Author: Lucas

The chancellor said closing tax loopholes has enabled her not to raise income tax or national insurance. In her Budget speech today (November 26), Rachel Reeves said she hopes reforms have made the UK tax system stronger. She said: “The reforms I have made today will raise over £1bn per year by 2031.“As a result of the tax reforms I have made today I can confirm I will not be increasing national insurance the basic, higher or additional rates of income tax or VAT. Recommended Budget 2025: inside the OBR’s forecasts for the UK economy “I have kept everyone’s contribution…

Silver (XAG/USD) drifts slightly lower on Thursday, trading around $53.25, down 0.15% on the day at the time of writing. The white metal remains range-bound amid thin liquidity associated with the US Thanksgiving holiday. A modest rebound in the US Dollar (USD) is capping intraday gains and keeping Silver contained.Despite this consolidation, the broader macro backdrop remains supportive for precious metals. Several Federal Reserve (Fed) officials have recently signaled openness to near-term easing, reinforcing market expectations that the central bank could deliver another 25-basis-point rate cut at its December meeting. This outlook continues to weigh structurally on the US Dollar,…

Image source: Getty Images With many shares coming off the boil in recent weeks, opportunities have started to appear. One I see is in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE: TSM), a growth company that is trading near value stock levels after falling 21% in two months. Longer term though, shares of Taiwan Semiconductor, or TSMC, have done splendidly. They’ve soared more than 300% in six years, as the firm’s leading position manufacturing advanced microchips has made it integral to the digital revolution. Recently, TSMC’s growth has been boosted by the artificial intelligence (AI) boom. It works closely with Advanced Micro Devices,…

Government priorities on land reform do not reflect public concerns, according to Scottish Land & Estates (SLE), which represents landowners. The organisation was responding to a report from the Scottish Land Commission – ScotLand Futures – which sought the views of 1,200 people on land ownership, transparency and community involvement. While the Scottish government and the commission regard these as core drivers of reform, SLE says the results show limited public support for many of the changes being pursued. See also: Mixed reaction as Land Reform Bill passes in Scotland For example, only 24% of respondents believed land ownership is…

The fast-growing world of digital assets, and certainly one of today’s most discussed topics in this space, relates to the England stablecoin cap. As the UK works to bring in regulation regarding crypto assets to ensure financial stability, one key focus has fallen on stablecoins. A stablecoin is a cryptocurrency that derives its value from underlying, real-world assets such as the British pound, US dollar, or government bonds.In recent months, regulators and other policymakers in England have discussed and floated limits on how stablecoins can be issued, circulated, and used to make payments. The goal is to maintain stability, protect…

On Wednesday afternoon, after weeks of speculation (and an unprecedented early leak by the Office for Budget Responsibility), the Chancellor finally revealed her second Budget. Tom Golding, PKF Littlejohn partner considers some of the main tax changes and what these may mean for insurance brokers.The lead-up to the Autumn Budget 2025 included many rumoured initiatives – from wealth taxes and exit taxes to pension reform, and even the possibility of Labour breaking its manifesto pledge and increasing Income Tax. However, a lot of this speculation proved to be just that, rumours.One of the few pre-Budget rumours that turned out to…

Stray Kids and TWICE shattered records with RIAA platinum certifications announced November 26, marking career-defining milestones for both groups. Stray Kids’ 2020 hit ‘God’s Menu’ surpassed 1 million units sold in the United States, earning the group’s first-ever platinum certification, while TWICE’s ‘Strategy’ achieved the same feat, making them the first K-pop girl group to receive platinum status from the Recording Industry Association of America, according to Yonhap News. The RIAA awards gold for 500,000 units, platinum at 1 million, multi-platinum at 2 million, and diamond at 10 million sales.Five gold certifications in one sweepStray Kids didn’t stop at platinum,…

Welding professionals, educators, and manufacturers from across Western Australia gathered in Perth last night for the 2025 Western Australia Welding Excellence Awards. The evening recognised the people, projects, and organisations driving progress, safety, and technical excellence across the state’s fabrication and manufacturing industries.Hosted annually by Weld Australia, the Welding Excellence Awards shine a spotlight on the talent and innovation shaping Australia’s industrial future. This year’s winners demonstrated outstanding contributions across key areas including automation, quality assurance, education, and workforce development, each playing a vital role in building a stronger, more sustainable local capability.Weld Australia CEO, Geoff Crittenden, said the Awards…

Options trading has changed steadily over the years. Markets have become faster, more complex, and more data-driven. As a result, many traders now prefer a structured approach rather than relying on instinct. This shift toward systematic options trading reflects a clear understanding that consistent results come from rules and preparation, not from guesswork. A systematic method allows traders to design strategies, test them carefully, execute them with confidence, and understand their performance in a clear and organized way. Working without a plan can leave a trader exposed to sudden market swings and emotional decisions. Modern markets reward discipline and careful…

Global stock markets paused on Thursday after a four-day advance that erased most of November’s earlier losses. With US cash equity markets closed for the Thanksgiving holiday, investors focused on futures trading and interest rate expectations. futures stay close to unchanged in late morning New York trading, while Dow Jones and Nasdaq 100 futures also move sideways. The MSCI All Country World Index shows little movement after trimming most of its November loss.Money markets now assign about an 80% probability to a quarter-point Federal Reserve rate cut next month and imply more reductions through 2026. The shift from last week’s…