The Payroll Software Dilemma Facing Accountancy Practices
In this episode, Ian Davidson of Quarry Payroll Consulting discusses the strategic crossroads accountancy practices face as legacy payroll software reaches end‑of‑life, weighing migration to modern cloud platforms against outsourcing payroll to specialist providers. He outlines the heavy resource demands, risk, and potential productivity gains of migration, while highlighting how outsourcing can free senior staff for higher‑margin advisory work and reduce compliance risk. Davidson stresses that the choice should align with a firm’s strategic focus—whether payroll is a core differentiator or an ancillary service—and warns against delaying decisions, which erodes negotiating power and increases operational risk.
How Beginners Can Create Multiple Online Income Streams Without Burnout
The article outlines a step‑by‑step framework for beginners to build multiple online income streams while avoiding burnout. It advises starting with a single, skill‑aligned foundation stream and mastering it for 3‑6 months before diversifying. Subsequent streams should leverage existing audiences,...
Gent Sejko: Launch of the EBRD Transition Report 2025-26
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development released its 2025‑26 Transition Report, highlighting demographic change as a decisive driver of economic performance. Governor Gent Sejko used the launch to illustrate Albania’s stark ageing and emigration trends, noting a population drop...
Eli M Remolona: Speech - Rotary Club of Manila 16th Weekly Membership Meeting
Governor Eli M. Remolona told the Rotary Club of Manila that inflation has fallen to 1.8% overall and 1.1% for the poorest 30% of households, while the banking sector shows strong capital adequacy at 16.4% and liquidity at 180% of...
Federal Reserve Board Finalizes Hypothetical Scenarios for Its Annual Stress Test and Votes to Maintain the Current Stress Test-Related Capital...
The Federal Reserve Board finalized the hypothetical scenarios for its 2026 annual stress test, keeping them largely unchanged from the October draft. The test will assess 32 large banks under a severe global recession, featuring a 10% unemployment peak, a...
Another Big 4 Ditches Their Executive Assistants For Offshore Ones Instead
KPMG Australia announced it will outsource roughly 200 of its 260 executive assistants to the Philippines, representing about 75% of its EA function. The move is part of a broader cost‑cutting initiative after advisory revenue fell 18% and overall revenue...
Watchdog Warns on ‘Fire Sale Dynamics’ Risk in Repo Market
The Financial Stability Board warned that leveraged trades in the short‑term repo market could spark fire‑sale dynamics, pressuring sovereign bond prices. It highlighted a $16 trillion global repo market, with hedge‑fund borrowing near $3 trillion—about 25% of their assets—often conducted with zero...
Partners in Decline: What’s the Future for Partnerships?
The accountancy profession is witnessing the near‑complete erosion of the traditional partnership model, replaced by limited‑liability partnerships and subsidiary companies. Unlimited personal liability, once a hallmark of partnerships, has been mitigated through LLP structures, shielding partners from colleagues' mistakes. Private‑equity...
Why Financial Values Matter
The piece argues that financial values—personal priorities and beliefs—are the hidden driver behind money choices, turning budgeting from a punitive checklist into a purpose‑aligned plan. By defining a personal notion of “enough,” individuals can stop chasing endless consumption and focus...
Tom Stevenson's Fund Picks for 2026: MoneyWeek Talks
Tom Stevenson of Fidelity highlighted three funds he expects to outperform in 2026: the Dodge & Cox Worldwide Global Stock Fund, Fidelity Special Situations (UK‑focused), and the Lazard Emerging Markets Fund. He argues that after three strong years for US equities, investors...
KKR and Singtel Agree S$6.6bn Data Centre M&A Deal
Global investment firm KKR and Singapore telecom giant Singtel have agreed to purchase an 82% stake in ST Telemedia Global Data Centres for S$6.6 billion (US$5.1 billion). The acquisition targets the leading colocation provider’s extensive network of data‑centre assets across the Asia‑Pacific region....
The AICPA Gets the “Professional” Validation They Wanted, Early Career Pipeline Still on Fire
The U.S. Department of Education’s draft rule would have capped graduate student loans and initially classified accounting degrees as non‑professional, threatening higher‑limit borrowing for CPA candidates. The AICPA and NASBA quickly submitted strongly worded letters contesting the classification. In response,...
