A few of the stories – and snippets I found interesting in the past week’s issue:
Money section
* Why it’s good to get a good fixed-rate mortgage
* Pros and cons of the new capital gains tax rate, which takes effect from beginning of the new tax year
* Fixed mortgage rates are dropping – in amount and fees – eg, you can get a 2-year fixed rate for your home, with First Direct, for 4.75% (10% deposit required) with fees of only £1,498 or a 5-year fixed at 5.19% (20% deposit required) from National Counties with fees of £595.
Business
A white knuckle week in markets – a report on the recent up and down of the US market and how the FTSE followed suit.
Overall, a solid article, worth reading to find out how analysts are predicting the economy and the FTSE to go.
Highlights:
* On Monday (21/1), the FTSE suffered its largest one-day points fall since it was created in 1983.
* On Thursday (24/1), it had its biggest ever points rise.
* Analysts said equities were at the most volatile for at least four decades.
* US economic growth forecast for 2008 – predicted to be a worrying .08%.
* 500,000 less people working in the US than six months ago.* US house prices could tumble by 30% over the next two years (after a 130% surge between 2000 to 2006).
Culture
JG Ballard – a well written extract, from his book Miracles of Life, about how he witnessed death first hand in his youth.
Oscars predictions
Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns and The Kite Runner clock in at numbers 1 and 3, respectively, in the Paperback – Fiction Top 10 list.
Style
The Road Back – a touching piece, by Sally Brompton, about her battle – and overcoming her mental illness.
Catwalk Spring/Summer 2008 – a look at the new trends for these seasons… (and imho, they all look pretty scary!)
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UK Sunday Times round up (16/11/08)
Posted in News and features, tagged UK Sunday Times news stories, UK Sunday Times news stories and commentary, uk sunday times news stories november 2008 on November 17, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
UK Sunday Times round up (16/11/08)
By: Alexa Williamson
A few interesting articles in this week’s paper that I wanted to highlight:
Teenagers to receive jabs to cut abortion
Nutshell: The govermnment wants to encourage GPs to give contraceptive jabs and implants to teenage girls so that it cuts down on the amount of abortions they have. The article also states that implants/jabs could render girls infertile for up to three years and that one-third of all abortions are repeat abortions.
Comment: Personally, I’m against the use of contraceptive pills as they are unnatural and can screw up a woman’s hormones and make her more susceptible to breast cancer and other illnesses. Some of the stories I have heard from women who have IUDs are horrifying. Teenage girls, imparticular, should not have their hormones and health put at jeopardy.
The great fixed rate [mortgages] loan rip-off
Nutshell: Banks reaping £3.7 billion a year on fixed-rate mortgage loans. Despite this, it is nice to note that fixed rates have come down since the last slash of the Bank of England base rate. The article also includes a ‘best-buys’ mortgage table.
Our tax manifesto: what Brown could do to help
Nutshell and comment: The ST has made an interesting and astute list of economic areas where Brown could make tax cuts or give tax relief.
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