Scots not so into celebrity scents
WHEN buying perfume Scots prefer to buy a scent associated with a particular fashion designer – rather than a celebrity – according to new sales figures from Superdrug,Donna Karan’s DKNY Be Delicious...
View ArticleGreat credit … but only for the squeaky clean
PERSONAL finance experts have welcomed a new 36-month balance transfer card from Barclaycard – saying it could help people pay off their debts.The new Platinum card charges 4.9 per cent interest on...
View ArticleSpare-room lodgers on the rise
The number of Scots taking in lodgers to boost their income has soared to a record high over the past year, new figures show.The biggest increase has been in Falkirk, where there has been a 28 per cent...
View ArticleTaxman may prove to be short of festive party spirit
Employees could face a surprise tax bill if their company spends too much on its Christmas party, accountants have warned.Companies going over the £150-a-head tax allowance the government gives them...
View ArticleProtecting your home from the watery hell
THE flood resilience steps you can take to minimise your chances of having to make a home insurance claim include the following:• Install non return valves on your sewerage system – often a...
View ArticleHome insurers are using their small print to stem the flood of winter claims
New evidence has emerged of insurers rejecting valid home insurance claims as Scotland faces a fresh blast of chilly weather that could cause more damage to properties.Scottish homeowners are being...
View ArticleSome firms are ready to eschew the motivation for self-gain
IT’S the end of a busy lunchtime in a sandwich shop on Rose Street in Edinburgh and the staff are clearing the tables, serving the last few customers and prepping vegetables.So far, so ordinary – but...
View ArticleRule change was a bonus for drawdown investors
Drawdown investors were among the few winners in the Autumn Statement earlier this month when the government performed a u-turn on a rule restricting the amount of income they could take.The maximum...
View ArticleFlood insurance – negotiations back on
The government and the insurance industry have renewed efforts to make sure thousands of homeowners are not left with huge repair bills when an existing cover agreement ends next summer. It was...
View ArticleJeff Salway: Using pension drawdown has a significant down side
THE growing army of pensioners keeping their cash invested when they retire instead of buying an annuity are endangering their life savings if they fail to plan carefully, experts have warned.The...
View ArticleTen money saving tips: There are many ways to save money when selling property
IN THIS day and age there are deals to be found on virtually everything. But does that also apply to selling the most valuable asset you own, even in the current subdued housing market? Robert Carroll,...
View ArticleJames Burns: Osborne’s robbery of the Bank of England has killed off its...
The Investment Club is in mourning at the passing of the gilts era, which has spanned four decades and helped the club maintain a steady rise in its unit price from £1 in January 1995 to £3.25 at the...
View ArticleBarrhead Travel cruises to first takeover deal
HOLIDAY provider Barrhead Travel has unveiled the first acquisition in the company’s 37-year history in a multi-million pound deal propelling the firm’s sales through the £200 million mark.The travel...
View ArticleBritish firms build links with Russia as more than 200 organisations join...
A STRING of blue-chip City firms have signed up to a groundbreaking project to sell financial expertise to Moscow.Investment banks Barclays Capital and JP Morgan, Lloyd’s of London and elite law firm...
View ArticleMarket Watch: Anxious focus on banks’ recovery despite moves to safeguard euro
BANKS will remain in sharp focus this week despite the reduced hours of trading over the Christmas period. The banking sector has been one of the big winners on the stock exchange, up more than 30 per...
View ArticleBioQuarter reveals bid to raise £50m
A LIFE sciences body has unveiled plans to plug the venture capital gap in Scotland by attracting £50 million of funds to the industry.Mike Capaldi, commercialisation director at the BioQuarter – the...
View ArticleResurgent car industry drives hopes of recovery after mixed year for business
Whisky makers and energy companies also see growth but fears of triple dip recession remain, writes Dominic JeffAUSTERITY Britain seemed to have been overlooked as Japanese car maker Nissan last week...
View ArticleBill Jamieson: UK can’t bank on China for an uplift
THROUGHOUT 2012, the coalition government frequently cited the turmoil in the Eurozone and, to a lesser extent, the growth slowdown in China as contributors to the UK’s relapse into a double dip...
View ArticleDirector dealings: Dods says latest buys will raise earnings
PUBLIC affairs group Dods, which operates brands including PoliticsHome, last week bought Edinburgh-based Holyrood Communications.The acquisition valued the Scottish publishing and events group at up...
View ArticleAussies swap Queensland for Laggan
A COUPLE from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast have swapped the warmth of Australia for the snow-capped peaks of the Highlands after unveiling plans to renovate a historic hotel.Neil and Annie Whittle...
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