What caught my eye this week.<\/em><\/p>\n O<\/span>urs is an age in which bad ideas refuse to die quietly, so no surprise to hear from The<\/em> Guardian<\/em><\/a> that ministers are again consulting with \u2018City bosses\u2019 on cutting the \u00a320,000 cash ISA allowance:<\/p>\n The City minister, Emma Reynolds, called a meeting with senior executives from six of the UK\u2019s largest banks and building societies before what could be one of the biggest shake-ups of individual savings accounts since their creation in 1999 under the then Labour chancellor, Gordon Brown.<\/p>\n The meeting \u2013 which included bosses from NatWest, Lloyds, HSBC, Barclays, Nationwide and TSB \u2013 was held at the London offices of the lobby group UK Finance on Thursday, and is part of a series of government round tables taking place before a consultation on Isa market reforms.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Continuing the theme of dumb ideas that have already died once, they are apparently also considering reviving the British ISA<\/a> dead donkey, too.<\/p>\n Look, it\u2019s nice to see Labour and our captains of industry getting together to talk business.<\/p>\n But what a shame they can\u2019t focus on, you know, actual business. Rather than returning again to fiddling with the financial goalposts.<\/p>\n This country seems to have become obsessed with apportioning up who gets to keep how much of what and where \u2013 be it a pension, an inheritance, or a lump of cash \u2013 rather than growing real wealth in any meaningful way.<\/p>\n It\u2019s like a nation-state scale Lord of the Flies<\/em>. We\u2019re bickering about divvying up the same dozen special conch shells when we should be building a life raft.<\/p>\n Of course we all have our views about these wrappers and the best uses for them.<\/p>\n But does anyone really think that middle-class Britons keeping a bit too much money in cash when they could own shares in Tesco is what is holding Britain back?<\/p>\n Of course governments do a lot of things at once.<\/p>\n Just because Rachel Reeves is seemingly determined to fiddle with ISAs and even to slap \u2018Buy Blighty\u2019 on a poster somewhere, that doesn\u2019t necessarily mean she isn\u2019t hard at work the rest of the time on her AWOL growth agenda.<\/p>\n Does it?<\/p>\n Have a great weekend.<\/p>\n Avantis Global Small Cap Value ETF review \u2013 Monevator<\/a><\/p>\n Are easier mortgage regulations coming to the UK market? \u2013 Monevator<\/a><\/p>\n From the archive-ator: Asset allocation and your investment goals \u2013 Monevator<\/a><\/p>\n UK economy grew faster than expected in Q1 \u2013 Sky<\/a><\/p>\n HMRC toughens stance on wealthy households avoiding tax \u2013 Yahoo Finance<\/a><\/p>\n One in ten have no savings, financial regulator says \u2013 BBC<\/a><\/p>\n Treasury holds talks with fintech unicorns about London IPO prospects \u2013 Sky<\/a><\/p>\n \u2026meanwhile fintechs face resilience test as interest rates fall \u2013 CNBC<\/a><\/p>\n New bank transfer fraud refund scheme sees 86% of losses refunded \u2013 Which<\/a><\/p>\n Central London property prices have crashed \u2013 This Is Money<\/a><\/p>\n Pension savers face running out of money 11 years into retirement \u2013 MoneyWeek<\/a><\/p>\n The farce of the deal \u2013 Apricitas Economics<\/a><\/p>\n Is it time to fix your savings? \u2013 Which<\/a><\/p>\n Shops charging illegal \u2018restocking\u2019 fees for returns \u2013 Be Clever With Your Cash<\/a><\/p>\n Get up to \u00a34,000 when you transfer your ISA to InvestEngine our link<\/a>. (Minimum deposit of \u00a3100, other T&Cs apply. Capital at risk) \u2013 InvestEngine<\/a><\/p>\n Is it about to become easier to get a mortgage? [Probably<\/a>]<\/em> \u2013 Which<\/a><\/p>\n Mortgage rates fall again as product choice hits 17-year high\u2026 \u2013 Mortgage Introducer<\/a><\/p>\n \u2026and two-year fixes fall below 2022 mini-Budget levels\u2026 \u2013 This Is Money<\/a><\/p>\n \u2026but is this new 100% mortgage product a good idea? \u2013 This Is Money<\/a><\/p>\n Get up to \u00a3100 of free trades and pay no SIPP fee for three months with Interactive Investor<\/a>. Terms and fees apply. \u2013 Interactive Investor<\/a><\/p>\n Why don\u2019t tradesmen return calls or give quotes? \u2013 This Is Money<\/a><\/p>\n The ten places where you\u2019ll get the biggest garden for your money \u2013 This Is Money<\/a><\/p>\n Homes for sale with stylish interiors, in pictures \u2013 Guardian<\/a><\/p>\n Dear HSBC, income does not equal wealth \u2013 Simple Living in Somerset<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cAll the ways I feel poorer than I am\u201d<\/em> \u2013 Ryan