By: Will Railton

I'm deputy money editor at City A.M. I focus on personal finance and investing. I'm particularly interested in macroeconomics, pensions and politics. Contact me at william.railton@cityam.com.

All 250 Articles

As inflation rises, central banks have their eyes on economic growth, not prices: Here’s what’s causing the bond sell-off

November 1, 2016

Inflation is back, it would seem. After years of deflation and disinflation, recent data shows that price levels have been rising in the US, the UK and in the Eurozone. After a peak in bond prices in July, holders of debt are now concerned that the yield on long-dated securities could be eroded over the coming [...]
What the new government should do to pensions: Scrap the £1m lifetime allowance and nudge young people to save more

October 27, 2016

Philip Hammond has a lot on his plate. As the Autumn Statement approaches, shielding the UK economy from Brexit’s slings and arrows will be higher up his agenda than fiddling with a pensions system which was tinkered with year after year under the last government. Some of the changes (many at the exit end of [...]
Time to remortgage? The rates on two-year fixed deals are very low, but watch out for additional fees

October 27, 2016

Brexit has been kind to mortgage holders. As the Bank of England’s interest rate has come down, banks have been able to borrow more cheaply, allowing competition to increase and mortgage rates to fall. Borrowers have been quick to take advantage of the deals on offer; in August, the number of people remortgaging hit a [...]
The economics of iceberg homes: Are mega-basements just a sunk cost?

October 26, 2016

Even if you’re rich, London’s above-ground space limitations and conservation rules can put the kibosh on building your dream home. If you have a vision of putting a swimming pool, cinema or bowling alley in your Georgian terrace, you’ll probably have to think vertically to realise it. Over the last decade, iceberg basements have become [...]
Thirty years since Big Bang: The deregulation of the London Stock Exchange democratised investing

October 26, 2016

Thirty years have passed since the City of London was radically recast by a package of Thatcherite reforms, known as Big Bang. These saw the privatisation of the London Stock Exchange (LSE), allowed outside companies – not just individuals – to become members, and ushered in the automatic quotation of share prices. The product of [...]
What the rise of populism means for your investments

October 25, 2016

"Fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists” was how David Cameron described members of Ukip in 2006. A decade later, Ukip has achieved its principal ambition of a Brexit vote and Cameron is no longer a politician. The growth in support for populist political movements across Europe and other developed economies has been rapid. Founded just six [...]
The devil you know, the devil you don’t: How to protect your investments whoever wins the US election

October 25, 2016

As polling day draws near, it is regrettable that the contest to become the 45th President of the United States has been more about personality than policy. The campaign has been distinguished on one side by preposterous promises to suspend the entry of Muslims into the country and build a hard border with Mexico, and [...]
Saudi Arabia’s bonds have broken the record for an emerging market issue, but are they good value?

October 25, 2016

With three huge sovereign bond debuts, this has been a bumper year for emerging market government debt issues. First came Argentina, with a record-breaking $16.5bn (£13.5bn) sale in April, followed the next month by a $9bn issue from Qatar – double the amount it had originally planned for. Both were overawed last week, however, when [...]
How to build a creative company: Lucky Generals’ Helen Calcraft talks MBAs and 50 Cent

October 24, 2016

"It's a quote by Napoleon. He was asked what it takes to win a war and he replied: ‘Bring me your lucky generals’,” says Helen Calcraft. “We liked the idea of being those generals that clients can send into battle and come back with a win.” Her agency, Lucky Generals, has been winning a fair [...]
We need to talk about free trade

October 21, 2016

It is not enough to be outraged by Donald Trump. On 8 November, millions of Americans will overlook his sexism, racism and questionable commitment to democracy to endorse his protectionist agenda. Across the world's developed economies, free trade has become a whipping boy – a convenient explanation for why wages have stagnated and why low-skilled jobs have [...]

HSBC: City market’s top firm turns to Asia and Middle East

Premiership run-in: Saints and Bath will impact top four

Here We Are, National Theatre, review: Stephen Sondheim musical is more Severance than sing-a-long

By: Will Railton

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