Gold price hits six-year high as investors await US interest rate cut
Gold prices have hit their highest levels in six years as investors brace for an interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve and seek a safe haven amid tensions between Washington and Tehran.
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Pound could fall to parity with dollar on hard Brexit concerns
The pound’s fall to a two-year low against the dollar could be the start of a no-deal Brexit inspired wave of selling that would push sterling towards a one-for-one exchange rate against the US currency, a leading investment bank has warned.
Irn-Bru maker warns over profits after bad weather and sugar tax
The maker of Irn-Bru and Rubicon drinks has warned of a 20% drop in annual profits after being hit by poor weather and the impact of last year’s sugar tax.
AG Barr, which also makes Rockstar energy drinks and Funkin fruit cocktail mixers, blamed disappointing spring and early summer weather, especially in its Scottish heartland and the north of England, which contrasts with last year’s long, hot summer when sales surged.
AG Barr, which also makes Rockstar energy drinks and Funkin fruit cocktail mixers, blamed disappointing spring and early summer weather, especially in its Scottish heartland and the north of England, which contrasts with last year’s long, hot summer when sales surged.
Five stars or fake? How to beat fraudulent online reviews
As many shoppers search for bargains in advance of Amazon’s “Prime Day” sale this week, there is a growing scepticism about how they can judge the products they are thinking of buying.
Three-quarters of people read the reviews posted about products and services, but doubts are mounting over the trustworthiness of these reviews. A burgeoning market for fakes has emerged, and experts say consumers must be vigilant. So how can consumers know that what they are buying is reliable? Read on....
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2019/jul/14/five-stars-or-fake-how-to-beat-fraudulent-online-reviews
Three-quarters of people read the reviews posted about products and services, but doubts are mounting over the trustworthiness of these reviews. A burgeoning market for fakes has emerged, and experts say consumers must be vigilant. So how can consumers know that what they are buying is reliable? Read on....
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2019/jul/14/five-stars-or-fake-how-to-beat-fraudulent-online-reviews
How Do You Keep Your Pennies?
How do you keep your pennies? (1p and 2p)
Or do you throw them on ground/ give them as tips or to buskers?
I keep them in a large glass jar but am too lazy to actually get them out and spend them.
When I do empty the jar I use it in Tesco self service and attempt to break their system. :D
Or do you throw them on ground/ give them as tips or to buskers?
I keep them in a large glass jar but am too lazy to actually get them out and spend them.
When I do empty the jar I use it in Tesco self service and attempt to break their system. :D
N26 Aims for the US Market!
https://techcrunch.com/2019/07/11/n26-launches-its-challenger-bank-in-the-u-s/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer_us=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_cs=OT04vbJ62A-gieB7bnojfg
Looks like they are heading for the big leagues.
Google of the Online banking world?
Looks like they are heading for the big leagues.
Google of the Online banking world?
MPs demand investigation of ‘fake signatures’ claims
The UK’s National Crime Agency and the Financial Conduct Authority have been called on to investigate allegations that bank workers faked signatures on court documents to recover debts and repossess homes.
MPs on the Commons Treasury select committee have written to the two bodies to request they review evidence gathered by campaigners.
In February this year, Guardian Money revealed allegations from the Bank Signature Forgery Campaign, which alleges that a multibillion-dollar scandal that played out in the US is being repeated in the UK.
MPs on the Commons Treasury select committee have written to the two bodies to request they review evidence gathered by campaigners.
In February this year, Guardian Money revealed allegations from the Bank Signature Forgery Campaign, which alleges that a multibillion-dollar scandal that played out in the US is being repeated in the UK.
Deutsche Bank bosses fitted for £1,200 suits as thousands lose their jobs
On the day Deutsche Bank began making thousands of employees redundant, some managing directors at the company’s office in the City of London were being fitted for suits that cost at least £1,200, it has emerged.
Tailors from Fielding & Nicholson, an upmarket tailor, were pictured walking out of the bank’s office with suit bags on Monday. Ian Fielding-Calcutt, the tailor’s founder, and Alex Riley were there to fit suits for senior managers in spite of plans to cut 18,000 jobs worldwide.
Tailors from Fielding & Nicholson, an upmarket tailor, were pictured walking out of the bank’s office with suit bags on Monday. Ian Fielding-Calcutt, the tailor’s founder, and Alex Riley were there to fit suits for senior managers in spite of plans to cut 18,000 jobs worldwide.
HSBC credit card compensation bill could rise to £11m
HSBC is expected to pay out millions more in compensation to credit card customers who were overcharged when they fell behind with payments.
The bank has already paid out around £4m to 6,700 people who held credit cards with John Lewis Financial Services (JLFS) and HFC Bank, both of which are now part of HSBC.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said on Thursday HSBC was extending the compensation scheme and had written to a further 18,500 people who had not previously been contacted. These are people “who either have, or may have, paid unreasonable debt collection charges”, said the regulator.
The bank has already paid out around £4m to 6,700 people who held credit cards with John Lewis Financial Services (JLFS) and HFC Bank, both of which are now part of HSBC.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said on Thursday HSBC was extending the compensation scheme and had written to a further 18,500 people who had not previously been contacted. These are people “who either have, or may have, paid unreasonable debt collection charges”, said the regulator.