Neo Financial Secures $68.5 Million in Equity as It Adopts Big-Bank Funding Playbook
Neo Financial announced a CAD 68.5 million equity round led by Canadian institutional investors such as AIMCo and Northleaf. The funding coincides with the launch of a securitization program that will bundle its credit assets to generate liquidity, a practice common among...
Three Companies with Deep Economic Moats to Buy Now
Edinburgh Investment Trust is targeting firms with deep economic moats to deliver superior total return versus the FTSE All‑Share, focusing on three UK‑listed companies. Rightmove dominates UK property portals with an 85% share of time spent and is investing heavily...
Should You Add Gold to Your Pension?
Gold has surged 65 % in 2025 and added 7.6 % through early 2026, prompting advisers to revisit its role in retirement savings. With bonds and equities becoming more correlated amid persistent inflation, gold’s low correlation offers a diversification buffer for pension...
Bank of England Should Hold Interest Rates, City AM Shadow MPC Says
City AM’s Shadow Monetary Policy Committee, comprising nine independent economists, voted 7‑2 to keep the Bank of England’s base rate at 3.75%, citing persistent inflation and mixed business‑survey signals. Inflation for the year to December remains at 3.4%, above the...
Scotiabank’s Global Head Of FICC On Staying Agile In A Volatile Market
Scotiabank’s Global Head of FICC, Stephanie Larivière, said heightened U.S. dollar strength and tariff‑driven trade uncertainty have spurred a surge in demand for structured foreign‑exchange hedges. Clients are increasingly looking beyond the dollar, favoring non‑dollar crosses such as the Mexican peso,...
Hong Kong Insurance Bond Issuance Grows Amid Capital Rule Changes, ILS Interest
In 2025 Hong Kong’s insurance bond market surged, with issuances reaching roughly HK$30 billion – a 45% year‑on‑year increase. The spike follows recent revisions to the Hong Kong Insurance Authority’s capital adequacy framework, which reward capital‑efficient financing. Insurers are also embracing...
EU Parliament Delays Mercosur Trade Deal
The European Parliament voted 334‑324 to refer the EU‑Mercosur trade deal to the EU Court of Justice before granting final approval. The agreement, signed on Jan 17, would eliminate 91% of tariffs for a market of 700 million people, but lawmakers demand...
HSBC Buys Out Hang Seng Bank
HSBC has finalized the buyout of Hang Seng Bank, marking Hong Kong's largest privatization and the biggest financial services acquisition in the market. The transaction delists Hang Seng, aiming to merge digital banking capabilities while preserving distinct brand identities. HSBC...
Carney’s Mic-Drop Speech At Davos
Canadian Finance Minister Mark Carney used his Davos platform to warn that the post‑war rules‑based order is unraveling as great powers weaponize trade tools. He cited tariffs, financial infrastructure and supply‑chain vulnerabilities as new levers of coercion, threatening institutions like...
Saudi Arabia Opens Financial Markets To Foreign Investors
Saudi Arabia has removed the Qualified Foreign Investor (QFI) framework, permitting any international investor to trade directly on the Tadawul exchange as of February 1. The reform ends the $500 million asset threshold that previously limited foreign participation to large institutions. Foreign...
HK Fintech Wonder Secures $12m Venture Debt From HSBC to Expand Apac Operations
Hong Kong‑based fintech Wonder has closed a $12 million venture‑debt facility with HSBC Innovation Banking. The financing is earmarked for scaling its payment platform across the Asia‑Pacific region. Wonder plans to use the capital to broaden its product suite, accelerate hiring,...
Linklaters Names Long-Serving Partner as Asia Chair
Linklaters has elevated long‑time partner William Liu to the role of Asia chair, coinciding with the firm’s 50‑year anniversary in the region. Liu, previously the regional managing partner, will now steer the firm’s Asia‑Pacific strategy and client development. The promotion...
