European equities markets were lower again Thursday as declines in metals prices pushed shares in miners down in London. The FTSE 100 fell 1.68 percent to 5,047.81 while the FTSE 250 dropped 0.85 percent to 9,064.28. Miner Lonmin led declines on the 100 and had the worst day in its sector as [ Read More → ]

The Financial Services Compensation Scheme said in an update that there are a number of complicated legal issues but that it hopes to be in a position to confirm whether it can pave the way for compensation in November. In a statement posted on its website it said: “We [ Read More → ]

Most home buyers purchase life assurance when they arrange a mortgage, but only a minority obtain another form of financial protection that they are five times more likely to need before they reach retirement. Critical illness assurance pays a tax-free lump sum on diagnosis of any one of [ Read More → ]

IF YOU want to get the best return on your money and have already put all you can into a cash Isa this year, you may want to consider equity Isas – Isas that invest in stocks and shares. Equity Isas have a number of advantages over their cash counterparts. [ Read More → ]

The unemployment rate in the euro zone hit 9.6% in August - the highest in over a decade after the number of jobless rose by 165,000 during the month, bringing the total jobless number using the single currency bloc to 15.17 million. The 10-year high comes despite the fact that many [ Read More → ]

Banks to tighten lending criteria on loans and reduce credit card limits Photo: PA It comes as more lenders said they had reduced the availability of mortgages rather than increased it during the past three months following a “deterioration” in the cost and access to wholesale funds. It comes despite billions [ Read More → ]

The Government has identified 22 ‘hot spots’ where residents are more at risk of repossession Photo: PA Local councils will then be able to offer advice and support to those facing repossession before proceedings begin. Currently, councils can offer these services only after they have been contacted by the home [ Read More → ]

MBNA ignored the cardholder’s request not to take out payment protection insurance Photo: PA A county court judge ruled that Lynne Thorius, 49, was charged thousands of pounds by MBNA for an insurance policy she had never asked for. The ruling could open the floodgates for millions of pounds’ worth of similar claims [ Read More → ]

Tipping etiquette is a very English minefield Photo: PAUL GROVER Here we go again. Back to the bad old days of restaurant-dining. Should I give that pretty Polish waitress a ten per cent tip for bringing me the food I ordered? Or twelve per cent because I think she’s cute? Or six [ Read More → ]

More than a third of working Britons have no pension in place The findings suggested that the number of people without their own pension scheme is increasing, up 2 per cent each year over the past three years. It comes after Dame Joan Bakewell, the broadcaster and Government’s voice for [ Read More → ]