Ethical investors looking to put money into emerging market economies should avoid China, Egypt and Vietnam, the Ethical Investment Research Service (Eiris) has claimed. Research by the group found these three countries to be the worst performers in terms of Environmental, Social, and Governance indicators. The three best-performing emerging market countries were South Korea, Brazil, [...]
More than 180 of the world’s biggest investors have called on world leaders to work together on fighting climate change. A collective statement from the investors, with collective assets of over $13 trillion, said all countries must commit to a low-carbon future. “From an investment perspective it is critical that developing countries, especially the highest [...]
Peru’s biggest banking group this week announced it has acquired a 77.1% stake in microfinance firm Financiera Edyficar. Banco de Credito said it has agreed to acquire the shareholding for $80 million. Chief executive Walter Bayly said the move is part of Banco de Credito’s plan to acquire 100% of Edyficar, which is currently controlled [...]
Lloyds TSB International this week launched its Bonus Saver Account aimed at British ex-pats and customers who make frequent cross-border transactions. The account offers no-penalty instant access, and is available in either euros or sterling. Savers can invest up to £1 million or €1 million. Sterling accounts with a balance of £5,000 or above benefit [...]
Governments worldwide must continue to take action on pensions or risk a decades-long global pensions crisis, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) warned this week. The OECD said new economic concerns created by the credit crunch must not deter governments from pursuing pensions reforms. Dealing with short-term challenges by postponing reforms would prove [...]
Insurance firms remain upbeat about the year ahead despite taking a battering from the credit crunch. Over half (55%) of the world’s leading insurers expect organic growth to improve over the next 12 months, whilst a similar number (53%) expect to grow through acquisitions. International expansion is the favoured option for many companies, with the [...]
A new guide published this week advises credit card holders on using their card overseas. According to UK Cards Association APACS, over 3% of credit card payments by Brits are made overseas. The APACS guide provides advice for holidaymakers and business travellers on the best places to withdraw cash abroad and on keeping card details [...]
International travellers are best to opt for the Post Office Platinum credit card, according to research by moneysupermarket.com. Debit card holders, meanwhile, are advised to choose the Nationwide FlexAccount. The price comparison website said the Post Office’s card offers free purchase protection, no overseas charges, and zero percent on purchases for three months. “This is [...]
M&S Money launches 3% cash ISA
M&S Money has launched an Advantage Cash ISA paying 3 per cent, and which allows transfers in from other ISAs. It can be opened with a minimum deposit of £100 lump sum followed by minimum monthly deposits of £25. The 3% rate is variable, but there is no short-term bonus so the return won’t plummet [...]
Google suspends UK Compare Mortgages site
Google has closed its UK mortgage comparison site which it launched in July last year, after it proved to be less popular than expected. Mortgage comparison sites are designed to allow visitors to compare mortgages quickly and easily without having to visit each lender’s individual site. Google was competing with several well-established comparison sites, including [...]
AA launches ‘black-box’ policy for young drivers
The AA is launching an innovative car insurance policy called Drivesafe which could help younger drivers save up to £850 a year. Younger drivers already pay substantially higher premiums than other motorists and these costs are increasing. A new study by Confused.com suggests insurance costs for younger driver have gone up by 5.7 per cent [...]
ATOL scheme updated to protect online bookers
ATOL, a financial protection scheme managed by the Civil Aviation Authority, is being extended to protect up to six million more holidays a year. The scheme ensures that holiday makers do not lose out financially if a travel company collapses, and that they are not stranded abroad. An increase in the number of holidays booked [...]
Home repossessions lowest for four years
The number of UK homes repossessed fell to 36,200 in 2011, significantly below the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ forecast of 40,000, and lower than 2010 when 37,100 homes were repossessed. With interest rates remaining low and lenders adopting a sympathetic attitude to customers in financial difficulty, repossessions fell to their lowest level since 2007. However, [...]
Monthly pay lasting just 17 days
Workers are running out of money just 17 days after receiving their monthly pay, according to new research by the Halifax bank. This means that the average UK worker spends half the month worrying about money. The study, based on the responses of more than 2,000 adults, found that 10 per cent of workers start [...]
Women disadvantaged by auto-enrolment changes
Government proposals to increase the auto-enrolment threshold to £10,000 could put 1.8 million women at risk of missing out on a pension, the TUC has warned. Under the auto-enrolment scheme, which will be phased in from October, private sector employers will automatically enrol workers between the age of 22 years and the state pension age, [...]
Emergency household repairs company Homeserve is taking longer than expected to get back on track after its operations were suspended last October. The company expected customer numbers to fall by 5% this year but it has increased this estimate to 8% and announced the loss of 200 jobs. It estimates that renewal revenue in 2013 [...]
Sale rumoured for Yorkshire and Clydesdale banks
There is growing speculation that National Australia Bank (NAB) may sell Yorkshire Bank and Clydesdale Bank after the Australian parent company announced a strategic review of the two banks’ operations. The Australian economy is performing well and NAB reported strong profits for the final quarter of 2011 but with the UK economy at a virtual [...]
More women experiencing debt difficulties
Women in Debt, which offers female-focused debt advice, has warned that the number of UK women facing serious debt has grown significantly over recent years. The organisation believes that more women will need advice on solving debt problems in the future because they are building up an unsustainable level of indebtedness. Women in Debt’s director, [...]
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