Insights

Market Update
Fed Interest Rate Rise And The New Normal

The US Federal Reserve interest rate was one of the financial world’s worst kept secrets. The Fed chair Janet Yellen had dropped hints for weeks that the rise was on the way in order not to spook the markets. Then, on cue, she announced hoisting the rate by 0.25% to0.5% – the first increase in…

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Market Update
US Federal Open Market Committee interest rate announcement

  Yesterday evening, the Federal Reserve (the ‘Fed’) announced a rise in US interest rates for the first time in 9 years. While this was widely expected, having been continually signposted by the Federal Open Market Committee’s (‘FOMC’) members for some time, it finally removes any lingering uncertainty as to when the process of monetary…

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Financial Planning
How Much Money Do You Waste Every Month?

  Do you know how much you spend each month – and more importantly what you spend the money on? Probably not. But maybe it’s time you took more notice of how you spend your cash by tracking expenses and making sure that you get value from money from every penny you do spend. The…

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Market Update
Weekly Market Update

Notable events over the last week US retail sales ticked up 0.2% in November on the back of a 0.1% rise the previous month, just shy of the 0.3% gain predicted. Performance was largely dampened by weak auto sales (down 0.4% in November after a 0.3% drop in October) and cheap oil. US core retail…

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Market Update
Weekly Market Update

Notable events over the last week The ECB dominated headlines last week underwhelming markets with its latest stimulus package, causing government bond prices to fall and the euro to jump in value. The Central Bank lowered its deposit rate by 10bps to -0.3% and pledged to extend its quantitative easing programme by at least six…

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Financial Planning
Gulf Expats Will Have To Pay For Perks

  Expats in some Gulf States are to lose some expensive perks as governments look to cut costs as the price of oil stagnates. Lawmakers in Bahrain are in discussions about scrapping electricity and water subsidies and stopping at least some free education for expat children. Meanwhile, in Kuwait, all visa fees are set to…

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