March 2021, a year on from the when COVID-19 made an impact on our lives and finances for the foreseeable future. From a financial perspective it is also a year on from the Bank of England base rate plunged to its current record low of 0.1 per cent. This decision  by the Bank of England inevitably would’ve had a knock-on effect on the way we manage our personal finances, whether we are aware of them or not. 

 

The cut in interest rates is there to encourage people to spend and drive a re-build in the economy and the UK is not alone in record low rates. Some countries have even cut rates to negative levels, and there are frequent rumours that the UK could do the same, to increase demand. The negative effect this has on high street saving interest rates means that according to figures from Moneyfacts, the financial data experts, state that the average easy-access rate was 0.63 per cent in March 2019, 0.56 per cent in March 2020, and is now just 0.16 per cent. The number of savings accounts available has fallen too, to 1054 from 1351 in March 2020.

 

How have we adapted our investments over the last year?

Low interest rates and less savings accounts have also seen an upsurge in technology being utilised by the younger generation, avoiding saving money and looking to invest. This isn’t the negative part of this but what we are seeing is these investments come at large risk because the reliance on technology and the upsurge in Crypto investments, and this is because technology makes everything “easier”. 

 

At London European Securities our investors are High Net Worth Individuals and Sophisticated investors but they are also guided by our experience, knowledge and consultative approach to their needs. We help make the appropriate investment with a strategy ensuring that your investment obtains a high interest return.