The forgotten heroes of the Silicon Valley boom

Canny investors hoping to unearth a tech start-up that can break the stranglehold of the likes of Facebook, Google or Amazon face a near impossible task. But that does not mean there aren't opportunities for upstart firms to offer bumper profits. The key, says Britain's top technology investor Ben Rogoff, is to find a service which can 'bleed in to every part of our lives'.

Income funds might not seem as exciting as their growth cousins, but dividends can generate significant returns in the long run - and experts at Sanlam have revealed their top funds.

How much state pension will I get after 51 years working?

Under the transition from the old to the new state pension, you are meant to get the higher of the two amounts calculated under the two systems. Since I will have paid full National Insurance for 51 years when I retire aged 66, could I be entitled to a £200 per week state pension?

The Chancellor asked for ideas for inheritance tax to be simplified this week, but should we even have a death tax at all? We look at how it works, how to avoid it and whether it should be cut.

The price of the digital currency soared from below $1,000 to nearly $20,000 last year - triggering a stampede to invest among fortune seekers.

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MARKET REPORT: Broker argues with Purplebricks over sales

A spat has broken out between Purplebricks and investment bank Jefferies over allegations the online estate agent sells fewer homes than it claims. The dispute, which concerns the proportion of properties sold on Purplebricks' website within ten months, first erupted on Thursday when Jefferies compared a listing with the online agent to a '£1,000 coin toss' - basically suggesting homeowners had a 50/50 chance of selling their property.

The pharmaceuticals giant has seen sales in China surge 30 per cent as the country has become its second biggest market behind the US. Boss Pascal Soriot is targeting even faster growth.

Rugby commentators often refer to the 'hospital pass' - a suicidal lob to a team-mate which leaves the poor wretch getting unavoidably nobbled by an opponent.

A bombshell report yesterday revealed that investors are paying £65m a year in fees to fund managers who consistently fail to beat the stock market.

The Markit/CIPS UK construction purchasing managers' index recorded a reading of 50.2 in January, down from 52.2 in December. A reading above 50 indicates growth.

The Pensions Regulator has shown it means business by pursuing former BHS boss Dominic Chappell after breaches of rules - and is chasing him for £10m.

How Philip Hammond should improve inheritance tax

News of an inheritance tax overhaul has led to an outpouring of helpful suggestions from experts - and top of the wishlist is ditching or revising George Osborne's new property rules. Chancellor Philip Hammond is also being warned against any sneaky new ploys to raise revenues from people passing on wealth to loved ones.

Mercedes-Benz tonight (Friday) took the covers off its new A-Class hatchback - with Britain on track to be the biggest global market for the car.

Templeton Emerging Markets seeks out companies with potential to boom in some of the world's fastest-growing economies, such as China, Mexico, Taiwan and India.

Personal pensions come under scrutiny by FCA

FCA will look at whether consumer protections need to be introduced after an investigation into whether personal pensions are too complicated, hard to swap between, or over-priced. Regulators are turning their attention to 'non-workplace' pensions after a sweeping overhaul of work schemes in recent years.

That's a 40 per cent higher debt pile than last year - although the annual figure tends to be volatile, after soaring to £38,200 in 2012 but falling to £18,800 in 2016.

The leading cryptocurrency looks set to end a week of gut-wrenching falls with at least $50bn wiped off its value even after it staged a slight recovery to stand at $8,400.

My brother and his family live in my late mother's home

Our mother passed away in 2013 leaving the estate to be divided between siblings.The time now has come where we feel that it is time to sell, but my brother still lives there. As the executor how can we make this legal without losing our individual share of the estate? Paul Handford, lawyer at Which! Legal (pictured), explains the options.

Gary Greenberg: Emerging markets can continue to climb

Emerging markets have not been regarded as a hot ticket by investors for some time, but those who did invest have been richly rewarded. Can that continue? We ask Gary Greenberg, manager of Hermes Global Emerging Markets, the top fund in the sector over five years, which has almost doubled investors money over that time.

