M&S shares surge on talk of move to take high street icon private
SHARES in Marks & Spencer rose sharply yesterday afternoon after reports emerged that private equity group CVC Capital Partners had explored taking the retailer private.Bloomberg cited sources as...
View ArticleTen money saving tips: Power up to cut your energy bills
The average household energy bill has shot up by an eye-watering 140 per cent since 2004. And with SSE having announced a price hike ahead of this winter and other suppliers likely to follow suit,...
View ArticleHaving children delayed by lack of affordable housing
A LACK of affordable housing is making people put off having children, according to new research from housing charity Shelter.One in four 18-30-year-olds say the difficulty in finding a secure and...
View ArticleAberdeen sole bright spot on Scotland’s hotel scene
Scottish hotels are struggling to build up enough financial reserves for the winter as a pick-up in June revenues failed to make up for a poor early season.Revenues north of the Border were broadly...
View ArticleDavid Alexander: Let common sense rule, with insurance on the side
A SCOTSWOMAN, Gillian Drysdale, has sued her landlord for a six-figure sum after breaking her back by falling down a flight of external stairs while moving into a newly-rented home in Essex.As the...
View ArticleClaire Smith: SSE’s energy price hike raises fears of others to follow
First energy price rise of autumn is worrying consumer group and bill payers as more Scots topple into fuel poverty, says Claire SmithAS THE first cool breezes of the autumn begin to sweep through the...
View ArticleFarming: Research could lead Scots to top league
A NEW research programme at the Scottish Agricultural College’s (SAC) hill farm in west Perthshire has the potential to propel sheep farmers in Scotland into “League Division One” of hill farming, NFU...
View ArticleParalympics buzz will not drown out chorus of disapproval of Atos
The government did its best to exploit the feel-good buzz of the Olympics, but the Paralympics may now supply a few uncomfortable moments for Cameron & Co. Let’s hope so too, given the continued...
View ArticleCautious welcome for HSBC’s seven-year mortgage package
One of the UK’s biggest lenders today unveils a landmark seven-year mortgage for first-time buyers that is the cheapest ever deal of that length.HSBC’s bid to entice buyers onto long-term home loans...
View ArticleCash clinic: Make the most of a small pension pot with careful planning
Even tiny things, whether pets or pensions, can prove beneficial if they are handled with care.Q MY WIFE, who is 66, recently retired from a part-time job where she built up a pension fund of nearly...
View ArticleWine investment could end up giving you a hangover
Pension savers have been told to leave assets such as art and wine to the experts after the City watchdog launched a crackdown on high-risk investments.The Financial Services Authority (FSA) said the...
View ArticleTenants helped by clarification of law on fees may instead be hit by rent hikes
Private tenants could face fresh rent rises after the Scottish Government moved to crack down on letting agents charging illegal upfront fees.Experts have predicted rent increases of up to £25 a month,...
View ArticleFestival of food showcasing all that’s best from Scotland
BUYING food and drink grown and produced in Scotland is more important to consumers than ever – but there is still work to be done – says the Scottish Government.Speaking at the launch of Scottish Food...
View ArticlePlanning can take the hassle out of buying a new car
THERE are signs of life in the motor industry, with manufacturers and retailers expecting today’s launch of the new ’62 licence plate to give the industry a boost.According to the Society of Motor...
View ArticlePlastic can be a better friend than payday loans to those trying to build a...
Last week we saw the launch of a new credit card advertising an APR in excess of 35 per cent. Cue a rant about the extortionate interest rates, you may assume. But instead I would prefer to focus on...
View ArticleCatherine Feechan: EU aims to take an axe to frustrating charges
What drives you crazy as a shopper? How about hidden charges, excessive fees for using credit or debit cards or pre-ticked boxes on websites for products you don’t want? If any of these drive you mad,...
View ArticleLooking back can help inform what direction to take in the future
Raking over the past isn’t always easy, or even advisable, but for investors it can be invaluable.Reviewing previous decisions provides an opportunity to measure their success with the benefit of...
View ArticleAll eyes on new Bank of England rate-setter McCafferty
THE Bank of England is widely expected to stick to its current programme of government bond purchases this week and the main interest will be in any behind-the-scenes change in the debate following...
View ArticleJeff Salway: No truce in battle of tenants and landlords
HOPES that Scotland’s new deposit scheme would usher in an era of harmony between tenants, landlords and letting agents would appear to have been premature.The scheme is designed to reduce aggravation...
View ArticleGreen light for Eland’s flotation on Aim
ELAND Oil & Gas will tomorrow become Scotland’s first flotation this year on the Alternative Investment Market (Aim) after completing a deal on Friday night that ensures it goes ahead.The timing of...
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