Investing

Barclays has agreed to buy UK specialist lender Kensington Mortgages in a £2.3bn deal, as the bank moves to improve its market share of home loans despite the threat of a recession. The UK bank will acquire Kensington’s £1.2bn mortgage book as part of the transaction, according to a statement on Friday. Barclays said the

Covid-19 infections continue to surge across the UK, with the number of people in England estimated to have the virus jumping 20 per cent to 1.3mn in the past week, according to the latest official survey. The rapid spread of infections is driven by new Omicron subvariants and has raised the virus’s prevalence in the

Foreclosure is the process that allows a lender to recover the amount owed on a defaulted loan by selling or taking ownership of the property. Although the foreclosure process varies by state, there are six common phases of a foreclosure procedure. Key Takeaways Foreclosure occurs when a lender seeks to seize the property used as

Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election was thwarted at the last minute in part because of the resistance of some of his top legal officials, who threatened to quit during a tense Oval Office meeting, a Congressional committee has heard. Three of the former president’s most senior lawyers testified on Thursday in front

When the UK government gave itself new powers to vet takeovers for threats to national security, there was concern they would be used as a cover for politically motivated interference and economic protectionism. In fact, it could be worse than that. By threatening to use the national security legislation to convince Japan’s SoftBank to list

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was a pact eliminating most trade barriers between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico that went into effect on Jan. 1, 1994. Some of its provisions were implemented immediately, while others were staggered over the 15 years that followed. U.S. President Donald Trump railed against it during his campaign, promising to renegotiate the

EU leaders agreed at a summit on Thursday to make Ukraine and Moldova candidates to join the bloc, a historic move by Brussels in the wake of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. “Today marks a crucial step on your path towards the EU,” tweeted European Council president Charles Michel, who chaired the leaders’ meeting. “Our

How do you play the crazy crypto market right now? Only the brave and very rich should perhaps try. Cristiano Ronaldo is filthy wealthy and the Manchester United superstar footballer today signed his own risk-free sponsorship partnership with crypto exchange Binance, adding to a series of link-ups between crypto and sport. His deal includes the

The ever-increasing complexity of our securities laws has led to a great deal of confusion among investors over the differences between mutual funds and variable annuity sub-accounts. Are they the same thing or aren’t they? And if they really are mutual funds, then why can’t we just call them that? This article examines the similarities

A top EU lawmaker has questioned whether the bloc’s seven-year budgeting cycle is sustainable as emerging crises such as the Ukraine war and soaring inflation increase the need for rapid financial responses. Roberta Metsola, the Maltese MEP who was elected president of the European parliament this year, said she wanted to take a “long, hard

Toyota is recalling its fleet of 2,700 electric vehicles less than two months after launching its first mass-produced battery-powered sport utility vehicle, which was designed to take on Tesla. The world’s largest carmaker issued the global recall of its fully electric SUV bZ4X on Thursday, warning that the wheels could potentially fall off because of

IRS Form W-9, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification, is used by businesses to get tax information from external parties. The information provided on Form W-9 informs the company of what information to include in the Form 1098 or Form 1099. Let’s take a look at who is required to fill out a W-9,

The breakdown of regulatory co-operation between the UK and EU over financial services has become “collateral damage” in the dispute over the Northern Irish protocol, according to peers. The House of Lords committee looking at how Brexit is hitting the City of London raised concerns on Thursday about the lack of a functioning framework for

It would be hard to handle a labour dispute as cack-handedly as the government is managing the one with the rail union. But even so, business leaders should take note for their own wage negotiations. Many elements of the impasse between ministers, Network Rail and the RMT union are specific to the railways. But in

Home equity loans can be a relatively inexpensive way to fund big-ticket projects like a home remodel, debt consolidation, or college education. But as with most kinds of loans, there are costs to consider. Many home equity loans come with added fees that can make your loan considerably more expensive than you might expect from