Stellar Diamonds was by far and away the top riser in London this week after the junior miner told investor investors it is in "advanced negotiations" over a possible takeover offer

Two exchange traded funds that track the same market index will generate identical performance, so should you simply choose the cheapest? Not always, as you need to know about tracking error.

How to handle job interview questions by phone or Skype

In the 21st Century, job interviews are just as likely to be conducted outside the confines of an office as they are inside - and that may terrify some. In the latest in our interview cheat sheet series, we take a look at how to tackle tricky interviews in locations outside of the office.

With people tying up more money in property and private pensions, an ever growing number of households is worth £1million or more, official data reveals.

When the lights turn green the LED lights will separate the lanes for the flow of traffic so that drivers don't drift over the white lines as they negotiate the multiple-exit roundabout.

Make inheritance tax work better by cutting it to 20%

Whatever his real motivation, the Chancellor had a point in his call to put inheritance tax under review - it has a stupidly complicated set of rules and reliefs and is only getting worse. So, if the Chancellor really wants to simplify IHT, here is an idea: get rid of all the fiddly reliefs, keep a tax-free threshold and cut inheritance tax to a flat 20% above it.

Out of the 124,000 homeowners currently receiving Support for Mortgage Interest, just 6,800 people have chosen to take up the loan option when the benefit is scrapped in 10 weeks.

Oxford is a prime example of how skewed the property market in certain areas has become, with prices typically 11.5 times average yearly wages, according to Lloyds Bank.

£1 coin with minting error could sell for thousands

A 12-sided £1 coin with a minting error is set to sell for thousands of pounds at an upcoming auction. The coin, appears to have been struck using the new dies on the now obsolete single metal blank of its predecessor. It means the coins appears as entirely gold in colour, rather than the bi-metallic colour it should be. There is already a pre-bid of £900.

While Santander topped the table for the lowest rate - a two-year fix at 1.09 per cent - it dropped to 21st place when deals were ranked by their true cost and the deal's £1,499 fee was taken into account.

There are many things that can affect people's mental health and money worries are one of them. To mark Time to Talk day, Yorkshire BS has explained how financial institutions can help.

BT reports falling earnings and revenue

Telecoms giant BT has revealed a fall in revenues for the last three months of 2017 as higher business rates and pension charges hit. Revenue slid three per cent in three months up to 31 December for the group, with adjusted earnings down two per cent to £1.8billion after the firm invested more into mobiles and improving customer service.

In a boost to Donald Trump and his plans to turbocharge the economy, the number in work rose by 200,000 in January after a 160,000 increase in December.

Regulator Ofgem will study the estimates that the upstart energy firm gave customers to determine whether it has breached its licence conditions.

Sainsbury's has forked out £60m to buy the Nectar loyalty card business in a bid to make the supermarket more profitable and understand its customers 'better than anyone else'.

The fashion company, owned by Sir Paul Smith, said it was battling to remain relevant with customers as it reported sluggish 3 per cent growth in sales in the year ending June 30.

The Big Four supermarket is axing mid-level management positions like warehouse managers, and introducing 1,700 lower-paid shop floor roles such as checkout workers and shelf stackers.

The Pensions Regulator watchdog confirmed it served a determination notice on Chappell last month, seeking money owed. The entrepreneur has 28 days from receiving the notice to appeal.

Amazon's £42bn earnings trounces Apple and Google

Jeff Bezos' internet shopping firm made more than £42bn in the last quarter of 2017- more than £460m a day. It was the star performer as Apple and Google's parent company, Alphabet, also revealed earnings. The three firms have been in a race to become the world's first ever $1 trillion company.

More than 450 employees face losing their job as Marks & Spencer cuts stores as part of its cost-cutting drive to get the business back on track.

UK construction giran Carillion went into compulsory liquidation on Monday January 12 with debts of up to £5bn including a black hole in its pension fund of up to £2.6bn.

