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Jackson Hole could reveal Warsh’s vision for the Feds future

Ajith Nair, Partner and Head of Portfolio Management & Research at Isio, comments ahead of Jackson Hole: “The 2026 Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium is likely to be less about immediate policy decisions and more about understanding the longer-term direction of monetary policy, central bank thinking and the implications for investors.
Posted on Tuesday Aug 25

Cohabiting over 55 - 10 risks and how to protect yourself

AJ Bell analysis of ONS data shows that in 2025, it was estimated that 6.45 million people in the UK are living together without being married or in a civil partnership – 13% of peopleThat includes 1.21 million people who are aged 55 and overThe number of older people living together without getting married is up 54% over the past decade
Posted on Tuesday Aug 25

Turning down pay rise, bonus or promotion over tax concerns

One in six (16%) people have hesitated or refused a pay rise, bonus or promotion because they were concerned that higher taxes or lost allowances could reduce the financial benefit. Over a fifth (21%) would consider turning down a pay rise if it meant they’d have to pay a higher rate of income tax, while 7% say the same about losing other support or allowances. Five years after the tax threshold freeze was announced, analysis shows the Personal Allowance would be £16,072 in 2026/27 had it kept pace with inflation - £3,502 higher than its current level
Posted on Tuesday Aug 25

US sanctions, AI jitters and the search for safer ground

FTSE 100 looks set to grind higher again, showing resilience amid a fresh sanctions squeeze on Iran and fresh tech turbulence. Gold and bitcoin hang onto sharp gains, as concerns about devaluation of the dollar bolster the assets. Nvidia faces an AI reality check this week with investors looking for evidence that spend will keep accelerating. Memory stocks feel the geopolitical squeeze as Chinese rivals gain ground and Apple finds itself caught between supply pressures and Washington’s national-security concerns. The super-wealthy Rausing family diversify away from America, cutting more than $1 billion of US equity exposure while increasing their position in Swedish private equity group EQT.
Posted on Tuesday Aug 25

Actions speak louder than words

The case for a US rate hike is strong, but sequentially softer inflation data makes September less likely, according to James Bilson, Global Fixed Income Strategist at Schroders. The Federal Reserve (Fed) should hike rates. Inflation is too high, with no obvious indication it will soon return durably to its 2% target, and the labour market is stable around full employment. But we don’t think it is likely to at the next meeting.
Posted on Monday Aug 24

Young adults increasingly turning to AI as a sounding board

Almost half (48%) of Gen Z say AI has changed their mind about a decision, compared with just 2% of the Silent Generation. Nearly a quarter (24%) of Gen Z would feel comfortable discussing financial worries with AI, compared with only 5% of Boomers. More than half (55%) of Gen Z trust AI and use it, compared with fewer than one in five (18%) of Boomers.
Posted on Monday Aug 24

Trade tensions, Iran sanctions and Shien IPO under pressure

Markets tread water as fresh trade tensions and the threat of tougher Iran sanctions unsettle investors. Brent crude hovers around $93 a barrel as stand-off in the Middle East takes another twist. US-Canada trade talks collapse into a new tariff battle, adding to inflationary risks and Treasury yield concerns. Shein heads for Hong Kong with a much-reduced valuation as tariffs, regulation and changing shopping habits put its ultra-cheap model under pressure.
Posted on Monday Aug 24

Bond turmoil, debt worries and the squeezed retail consumer

Investors stay wary amid a surge in borrowing costs, while the latest UK retail sales snapshot shows consumers turning more cautious with volumes down 0.5% in July. US Treasury buybacks failed to quell turmoil in bond markets, with long-dated debt yields rising again. UK government borrowing highlights the challenges ahead for the Burnham administration as pressure builds for more cost-of-living support, while higher oil prices threaten to add further inflationary pressure.
Posted on Friday Aug 21

IHT and CGT both remain elevated

Inheritance Tax (IHT) receipts in July 2026 totalled £868 million, compared to the £844 million recorded in July 2025. This follows receipts of £871 million in June 2026 and comes after a fifth consecutive record year for IHT receipts, which reached £8.5 billion in 2025/26. HMRC’s latest Capital Gains Tax (CGT) data shows receipts of £194 million for July 2026, compared to the £165 million recorded in July 2025. This follows receipts of £192 million in June 2026.The figures come after a record year for CGT receipts, which reached £22.2 billion in 2025/26, significantly surpassing the previous record of £16.9 billion in 2022/23 and the £13.7 billion recorded in 2024/25.

Posted on Friday Aug 21

M&G complete £85m BPA Plus transaction for the Altro Pension

M&G plc (“M&G”) announces that it has completed an £85 million Bulk Purchase Annuity (BPA) transaction, securing the pension benefits of 740 members and their dependants for the Altro Pension Scheme of Altro Limited, a UK-based manufacturing company specialising in flooring, wall cladding solutions and car care products through its Autoglym division.
Posted on Thursday Aug 20

Beware of risky mini-bonds and loan notes

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is warning consumers about the risks of investing in loan notes and mini-bonds issued by unregulated companies, after continuing to see people lose money in these high-risk investments.
Posted on Thursday Aug 20

Tinkering with treasuries calms bond and equity markets

Treasury buyback intervention calms nerves, but debt pressures remain. FTSE 100 has a flat start as investors adopt a wait-and-see mode. Fed faces inflation risks as US jobs market weakens while energy prices remain elevated.
Posted on Thursday Aug 20

