Investment

Several schools and hospitals have been built through PFI initiatives

PFI offers poor value for money, MPs warn

The Commons Treasury Committee has said the Private Finance Initiative does not offer the taxpayer good value.

Inheritance is increasingly being expected early

Many Brits have already received their inheritance

One in five Brits has already had their inheritance as family's help their kids pay for weddings and get on the property ladder.

More than a third of Brits have no pension

Pension provision is severely lacking in the UK – especially among the young.

Britain's trade gap grew to £4.5 billion in June, official figures have shown

UK trade gap 'widened in June'

New figures from the Office for National Statistics showed Britain's trade gap expanded to £4.5 billion in June.

Spanish prime minister Jose Luis Zapatero recently cut short his holiday to deal with the economic situation

Spanish borrowing costs increase in bond sale

The Spanish government has successfully sold £2.9 billion worth of bonds, but has seen its interest charges rise in the process.

Barclays chief says firm has performed well

Barclays blames lacklustre economy for profits slump

Barclays chief Bob Diamond has blamed the poor performance of the UK economy for his bank's slump in profits.

Santander introduces new fixed-rate bonds

A new range of fixed-rate bonds has been launched by Santander.

BP's profit announcement is below market forecasts

BP profits 'lower than forecast'

Oil company BP has announced profits for the second quarter of 2011 that fall below analysts' expectations.

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation saw its shares fall in New York amid fresh phone hacking allegations at the News of the World

Investors flee from News of the World as corporate backlash gathers pace

News Corporation saw its shares drop 3.6 per cent in New York yesterday amid fresh phone hacking allegations and doubts over the proposed BSkyB merger.

UK banks may be downgraded by Moody's

Moody's warns that UK banks with high levels of public investment – such as Lloyds and RBS – face having their ratings downgraded.

Barclays bond may be a long-term savings option

A new bond offering a rate of 3.75 per cent per annum/AER for balances under £50,000 for a fixed-term of four years has been unveiled by Barclays and might prove a savings option worth considering for consumers.

The value of gold has reached $1,500 an ounce

Gold reaches value of $1,500 an ounce

The value of gold is continuing to rise as uncertainty about the global economic recovery encourages investors to use the precious metal as a haven.

A beginner's guide to investing in the stock market

Taking your first steps in investing in the stock market can be daunting. Our guide busts the jargon to give you an introduction to all you need to know to start investing.

CBI warns government about over-regulation

CBI makes the case to government for business investment

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has released a report entitled 'Making the UK the best place to invest' which warns government that over-regulation and planning constraints are threatening the UK's position as an attractive business location.

Tesco global profits up but UK profits fall

Tesco has released its financial results for the year to February 26th 2011 and they show strong growth in Asia but illustrate that trading conditions in the UK are tough.

N&P audit highlighted concerns back in 2007

N&P fined £1.4m by FSA for Keydata failings

N&P advised customers on to higher-risk investments during retirement, ahead of Keydata going into administration in 2009.

New investment funds from Nationwide

Investors may find Nationwide Building Society offers them improved choice as it has unveiled three new investment funds – the BlackRock UK Income Fund, Newton Balanced Fund and First State Global Resources Fund.

JPMorgan reveals investment opportunities

The number of high-yielding investments available from global markets is growing.

Live Webcast: Investing in global equity income

From 1pm on Wednesday April 6th, join Andy Parsons from The Share Centre and Patrick Ryan, Director of Asset Management at Lazard to answer questions about the benefits of investing in a global market to gain income. You can submit your questions beforehand.