the company that can become “the world’s leading fashion destination for twentysomethings.” As the investment splurge reaches its intended peak, where do profits stand? Lower than the level in 2014, which is extraordinary.Thursday&rsquo
  
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• Waitrose to axe seven more stores putting 700 jobs at risk

  18-07-2019 20:31
  Supermarket to sell off or close unprofitable sites in England as cost-cutting continuesWaitrose is closing seven supermarkets as it undergoes its second round of store reductions this year, in a move that puts nearly 700 jobs at risk.Three supermarkets, in Bromley in London, Oadby in Leicestershire and Wollaton in Nottinghamshire, have been sold to Lidl in the latest sign of the changing grocery market being radically shaken up by fast-growing cut-price chains. Continue reading...
  
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• UK energy-saving efforts collapse after government subsidy cuts

  18-07-2019 19:16
  Only 10,000 upgrades such as loft insulation happen each month compared with 65,000 in 2014, report showsEfforts to end fuel poverty and energy waste by making the UK’s draughty homes more efficient have collapsed by almost 85%, according to new government data.The report, published on Thursday, shows that the number of energy efficiency upgrades undertaken each month has fallen to 10,000 on average for the six months to the end of May. This compares with an average of 65,000 a month in 20
  
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• Coastal towns hit hardest by soaring level of insolvencies

  18-07-2019 18:06
  England and Wales data puts female rate at 26.6 per 10,000 adults against 23.3 for menThe number of people becoming financially insolvent in England and Wales has risen for a third year in a row, with women, and people living in coastal towns most likely to be affected.In its annual report, the Insolvency Service highlighted a growing gender gap as it said the overall insolvency rate in 2018 hit 25 per 10,000 adults – an increase of 3.6 per 10,000 on the previous year. Continue reading...
  
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• Competition watchdog warns Viagogo court action will continue

  18-07-2019 16:24
  CMA challenges ticket seller’s claim it was exonerated by legal ruling, alleging it still breaches much of court orderThe competition regulator has warned Viagogo that contempt of court proceedings against it will continue, despite a legal ruling that the controversial ticket resale company has hailed as a victory.Viagogo said it was “delighted” after a judge ruled it had complied with a court order obtained by the Competition and Markets Authority last year, ordering it to dis
  
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• Cheap mortgage rates: Can mortgages go up? Key factor which borrowers should be aware of

  18-07-2019 13:48 via feedproxy.google.com
  CHEAP mortgage rates are often highly sought after. Sometimes, the interest rate that is offered will last a set period of time - known as a fixed-rate mortgage. Can mortgages go up?
  
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• Pet insurance UK - is it really necessary? How a chance decision saved one person HUNDREDS

  18-07-2019 13:01 via feedproxy.google.com
  PET INSURANCE policies may be taken out by a pet owner in order to cover themselves financially in case the unexpected and unwanted happens to their pet. Is pet insurance really necessary?
  
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• Pound US Dollar exchange rate: GBP/USD rises as retail sales surge

  18-07-2019 12:10 via feedproxy.google.com
  The pound rose against the US dollar today, taking GBP/USD to $1.248. On Thursday, UK retail sales data revealed that sales unexpectedly rose by more than forecast in June.
  
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• Pound euro exchange rate: GBP/EUR improves as UK retail sales beat forecasts

  18-07-2019 11:50 via feedproxy.google.com
  The pound euro exchange rated edged up 0.25 percent this morning, leaving the pairing trading around €1.110 as UK retail sales figures for June beat forecasts. The pairing showed some improvement this morning following yesterday’s release of the Eurozone’s inflation figures for June, which fell below the European Central Bank’s target of 2 percent.
  
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• How is Universal Credit paid? Amber Rudd unveils SHAKE-UP to help domestic abuse victims

  18-07-2019 11:45 via feedproxy.google.com
  UNIVERSAL CREDIT changes will be made in how payments are made, Amber Rudd, Work and Pensions Secretary, announced today.
  
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• State pension age: What is current state pension age? How to check if changes affect YOU

  18-07-2019 10:01 via feedproxy.google.com
  STATE PENSION age is rising, with the age set to reach 66 in October 2020, according to a government timetable. What is the current state pension age?
  
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• Mortgage free: Homeowner reveals tips which led them to pay off mortgage in 12 YEARS

  18-07-2019 09:07 via feedproxy.google.com
  MORTGAGE payments can take up a large chunk of a person’s outgoings for quite some time, considering the average mortgage lasts for 25 years. How did one homeowner pay off their mortgage twice, in order to become mortgage free?
  
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• Amber Rudd SHREDS WASPI women’s state pension changes hopes with BRUTAL comments

  18-07-2019 09:07 via feedproxy.google.com
  AMBER RUDD, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, has shredded hopes for millions of women who have been hit by state pension age rises - despite Boris Johnson suggesting they would get help.
  
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• Amber Rudd SHREDS WASPI women’s state pension age hopes with BRUTAL comments

  18-07-2019 09:07 via feedproxy.google.com
  AMBER RUDD, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, has shredded hopes for millions of women who have been hit by state pension age rises - despite Boris Johnson suggesting they would get help.
  
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• Regulator orders water bills in England and Wales to be cut by £50

  18-07-2019 09:02
  Ofwat also wants companies to invest an additional £12bn to improve servicesHousehold water bills in England and Wales are to be cut by an average of £50 over the next five years, under proposals set out by the water regulator.Ofwat has also ordered water companies, which have had a series of serious pollution incidents, to step up their spending by investing an extra £12bn to keep pipes, pumps and plants in better working order. This includes £4.6bn to prevent sewage spi
  
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• Inheritance tax on gifts: What is taper relief? How much can you give family each year?

  18-07-2019 09:01 via feedproxy.google.com
  INHERITANCE TAX may be payable after a person’s death. The tax may also be required to be paid on gifts which are given during one’s lifetime, after their death. What is taper relief? How much can a person gift tax-free each year?
  
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• Will Universal Credit affect Housing Benefit? How roll out affects help with housing costs

  18-07-2019 08:01 via feedproxy.google.com
  UNIVERSAL CREDIT is replacing a number of welfare benefits, known as legacy benefits. Will Universal Credit affect Housing Benefit? The roll out may have an impact current claimants.
  
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• NatWest’s new cheque scanning system has let me down

  18-07-2019 08:00
  Reader who runs small business is out of pocket because of NatWest’s software updateI run a small manufacturing business in Devon. We bank with NatWest and have some clients who still pay their accounts by cheque.NatWest has implemented a new cheque scanning system which will supposedly improve its processes. Continue reading...
  
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• Parents use savings and second jobs to support children at university

  18-07-2019 01:01
  Survey finds more than four in five parents plan to contribute to living expensesParents say they are contributing £360 each month to support their children at university, with some forced to dip into their savings or take on second jobs to help with rent and food costs, according to a new report by Which? Related: How much should parents pay for university?Continue reading...
  
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