Alternative Investment news articles 
IFAs recommend investing in UK Shares to clients
More than four out of five IFAs will recommend investing in UK Shares to clients over the next three months as confidence in the long-term prospects of the UK economy grows despite recent volatility, Virgin Money’s Investor Intentions Index shows. The numbers of advisers recommending UK Shares has grown to 83% in the past three months from 74%, putting the UK market clearly ahead of Emerging Markets and the Far East as the best homes for clients’ cash. But advisers are more optimistic about the prospects of long-term returns from Emerging Markets and the Far East with the UK languishing ... [more]
Credit crunch leads to a decline in saving for retirement
According to the sixth annual Scottish Widows UK Pensions Report, the long term effects of the downturn on pensions savings has been realised. While saving for retirement has slowly been on the rise in recent years, the latest Report reveals that pensions savings have seen a dramatic drop since last year and are in fact at the lowest level since 2006. Those saving adequately have decreased by 6% since last year down to 48% and a fifth (21%) of people who could and should are saving nothing at all. The Scottish Widows UK Pensions Report first launched in 2005 and uses two key measures to mon... [more]
Sainsbury's Finance increases interest rate on its Easy Saver account
Sainsbury’s Finance has increased the interest rate on its Easy Saver account by 0.2% to 2.7% Gross AER for accounts opened from Friday 25th June. This rate applies to sole and joint accounts opened online or by telephone, providing customers maintain a balance between £1 and £100,000. The Sainsbury’s Easy Saver offers a rate of 2.70% (which includes a 12 month reward rate, reverting to base* after 12 months) providing the saver does not make more than five withdrawals in this period. If the number of withdrawals exceeds five during the 12-month period or the balance exceeds £100,000, the i... [more]
Significant differences between the best and worst annuity rates
According to the latest results from the MGM Advantage Annuity Index, the difference between the income paid on top and bottom quartile enhanced annuities is continuing to grow. It shows that over an average retirement, men could now be £10,129 worse off and women £11,351 worse off if they chose a bottom quartile enhanced annuity for their £50,000 pension pot. The Index also shows that annuity rates have fallen by nearly 3% since June 2009. This continual decline in rates was apparent during each subsequent financial quarter and highlights the importance of shopping around for the best poss... [more]
New Cybercrime victim every 7 seconds in the UK
According to a study from life assistance company CPP, more than 420,000 scam emails are sent every hour in the UK. The study estimates that Brits were targeted by 3.7 billion ‘phishing’ emails in the last 12 months alone. And a quarter of us admit to falling victim to e-fraudsters, with the average victim losing over £285 each. Fake banking emails are the most common method used by criminals, with 55 per cent of those targeted receiving seemingly legitimate e-correspondence from high street banks. Over half received false lottery or competition prize draws, while a further one in two was t... [more]