Holiday<\/a><\/p>\n A good time for the sleeping point story \u2013 Phil Pearlman<\/a><\/p>\n How Charlie discovered that time wealth can be key to a happier life \u2013 Guardian<\/a><\/p>\n These two factors tend to drive portfolio success \u2013 Alpha Architect<\/a><\/p>\n Donald Trump vs Mr Market \u2013 Tim Harford<\/a><\/p>\n Trouble on the horizon \u2013 Behavioural Investment<\/a><\/p>\n How to prepare your portfolio for a recession \u2013 Morningstar<\/a><\/p>\n Handling requests for advice from friends and family \u2013 Investment Talk<\/a><\/p>\n Go for the gold? \u2013 Humble Dollar<\/a><\/p>\n The venture capitalisation of culture \u2013 Money with Katie<\/a><\/p>\n The inescapable principle of comparative advantage \u2013 Econlib<\/a><\/p>\n Understand US equity return expectations [Research, PDF]<\/em> \u2013 AQR<\/a><\/p>\n Airbnb\u2019s second, second act \u2013 Spyglass<\/a><\/p>\n Terry Smith on Warren Buffett [Paywall]<\/em> \u2013 FT<\/a><\/p>\n Thoughts and prayers for Apple \u2013 Asymco<\/a><\/p>\n Nestle is trying to spin off its bottled water business \u2013 Sherwood<\/a><\/p>\n Warren Buffett\u2019s $160bn Apple bet: a history \u2013 Satpost<\/a><\/p>\n Active management is quietly reinventing itself \u2013 CFA Institute<\/a><\/p>\n Hype Machine: Inside the Cult of Crypto<\/em> by Joshua Oliver \u2013 \u00a30.99 on Kindle<\/a><\/p>\n The Price of Money<\/em> by Rob Dix \u2013 \u00a30.99 on Kindle<\/a><\/p>\n The Great Crashes: Lessons from Global Meltdowns<\/em> by Linda Yueh \u2013 \u00a30.99 on Kindle<\/a><\/p>\n Failed State: Why Britain Doesn\u2019t Work<\/em> by Sam Freedman \u2013 \u00a30.99 on Kindle<\/a><\/p>\n Or pick up one of the all-time great investing classics \u2013 Monevator<\/em> shop<\/a><\/p>\n Why are all of American\u2019s biggest cities sinking? \u2013 Grist<\/a><\/p>\n Car parks could be covered in solar panels to deliver EV charging \u2013 This Is Money<\/a><\/p>\n Are sailing ships the future of sustainable shipping? \u2013 Reasons to be Cheerful<\/a><\/p>\n Dangerous clear-air turbulence is worsening due to global warming \u2013 Ars Technica<\/a><\/p>\n Scars from the world\u2019s first deep sea mining test, 50 years on \u2013 BBC<\/a><\/p>\n How to grow your own rainforest [Paywall]<\/em> \u2013 FT<\/a><\/p>\n Thoughts on thinking \u2013 Dustin Curtis<\/a><\/p>\n FaceAge<\/em> tool can tell your biological age from one photo \u2013 Guardian<\/a><\/p>\n PR pros discovering how to best influence AI chatbots \u2013 Semafor<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re definitely going to build a bunker before we release AGI\u201d<\/em> \u2013 The Atlantic<\/a><\/p>\n Musk\u2019s AI bot Grok rants about \u2018white genocide\u2019 in unrelated chats \u2013 Guardian<\/a><\/p>\n AI is too busy to take your job \u2013 Dror Poleg<\/a><\/p>\n Tariffs and manufacturing jobs: three big problems \u2013 Agglomerations<\/a><\/p>\n Drill, baby, dr\u2026never mind \u2013 Paul Krugman<\/a><\/p>\n Kayfabe and the trade war \u2013 Kyla Scanlon<\/a><\/p>\n The end of the rule of law \u2013 The Atlantic<\/a> [h\/t Abnormal Returns<\/a>]<\/em><\/p>\n What if the President tries to annex Greenland and Canada? \u2013 Reason<\/a><\/p>\n How ships escaped the great stagnation \u2013 Works in Progress<\/a><\/p>\n Taiwan\u2019s double, double toil and trouble [Paywall]<\/em> \u2013 FT<\/a><\/p>\n Why do people lie about taking Ozempic? \u2013 Guardian<\/a><\/p>\n Ending the \u2018anger economy\u2019 \u2013 More To That<\/a><\/p>\n You might live to 100. Are you ready? \u2013 Guardian<\/a><\/p>\n Silicon Valley billionaires literally want the impossible \u2013 Ars Technica<\/a><\/p>\n When do pop stars reach their peak? \u2013 Stat Significant<\/a><\/p>\n A more holistic approach to back pain \u2013 Peter Attia<\/a><\/p>\n The Dead Sea Scrolls unravel the mystery of the pyramids \u2013 London Review of Books<\/a><\/p>\n A few questions \u2013 Morgan Housel<\/a><\/p>\n The red door \u2013 Ted Merz<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cMonopoly is the condition of every successful business. All failed companies are the same: they failed to escape competition.\u201d Like these links? Subscribe<\/a> to get them every Saturday. Note this article includes affiliate links, such as from Amazon<\/a> and Interactive Investor<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n
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From Monevator<\/h3>\n
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Comment and opinion<\/h3>\n
Naughty corner: Active antics<\/h3>\n
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\u2013 Peter Thiel, Zero to One<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n