German account from UK?
Anyone any idea if UK based folks can open a Fidor.de account? Fidor UK has been useful as a fiat onramp to Kraken, so not sure what to do after Sept
Trump loans and money laundering: Deutsche Bank's fall from grace
Deutsche Bank’s drastic retrenchment marks the latest chapter in a dramatic fall from grace for a bank that was riding high until the banking crisis struck in 2008. Here’s how the 149-year-old bank ran into trouble.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/jul/08/what-went-wrong-at-deutsche-bank
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/jul/08/what-went-wrong-at-deutsche-bank
Brexit uncertainty triggers Fidor Bank UK exit
“The uncertainties due to the Brexit are part of the decision to disinvest our activities in the UK,” a Fidor Bank spokesperson confirmed over email. “We are currently focusing our B2C-strategy on our home market in Germany and the B2B-Strategy of Fidor Solutions - banking as a service – internationally.” The spokesperson added that Fidor had 6,000 accounts in the UK at the time of the announcement but declined to comment further on the bank’s UK performance.
Intense competition from other UK challenger banks like Monzo, Starling, and Revolut and a saturation of offerings for digital-first customers could have been a factor in Fidor’s departure, according to Sarah Kocianski, head of research at 11:FS."
"Digital banks Monzo and Revolut launched in 2015, the same year as Fidor Bank’s UK operations, while Starling Bank launched in 2014. Monzo has since accrued more than 2m customers in the UK, and is planning a US launch. According to data from Apptopia, Monzo’s banking app was downloaded more than 300,000 times a month between January 2018 and 2019. Revolut has 3.9m customers worldwide, while Starling Bank last reported 460,000 active accounts. German challenger N26 launched in in February 2013, four years after Fidor’s 2009 start in its home market, and claimed last December to have reached 2m customers across 24 countries."
https://www.bobsguide.com/guide/news/2019/Jul/4/brexit-uncertainty-triggers-fidor-bank-uk-exit/
Intense competition from other UK challenger banks like Monzo, Starling, and Revolut and a saturation of offerings for digital-first customers could have been a factor in Fidor’s departure, according to Sarah Kocianski, head of research at 11:FS."
"Digital banks Monzo and Revolut launched in 2015, the same year as Fidor Bank’s UK operations, while Starling Bank launched in 2014. Monzo has since accrued more than 2m customers in the UK, and is planning a US launch. According to data from Apptopia, Monzo’s banking app was downloaded more than 300,000 times a month between January 2018 and 2019. Revolut has 3.9m customers worldwide, while Starling Bank last reported 460,000 active accounts. German challenger N26 launched in in February 2013, four years after Fidor’s 2009 start in its home market, and claimed last December to have reached 2m customers across 24 countries."
https://www.bobsguide.com/guide/news/2019/Jul/4/brexit-uncertainty-triggers-fidor-bank-uk-exit/
Where is everyone ?
I anticipated that the Fidor community would follow Eldorado and see a viewing spike following the 'shut down' notification.
Hardly any discussion on the forum from the ‘old guard’. Community members seem to have mysteriously disappeared! ☹
Answers on a postcard?
Hardly any discussion on the forum from the ‘old guard’. Community members seem to have mysteriously disappeared! ☹
Answers on a postcard?
Deutsche Bank could cut 'up to 20,000 jobs'
First Fidor, Deutsche next. Germany, falling apart at the seams ?
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-48898234
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-48898234
Nick Leeson: lucrative new life of banking’s most notorious rogue.......
Interesting article for those who remember the Barings Bank scandal of the 1990's......
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/jul/02/nick-leeson-new-life-banking-notorious-rogue
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/jul/02/nick-leeson-new-life-banking-notorious-rogue
‘I owe £600 and can’t get a mortgage due to my mother’s fraud’
If you discovered that a major mobile phone company had allowed someone else to take out a contract in your name, you would rightly be furious.
But what if that “someone else” turned out to be your mother, who hadn’t paid the bill and as a result, the company slapped a black mark on your credit record to the extent you couldn’t get a mortgage?
That is the highly unusual position that a couple from the West Midlands have found themselves in. David Platt and Tessa James* say they have been left astonished by the fact that Tesco Mobile gave Platt’s mother an iPhone contract in his name.
But what if that “someone else” turned out to be your mother, who hadn’t paid the bill and as a result, the company slapped a black mark on your credit record to the extent you couldn’t get a mortgage?
That is the highly unusual position that a couple from the West Midlands have found themselves in. David Platt and Tessa James* say they have been left astonished by the fact that Tesco Mobile gave Platt’s mother an iPhone contract in his name.
Fidor T-Shirt To Remember the Good Times
Unfortunately it's in German.
Useful to Sal, Frankie and the other diehard Fidor dislikers
https://shop.spreadshirt.de/wallkings/fidor+aktie+mit+bindestrich+und+rueckenaufdruck+moeglich-A13175257
Translation: 'I am a Fidor Share. Part of the community, part of the bank. Share?
Useful to Sal, Frankie and the other diehard Fidor dislikers
https://shop.spreadshirt.de/wallkings/fidor+aktie+mit+bindestrich+und+rueckenaufdruck+moeglich-A13175257
Translation: 'I am a Fidor Share. Part of the community, part of the bank. Share?