Once known for household staples such as Dove, Marmite and Ben & Jerry's ice cream, Unilever has staged a series of swoops, such as £2bn takeover of Korean skincare brand Carver Korea last year.

GKN employs around 9,000 in the UK and more than 58,000 around the world, with clients including UK and US militaries, and Airbus.

Neil Woodford's 'painful' year worsens amid Capita losses

It seems there is no end yet in sight to Neil Woodford's 'incredibly painful' period after his funds took a big hit from beleaguered Capita today. FTSE-250 listed outsourcing group Capita has seen its share price plunge by 45 per cent today after issuing a profits warning for the year ahead. Woodford has been a long-term backer of Capita  and holds the stock in his Woodford Equity Income and Income Focus funds.

A profit warning from government contractor Capita sent shares tumbling across its sector on Wednesday. After Carillion's collapse we look at the problems facing these firms.

In a profit warning that sent shares crashing 47.5 per cent, chief executive Jonathan Lewis, who took over last month, said the firm had spread itself too thin and needed a major overhaul.

The ex-spy who uses his thumbprint to beat fraudsters 

The Carphone Warehouse in Scarborough's Brunswick shopping centre is bustling with customers. It's Friday afternoon and around a dozen shoppers are crowded around brightly-lit displays that show off the latest Apple and Samsung smartphones, while two shop assistants struggle to keep up at the tills. This is where Jamie Jamieson, who lives in the seaside resort, first tested a system which he claims can defeat identity fraud. Fourteen years ago, Jamie, 69, began using his thumbprint to verify his identity. He added a note to his credit file stating that any application for a financial deal in his name must not be accepted unless it has his thumbprint on it.

Twenty Byron outlets are at risk of being axed, including those in Bristol, Glasgow, Manchester Deansgate and Windsor as part of a deal given the go-ahead by creditors today.

Many car makers have extended scrappage schemes into 2018. Dacia, Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, PSA, Renault, Toyota and the VW Group all have trade-in offers.

Surrey mansion has ballroom that turns into swimming pool

Imagine a house with almost every conceivable luxury and this property for sale in one of the most exclusive parts of the country must surely be close to the mark. The brand new home in Surrey's Weybridge is called Whitelands, and has some standout features that won't be found in your average detached family home.

How to avoid things that make car insurance more expensive

Today you can buy all manner of tweaks for your car - from alloy wheels to 'car bras' which protect the bonnet and badge from the elements. But insurers tend to take a dim view of such additions. Relatively small changes to your car can have a big effect on the price you pay for insurance. From a non-standard exhaust, to adding a sat nav, and even the month you renew matters.

In what's being described as a feeding frenzy, financial advisers are also running so-called pension parties to lure workers into ditching their gold-plated retirement plans.

Of the 44 UK police forces contacted, 16 said they 'routinely' deployed the vans to catch all law-breaking drivers - not just speeders - while a further four admitted to using the vehicles occasionally.

Great British Entrepreneur Challenge winners revealed

Business angel Andy Yates and This is Money have been on a mission to find great entrepreneurs from all walks of life. Now the results are in and we are proud to announce the winners. The hard work begins now to turn entrepreneurial dreams into reality. There is no guarantee of success, but we can guarantee the journey will continue to be exciting.

The doorstep salesmen paid to flog you a smart meter

Energy salesmen are being offered commissions of up to £50,000 a year to convince homeowners to install smart energy meters. Our investigation found staff are being recruited to knock on doors and phone customers on behalf of major energy companies. Job advertisements posted online state that they will be selling new digital smart meters.

Hundreds of thousands of people who overpaid for power of attorney will find out how to claim a partial refund tomorrow, we can reveal.

TSB Bank was forced to pay £18,768 to an elderly couple who fell victim to a scam. Crooks, posing as police officers, called the pair claiming their money was at risk.