Monitors display Coinbase signage during the company’s initial public offering (IPO) at the Nasdaq MarketSite in New York, U.S., on Wednesday, April 14, 2021. Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images Coinbase shares fell on Wednesday after rival crypto exchange Binance.US said it’s dropping certain trading fees for customers. Binance.US, the U.S. affiliate of the

French president Emmanuel Macron has appealed to his opponents to end the nation’s political deadlock by joining his minority government in voting through laws in parliament, though he acknowledged it was not the moment for a broad government of national unity. “We’ll have to build compromises,” Macron said in a televised address to the nation

It’s been nine long days since crypto fintech Celsius Network announced in a Very Important Message that it was pausing all withdrawals, swaps and transfers between accounts amid “extreme market conditions”. It’s also been nine days since CEO Alex Mashinsky last graced the world with a tweet. But one group of supporters seems very busy

What Is TikTok? TikTok is a popular social media app that allows users to create, watch, and share 15-second videos shot on mobile devices or webcams. With its personalized feeds of quirky short videos set to music and sound effects, the app is notable for its addictive quality and high levels of engagement. Amateur and

A shortlived rally for beaten-down global shares fizzled on Wednesday, while government bond prices firmed, as investors awaited further clues on US rate rises and business surveys that may indicate an economic slowdown. Ahead of Federal Reserve chair Jay Powell’s two-day testimony to Congress, where he may indicate plans to follow up this month’s extra

Last week in London, two whistleblowers bound by a common experience and a single company came together in solidarity. Frances Haugen rose to prominence in 2021 as a whistleblower from inside Facebook, now known as Meta. Daniel Motaung, a 30-year-old South African law student, is less well-known but worked as a content moderator for the

When you have a big project to pay for and equity in your home, a home equity loan can be an obvious choice for quick and relatively low-interest cash. But, as with any kind of borrowing, home equity loans aren’t free. All home equity loans charge interest and most also charge fees that can significantly

Billions of pounds have been added to UK household energy bills because the regulator developed a market that left the risk and costs of supplier failures with consumers, an investigation by parliament’s spending watchdog has found. Customers are expected to pay an estimated £2.7bn to cover the cost of 28 energy suppliers collapsing since June

Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr’s economic policy chief has dismissed concerns the new administration in the Philippines will be prone to the corruption and mismanagement that proliferated under the president-elect’s father. Benjamin Diokno, who serves as the country’s central bank governor and is set to become finance secretary pending confirmation next month, also said the Philippines

If you’re a homeowner, you have a powerful weapon in your financial arsenal—your home’s equity. Leveraging your equity by taking out a home equity loan can give you access to cash for home repairs, paying down high-interest debt, or buying a second home or investment property. But to receive the most benefit from your loan,

Rishi Sunak is preparing to meet North Sea oil and gas producers that have protested against his planned windfall tax on their profits, as the government also signals it is cooling on proposals to extend the levy to electricity generators. The chancellor is due to meet industry executives in Aberdeen on Thursday — including from

Donald Trump and his lawyers bombarded Republican state officials with telephone calls as they put pressure on them to overturn the 2020 election, a congressional committee has heard. Several senior Republicans in swing states told members of the bipartisan panel investigating last year’s attack on the US Capitol they had been called multiple times by

Foreign currency reserves are vital to a nation’s economic well-being. Without adequate reserves, a country may be unable to pay for critical imports, such as crude oil, or service its external debt. Inadequate reserves can also limit a central bank’s available responses in the event of an economic crisis. Foreign currency reserves can also be used to

European stocks extended gains from the previous session on Tuesday, following a steep weekly decline for global shares fuelled by central banks’ tightening of monetary policy. The regional Stoxx Europe 600 share index added 1.1 per cent in morning dealings, after rising on Monday but still closing down almost 17 per cent for the year.

When Financial Times reporter Patricia Nilsson started digging into the porn industry, she made a shocking discovery: nobody knew who controlled the biggest porn company in the world. Now, Nilsson and her editor, Alex Barker, reveal who is behind it and much more. This eight-part investigative podcast, published weekly, reveals the secret history of the