PIC agrees £58m buyin with ICAEW Staff Pension Fund

Pension Insurance Corporation plc (“PIC”), a specialist insurer of defined benefit pension schemes, has sealed a £58 million partial buy-in with the Institute of Chartered Accountants’ Staff Pensions Fund (the “Fund”), securing the benefits of the 375 members who were not already insured. The transaction represents around 50% of the Fund’s total liabilities.
Posted on Wednesday Aug 19

Brace for continued inflationary fallout

Comments from Scottish Friendly and Standard Life on bracing for continued inflationary fallout
Posted on Wednesday Aug 19

Rising inflation, bond yields and Middle East tensions

UK Inflation climbs back to 2.9% as higher energy bills add to the squeeze on households, while private-sector pay growth slows to 2.8%, leaving wages struggling to keep pace with prices. Middle East tensions keep markets on edge, with Brent crude hovering around $91 a barrel. Tech stocks are bearing the brunt, with sharp falls across Asian markets. The FTSE 100 has some insulation from the sell-off, thanks to its relatively light technology weighting, with the index flat at the open. Bond yields are turning up the heat, as persistent inflation worries, heavy government borrowing and swelling debt piles make investors demand greater returns for holding government debt.
Posted on Wednesday Aug 19

New fiscal order: can the past predict Burnhams first Budget

With a little over two months to go until Chancellor John Healey's first Budget on Wednesday 28 October and a persistent fiscal imbalance, PensionBee has looked at the parliamentary voting records of five people who will shape it: Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Chancellor John Healey, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Emma Reynolds, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden, and Pensions Minister Torsten Bell.
Posted on Tuesday Aug 18

Middle East fracture sends crude and borrowing costs higher

Brent crude has climbed above $91 a barrel, rising for a third consecutive session amid a fresh standoff in the region. Nerves frayed after Donald Trump threatened to bomb Oman if it got in the way of efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Concerns about higher energy prices and mounting government debts push up long-dated bond yields to levels not seen since the onset of the financial crisis. The US 30Y bond yield heads above 5.32%, the highest since June 2007.
Posted on Tuesday Aug 18

FTSE 100 ticks higher and Asian shares enjoy strong start

“The FTSE 100 ticked higher at the start of the new trading week amid robust gains across Asia,” says AJ Bell head of markets Dan Coatsworth. Investors seem willing to park any concerns about the ongoing crisis in the Middle East as last week’s softer-than-anticipated inflation numbers saw fears of an imminent rate hike from the US Federal Reserve subside. Combined with strong earnings from the tech space and you’ve had the conditions necessary for a healthy pick-up in sentiment.
Posted on Monday Aug 17

Five years on from the start of the cost-of-living crisis

CPI jumped from 2% in July 2021 to 3.2% in August 2021. From there it kept climbing, kick-starting the cost-of-living crisis. Cumulative inflation has driven up prices by around 28% in five years. What has the cost-of-living crisis meant for wages, pension incomes, savings, mortgages and annuity rates five years on?
Posted on Thursday Aug 13

Royal London complete buyin with Royal Horticultural Society

Royal London has completed a c.£22 million bulk purchase annuity (BPA) transaction with the Trustees of the Royal Horticultural Society 1974 Pension Scheme. Transaction secures the benefits of 230 members.
Posted on Thursday Aug 13

PIC complete buyin with Royal Society of Chemistry Pension

Pension Insurance Corporation plc (“PIC”), has concluded an £83 million full buy-in with The Royal Society of Chemistry Pension Scheme (“Scheme”), securing the benefits of all 468 Scheme members.
Posted on Tuesday Aug 11

FCA review to drive higher standards in growing MPS market

Daniel Nilsson, Senior Portfolio Manager at Isio Investment Management, comments on the FCA’s ongoing review of the Model Portfolio Service (MPS) market: “As the FCA's review of the Model Portfolio Service (MPS) market continues, the focus on governance, oversight, value for money and investment propositions has become increasingly important.
Posted on Monday Aug 10

The impact of the tech correction on EM allocation

AI has been the dominant driver in markets this year. For Emerging Markets, this has played out in an extraordinary demand for those stocks that produce the ‘picks and shovels’ of the AI gold rush. Memory chip manufacturers have been in the vanguard of this rally. The recent correction has been a reminder that this historically cyclical business is still sensitive to the supply/demand dynamic. So where to next?
Posted on Monday Aug 10

7 steps to protect finances from whatever the Budget holds

Budget speculation season has started after Chancellor John Healey last week announced that he will hold his inaugural Budget on 28 October 2026. AJ Bell has warned that speculation around pension tax relief and tax-free cash can force people into making expensive mistakes. Seven sure-fire steps you can take ahead of the Budget – with no regrets
Posted on Tuesday Aug 4

Pensions IHT ripple effect 22% have less trust in pensions

New research shows over a fifth (22%) of adults have less confidence in pensions due to the upcoming pensions IHT change. However, official figures show around 7% of estates are expected to be financially affected in the first year of the change. Overestimation of future IHT liabilities poses risk to retirement income: individuals in their mid-20s could lose out on £5,014 at retirement from pausing pension contributions for just one year – rising to £24,715 for a 5-year contribution break.
Posted on Tuesday Aug 4