Ask anyone in Louisiana who makes the best gumbo and the answer will be “my momma”. “Gumbo” derives from the West African word for the okra that was brought to Louisiana by the early enslaved people and used to thicken the soup. Its culinary origins reflect French, Spanish, Acadian (early French settlers from Canada), Native … Read more
Mortgage lending rules could be relaxed to help more first-time buyers onto the property ladder and boost the economy. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been seeking ideas from financial regulators on how to boost the economy amid concerns about the UK’s prospects due to higher taxes announced in the Autumn Budget. It comes as UK GDP … Read more
In the face of criticism for travelling to China amid domestic “financial market turmoil”, chancellor Rachel Reeves insisted at a press conference in Beijing on 11 January that she would stick to the fiscal rules set out in the Budget in October, says Politico. Reeves wants to revive economic ties with China after “years of … Read more
Over the past month, a steady stream of reports on the investment outlook for 2025 has arrived in my inbox. Compiled by the top analysts at the likes of JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, UBS, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, Barclays, SocGen and BNP Paribas, the reports, which can run up to 100 pages, try to distil the … Read more
The housing market finished last year on a “firm footing”, with a rise in house sales and new buyer enquiries, according to the latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) survey. House prices increased in every region of the UK last month, with Northern Ireland and Scotland reporting the strongest price growth. The RICS survey, … Read more
At the end of 2023, the S&P 500 index was trading at 19.8 times forecast 2024 earnings, having risen 24% in the year. The MegaCap Eight, according to Ed Yardeni of Yardeni Research, was trading at 28 times 2024 earnings and the rest of the market at 17.3. Although the consensus expectation of a recession … Read more
Every once in a while, you stumble upon a humble hotel which you could live in forever. Often, like our King, it’s quietly grand, with holes in its socks. There are no waiters brandishing white napkins, standing, in their maddening way, between you and the food. And no porters with eager paws. The White Swan … Read more
Starling Bank’s 4% easy access savings account launched in December and is a good option for its customers looking for the best savings deals. The account pays interest each month, and has a competitive return on cash. The digital bank is also noted for being one of the best for online banking. The launch of … Read more
UK house prices rose 3.3% in the 12 months to November, according to the Land Registry index. The average house price was £290,000 in November, which is £10,000 higher than a year ago. While property prices grew last year, they dipped by 0.4% between October and November 2024. Darrell Walker, director of sales and distribution … Read more
Kepler Trust Intelligence, a digital publication covering investment companies from Kepler Partners, has published its list of the top investment trusts for 2025. As investors consider the top stocks and funds to add to their portfolio for the new year, Kepler’s research – based on a proprietary, quantitative rating system – can help investors select … Read more