The oscillations of the world’s equity markets are a good indicator of instability and uncertainty in the underlying economies. While we appreciate that this is hardly news, that instability may have an effect on the ability of small- and medium-sized companies to service funding debt of the kind facilitated on platforms like Money&Co.’s. For the […]
The news just gets worse for investors with cash on deposit. We thought things were bad a couple of years ago when base rates were over 1 per cent. We then surveyed 233 Cash ISA accounts, and the results of our labours were reported by P2P Finance News. SAVERS relying on cash ISAs are facing […]
You hear it often nowadays: these are extraordinary times. Perhaps one of the most surprising aspects of the vast, unfolding financial crisis is the lift given to shares in Funding Circle. After an IPO that many saw as unusual, not least for the ability of some close to the company to cash in early. Add […]
We’ve said it many times before (just search against ‘Money&Co. great savings robbery’) – yield-hungry savers have a rough deal. Here’s a piece on dismal Cash ISA returns when in the relatively halcyon days when base rates were more than one per cent… Sadly, this week things got even worse. Our friends at This Is […]
The European Central Bank (ECB) Governing Council has announced a 750 euro billion bailout package to mitigate the economic impact of the Coronavirus or COVID-19 on mainstream finance. But in the current environment, will it be enough? The ECB has decided to: To launch a new temporary asset purchase programme of private and public sector securities to […]
A recent article in the redoubtable FT Adviser looks at the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) rules on “speculative illiquid assets”. We welcome the advent of the rules, as we do the media analysis of them. But it’s very, very important to distinguish between these investments (known in many cases as “mini-bonds”) and platform lending. Last […]
As yet, the long-term effects on the global economy are difficult to predict. The knock-ons, though, are easier to see. There have already been a series of brutal short-term hits to the travel (notably airlines) and leisure industries. The number of pubs in the UK was already on the wane; smaller, weaker airlines such as […]
While the world coughs and worries, FinTech and digital banking move on. As regular readers know, Money&Co. is headed in this direction… We’ll leave out friends at CityA.M. to report the latest. Digital bank Monzo has today launched its business bank accounts to the wider public, introducing a free-to-use Lite account and a paid-for Pro […]
Global equity markets have had a very good run, but we are clearly entering difficult times for mainstream investment channels. Regular readers will know that we have strong reservations about the way mainstream finance has rushed to invest – or should that be “throw money”? – at the alternative-finance sector. Source: Siblis Research The major […]
Our friends at AltFi offer more detail, in so far as currently available, on the governmental FinTech review, as announced in the Budget. We welcome the government’s move – if it promotes a light touch and a principles-based approach to regulation. The review will be headed by Ron Kalifa OBE who is a non-executive director […]