Here are some details on austerity measures implemented by governments around the eurozone. GERMANY: Chancellor Angela Merkel said her government aims to save around €80bn between 2011 and 2014 and get the German budget deficit below European Union limits by 2013. The cabinet agreed a package on June 7 which will slash welfare spending by €30bn over the period, cut public sector payrolls by up to 15,000 by 2014, and raise new taxes on nuc ... Jump to full article >>

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In all the economic turmoil it’s tempting to hide your cash under the mattress. After a 16% fall in the FTSE in just one month, we explore the safe havens for your money, and how the bullish can best profit from a recovery. Homes for the pessimists Under the Mattress Probably not the best place. It doesn’t pay interest, inflation eats away at it, and, if you have a burglary, standard insurance only covers the first £500 stolen. But, ... Jump to full article >>

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I believe the fundamentals of equity investing remain unscathed and investors should learn eight key lessons. During the past 18 months we have seen unprecedented economic events, but I believe the fundamentals of equity investing remain unscathed and investors should learn eight key lessons. Lesson one: patience is a virtue Market sentiment can create exceptional opportunities for investors with patience. At times of market ”panic”, ... Jump to full article >>

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Investors needed nerves of steel over the past week. Uncertainty over who would take over at No 10 and a euro crisis have given the British and global stock markets the jitters. The FTSE 100 lost more than 10pc of its value, down to 5,123 last Friday, only to pile the points back on again on Monday morning, even though many expected shares to fall in value. Markets continued to hold steady, but fund managers are warning investors not to be compl ... Jump to full article >>

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The boss of Punch Taverns, Britain’s biggest pub company, called time on his nine-year tenure and walked away from the debt-laden business. Giles Thorley, a lawyer and banker before he went into the business, personally made tens of millions of pounds from Punch in the pre-recession boom, but the company – which has a stockmarket value of £540m – is now hobbled by a debt mountain of more than £3.5bn. Shares in Punch, which have provid ... Jump to full article >>

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The Bank of England has announced that £20 notes with the image of the beloved English composer will not be legal tender after June 30 this year. Sir Edward, whose melodies have come to capture a certain type of Englishness, is to be pulped a mere 11 years after he had the honour of gracing the £20 note. William Shakespeare managed 23 years in our wallets before he was discontinued from the £20 note. After June 30 shops will no longer have to ... Jump to full article >>

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