Why the Xeinadin Auction Collapse Is a Reality Check for the Mid-Tier
The episode examines the collapse of Xeinadin's £1 bn auction, highlighting it as a warning sign for mid‑tier UK accountancy firms that have pursued aggressive buy‑and‑build strategies. Host Nikita Alexander explains that despite Xeinadin’s impressive scale—130 offices and 2,500 staff—potential buyers...
Apac Capital Markets Momentum to Continue in 2026: Citi
Citi forecasts that Asia‑Pacific capital markets will maintain strong momentum into 2026, driven by robust M&A activity, heightened equity capital market (ECM) listings, and sustained debt capital market (DCM) issuance. The bank cites a multi‑year recovery, resilient corporate earnings, and...
The Latest Way to Create an Isolated Retreat: Buy a Whole Village
Wealthy entrepreneurs are buying entire abandoned European villages to create isolated hospitality retreats. Jason Lee Beckwith’s 2024 purchase of a Spanish village—complete with a church, school and pool—illustrates the trend, with many villages available for under $1 million. Rural depopulation across...
AI Is Not the only Threat Menacing Big Tech
Big tech’s revenue engine—digital advertising—is losing its perceived recession‑proof status. While the AI boom dominates headlines, analysts warn that a future economic slowdown could sharply cut ad spend, exposing firms like Meta and Google to revenue volatility. The sector has...
Dext Targets the “Last Mile” Of Bookkeeping with Integrated Payments
In this episode, Accountancy Age discusses Dext's launch of Dext Payments, which extends the platform from AI‑driven invoice capture to integrated payment processing for UK Xero users. CEO Sabby Gill and CPO Stephen Edginton explain how the new feature closes...
Energy, Healthcare and Utilities: How to Tap Into AI in the Real Economy
Artificial intelligence is moving beyond pure tech firms into the real economy, with healthcare, biotech, utilities and energy identified as primary beneficiaries. In healthcare, AI accelerates drug discovery, streamlines data processing and powers advanced robotics and brain‑interface projects, delivering measurable...
Junior ISAs Could Help with Inheritance Tax Planning as More Families Utilise Allowance
Junior ISAs are gaining traction as a tax‑efficient inheritance planning tool ahead of the April 2027 reform that will bring pensions into estate tax calculations. Families can contribute up to £3,000 per child each year, with a one‑year carry‑forward allowing £6,000...
The Major Business Names in the Epstein Files
The Justice Department released more than three million pages of Jeffrey Epstein files, exposing email correspondence that ties high‑profile business leaders such as Elon Musk and Bill Gates to the disgraced financier. The documents reveal contradictions to earlier public statements...
Nationwide: UK House Price Growth Bounced Back in January
Nationwide’s latest index shows UK average house prices rose 1% year‑on‑year in January 2026, reaching £270,873, an improvement from the 0.6% gain recorded in December. Mortgage approvals remain close to pre‑pandemic levels, suggesting lingering demand despite recent market softness. Affordability...
NS&I February Premium Bonds Winners Revealed – Did You Win £1 Million?
NS&I announced two February 2026 Premium Bonds jackpot winners, each receiving a £1 million prize. Both winners held £50,000 of bonds, one from central Bedfordshire and the other from Liverpool. The February draw featured over 6.1 million tax‑free prizes worth more than...
Should You Sell Your Affirm Stock?
Affirm (AFRM) generates most revenue from high‑interest BNPL loans, unlike peers that rely on merchant fees. The company’s aggressive lending, high leverage, and dependence on risky consumers expose it to defaults, especially if the U.S. economy slows. Regulatory attention on...
From Grants to Growth: Future-Proofing Client Funding in 2026
In this episode Kelly Oakley, Associate Director of Incentives and Reliefs at ForrestBrown, explains how advisers can move from transactional grant claims to holistic, lifecycle funding strategies for 2026. She highlights the newly stable yet complex R&D tax landscape, the...
Has America Hit “Peak Tariff”?
U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff campaign has dominated the past year, targeting Europe, South Korea and other partners with a shifting array of duties and exemptions. Recent threats over Greenland and a perceived breach by South Korea have heightened...
