Hargreaves Lansdown

Did you know that pension tax relief saved us £28.5 billion in 2023/24? It’s a real hero that boosts the amount that goes into our pensions and can make us better off in retirement. If you’re thinking of increasing your pension contributions or bringing them forward, why not consider it this festive season? 🎄 With a pension, you could get up to 45% tax relief on contributions if under age 75 (up to 47% for Scottish tax payers): https://hl.uk/3K3 Tax rules change and benefits depend on your circumstances. Money in a pension can’t usually be accessed until age 55 (rising to 57 in 2028).

A few short years ago, most investors had never heard of ChatGPT, interest rates were zero, and Donald Trump was firmly a former president. Fast forward to the end of 2024 and interest rates in the UK and across the pond are close to 5%, artificial intelligence is dominating financial reports, and Trump has regained the presidency of the US – it’s been a year that’s defied predictions. So, as we look ahead to 2025, what should investors expect? Read on to find out ➡️ https://hl.uk/3K0 Risk of loss.

Behave badly in a Christmas story, and it’s likely you’ll end up with a lump of coal. Investing involves both the risk of loss, and the potential for better returns. But there are behaviours that make a positive or negative outcome more likely. ❌ Short-term speculators belong on the naughty list. Chopping and changing according to short-term time horizons can lead to bad outcomes. ✅ Long-term investors are what we love to see. Ignoring short-term noise to focus on a 5 to 10 year+ plan is more likely to bring success. Read more about what we consider to be the good, the bad and the ugly of investment behaviours: https://hl.uk/3JX

The Bank of England has held interest rates at 4.75% following November’s uptick in inflation. Interest rates being higher for longer than previously expected have triggered an instant and easy access savings ‘gold rush’ – with around £16bn paid into these accounts in October. If you haven’t joined them, now is a good time. Just remember, don’t stick with the big high street banks – they usually offer some of the worst rates – switching to a better rate only takes minutes. Check out Active Savings to find out how you could boost your savings for 2025. Plus, we currently have a cashback offer for new Active Savings clients. Terms apply. https://hl.uk/3JT

Christmas is coming and so is the busiest shopping day of the year 🎁 Saturday 21 December is predicted to be a Super Saturday for in-store shopping, at what is a vital time of year for retailers. Senior Equity Analyst, Matt Britzman, CFA looks at three companies poised for an important festive period. Risk of loss. https://hl.uk/3JS

2024 was the year of the elections 📩 From the UK and US to India, Japan and France’s elections, how did stock markets react and what could be next for these major markets? Our Investment Analyst, Aidan Moyle, takes a look ➡️ https://hl.uk/3JL

Why are we so reluctant to ask for help with our finances? 🤔 A whopping 40% of people say they wouldn’t ask for help with budgeting, while 32% wouldn’t ask about debts and 26% wouldn’t seek support with their money worries. According to our Head of Personal Finance, Sarah Coles, this could be because: ➡️ Some subjects, for example pay, are considered taboo. ➡️ For some things, people are too embarrassed to admit to them. ➡️ With investment, it’s likely that a lack of knowledge means people have disengaged with the subject entirely. If you think you might need help, consider whether financial advice could be right for you. Find out more about financial advice at HL: https://hl.uk/3JF Figures from a survey of 2,000 people by Opinium for HL, September 2024.

What’s next for the savings market in 2025, and where should savers be looking for some of the best rates in the market? Our Head of Active Savings, Mark Hicks takes a look: https://hl.uk/3JC

Fraud doesn’t stop for Christmas. While most of us are starting to wind down at this time of year, scammers are gearing up for another busy festive period. Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud is where victims are tricked into paying money into an account or location controlled by fraudsters. It’s the most common type of financial scam in the UK. Luckily for victims, there are new regulations in place to help: https://hl.uk/3Jz

Hitting your financial goals can be simple, and you can start today 📆 Read our quick planning tips and get moving in the right direction: https://hl.uk/3Jw