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Penny Pinching Sectors, Where's The Money Tree?

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For most employees in the UK, the cost of living is at the forefront of their minds. Inflation is rising at staggering rates, but salaries are struggling to keep pace. We read in the news, almost every week, about employees and unions considering strike action due to their salaries not being in line with inflation. There have been numerous sectors’ employees feeling the pinch with industrial action on the horizon due to pay disputes: train drivers, bus drivers, journalists, postal workers, and even barristers within the justice system, just to name a few, all taking to the picket lines concerning pay disputes. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), employees' adjusted salaries (real wages) dropped at a rate not seen in the previous 20 years of statistics. During Q2, a 3% fall in wages was recorded, accompanied by a reduction in job vacancies, although statistics produced by the ONS show there is currently almost one vacancy for every person who is registered as unem...
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Bricks and Mortar Investments

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The attraction of putting your hard-earned cash into the property market seems like a lucrative investment, rather than having your finances remain in a savings account. When we consider the time value of money, if your funds remain in a low-interest savings account or likewise, they will be worth less over time than they are today. If the math makes sense, the property market can be a potentially encouraging investment. There are several ways returns on your capital invested can be gained through property: the buy-to-rent market; build-to-sell, build-to-rent and property flipping. According to the Office for National Statistics, the average house price was £20,000 higher at the end of Q2 2022 than it was a year earlier, a 7.8% increase; however, this is lower than the 12.8% projected in May 2022, a 5% decrease. Many factors must be considered when investing in real estate, such as when purchasing a buy-to-let property. Outlays include solicitor costs, landlord registration fees, mortg...
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Supermajors, are they creating value?

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Comparing fuel prices as we commute to work, take the kids to school, visit friends and family, or even on our way to do the shopping at our supermarket of choice is becoming the norm for many of us living in the United Kingdom (UK). The price of filling up the average family car has soared to record highs since the conflict began in Ukraine. Experian Catalist data suggested that fuel prices would rise to a record high of c£100 to fill up the average-sized family car, leaving many people unable to afford the running costs of owning a vehicle. Are the supermajors profiting from the conflict in Ukraine, or is it simply a consideration in an economy that is suffering at the hands of inflation? Consumers are feeling the financial implications of inflation and the cost-of-living crisis. Unsurprisingly, price comparisons for commodities have become part of our daily lives. Recently, the AA and RAC both concluded that the retailers and oil giants could be doing more to pass their profits onto...
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