Trump Makes Nominee Decision for Next Fed Chair
President Donald Trump has named former Federal Reserve governor Kevin Warsh as his pick for the next Fed chair, a move that comes as markets brace for potential policy shifts. Warsh, who became the youngest Fed governor in history, is...
Why It Might Be Time to Switch Your Pension Strategy
Pension advisers now argue that age 75, not the state‑pension age, should be the focal point of retirement planning. The popularity of income drawdown means many savers keep their pots invested while taking income, but HMRC rules make tax‑free cash...
Beeks –Building the Infrastructure Behind Global Markets
Beeks Financial Cloud, a Scottish tech firm, provides private ultra‑low‑latency cloud infrastructure for high‑frequency traders and exchanges. The company has moved from one‑off hardware sales to multi‑year, revenue‑sharing contracts with major exchanges in Australia, Canada and Latin America, creating predictable...
Saba Capital: The Hedge Fund Doing Wonders for Shareholder Democracy
Saba Capital’s latest activist push to replace the board of Edinburgh Worldwide Trust was rejected, with 53% of votes opposing the resolutions despite the fund’s 30.7% stake. The vote saw a record‑high 70% shareholder turnout, indicating heightened engagement. While the...
Star Fund Managers–An Investing Style That’s Out of Fashion
Two of Britain’s most celebrated fund managers, Terry Smith and Nick Train, are grappling with several years of disappointing returns. Smith attributes the underperformance to external forces, while Train publicly accepts responsibility and apologises to investors. Both built their reputations...
Employer Compliance Update: Qualified Overtime and Tip Reporting After the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act
On July 4, 2025, the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) became law, imposing new employer tax reporting requirements for qualified overtime and tipped earnings. Employers must now report qualified overtime compensation and qualified tips separately on employees’ Form W‑2,...
Succession Risk Is No Longer A Footnote, It’s A Valuation Driver
Succession risk has shifted from a peripheral concern to a central valuation driver in M&A transactions. Buyers now discount companies lacking clear leadership continuity, leading to lower multiples, earn‑outs, and tighter deal terms. CEOs and CFOs who proactively build second‑in‑command...
Building A Billion-Dollar Fandom With David Lee, CFO And COO Of WEBTOON Entertainment
WEBTOON Entertainment, the world’s largest digital‑comics platform, went public on NASDAQ in June 2024 under the ticker WBTN. The company hosts 24 million creators who generate more than 120 000 new stories each day and reaches 160 million monthly active users, primarily 18‑to‑25‑year‑olds....
Report on Initial Public Offering Applications, Delisting and Suspensions (January 2026)
The Hong Kong Stock Exchange processed 474 IPO applications in January 2026, with 415 still under review and only 19 having reached listing status. No applications were rejected or returned, reflecting a streamlined review under the Enhanced Application Timeframe, which...
Top Reasons Homeowners Use Equity Release to Access £4 Trillion Housing Wealth
Homeowners aged 55 and over hold about £3.7 trillion of UK property wealth, 68 % of total housing value. Equity release, chiefly lifetime mortgages, is increasingly used to unlock this wealth without moving, with the market growing 11 % to £2.57 billion in 2025....
It Seems People Are Still Confused About How to Handle Our First Tax Season Without Checks
In March 2025 President Trump signed Executive Order 14247, mandating the elimination of paper checks for all federal payments by September 30 2025. The order, citing $657 million in annual Treasury costs and fraud risks, forces taxpayers, businesses, and vendors to transition to...
Federal Reserve Board Announces Appointment of Seven Members, Including Four New Members, to Its Insurance Policy Advisory Committee (IPAC)
The Federal Reserve Board announced seven appointments to its Insurance Policy Advisory Committee, including four new members and three reappointments. The IPAC, created under the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, advises the Fed on both domestic and...
The Coastal Locations Where Properties Are Losing Value
Fresh data from Property DriveBuy shows UK coastal house prices fell an average 1% in 2025, with the steepest declines in Aberystwyth (‑6.9%) and Tenby (‑5.2%). Bournemouth and Brighton also recorded drops of 3.8% and 2.4% respectively, ending a pandemic‑driven...