ASK TONY: Our Virgin landline hasn't worked for 2 months

Our Virgin landline has not worked for more than two months and after receiving one letter from Virgin, we have had nothing since and it has not addressed the issue of compensation. My husband is 86 and in very poor health. I am 76. When he needed to go to hospital with a suspected heart attack, we had to use a mobile phone because our landline wasn't working. The mobile was also not working properly - this caused considerable delay. It has also proved impossible for people to contact us, which meant we missed a hospital appointment. When I try to contact Virgin, we go round in circles. My friends and family have also tried on our behalf.

Could the era of miserly savings rates be at an end?

The light at the end of a very long tunnel could finally be in sight for savers. Two Bank of England schemes giving banks and building societies a cheap source of money are set to end, and lenders could once again have to look to savers. A rise in Bank of England base rate from its current 0.5 per cent to 0.75 per cent is on the cards for later this year - which will also work in savers' favour.

Rates on fixed rate bonds continue to edge up. Atom Bank has raised the rate for new savers in its one-year bond to 1.95 per cent while Secure Trust now pays 1.81 per cent.

Inheritance tax review ordered by Philip Hammond

Officials are set to probe everything from submitting returns and paying tax, to making IHT-free gifts and estate planning - but there is no indication of whether the 40 per cent 'death tax' levy could be cut. Chancellor Philip Hammond calls the current inheritance tax regime 'particularly complex' in a letter to the Office of Tax Simplification/

Since when did anyone need a machine to tell them they're using electricity? TV on; energy being used. Washing machine on; energy being used. Fairly simple, isn't it?

This week, television streaming giant Netflix revealed record subscription growth piling pressure onto terrestrial British TV channels, along with telecoms giants such as BT and Sky.

Borrowers in denial over interest-only timebomb mortgages

A stern warning from the UK financial services watchdog says there are 1.67 million people in Britain with either a part or full interest-only mortgage - equivalent to one in five homeowners in the UK. Many of these borrowers are coming up to the end of their 25-year terms and have no idea how they'll repay their mortgage.

Research from specialist buy-to-let mortgage broker Mortgages for Business shows landlords who let out property on a room-by-room basis are still raking in yields of 8.9 per cent.

A decrease in demand has widened the gap between asking and achieved home prices in London and other southern cities in the UK, recent numbers from the House Price Index show.

Four tips to protect your investments against a fall

As investors we're constantly told that 'markets can go up as well as down'. But if you've forgotten the last part, it's probably because 2017 was a year of almost all up and very little down. But there's no guarantee that this year will be more of the same. With the era of cheap money being wound down, the spectre of inflation and political worries, volatility may very well return with a vengeance.

A rising pound may spell good news for holiday-makers looking to get more bang for their buck abroad, but could alarm global companies on the key FTSE index.

Ten of those projects were individually worth more than £150m, according to figures published by construction analysts Barbour ABI.

How to check hidden fund fees

Investors of popular funds are paying up to three times more than the ticketed prices once transaction and platform costs are added, according new research by the Lang Cat. New rules that have forced fund managers to disclose these and shown how some are far more expensive than was previously claimed - eating into investors' returns.

The companies have seen huge growth in a matter of years but their shares have also surged to such a point where they appear eye-wateringly expensive. Here's the key measure to watch before you buy.

'Good Brexit' could boost annuity rates and pension income

Annuity rates could finally start to increase in 2018 and their popularity grow once again, says expert Billy Burrows of financial adviser Better Retirement. He explains why rates have been low for so long, and what might happen to boost them again, including a 'good Brexit' that keeps the economy steady and nudges interest rates higher.

50 ways to save money....

To clear the average national household debt of £13,000 at 6% interest with a monthly repayment of £100 will take around 17 years. There are, however, plenty of simple ways to make significant savings on your regular spending that could clear your debt - or boost your savings - in less than a year. This is Money's top 50 - updated - money-saving tips may appear light-hearted but are deadly serious.

Pick the best (and cheapest) investment Isa platform

Choosing the right DIY platform is crucial but a wealth of choice and changes to charges have left many investors scratching their heads. We pick some of the best. We also highlight why investing in an Isa makes sense, as it should protect your hopefully growing investments from tax forever.

We asked trusted experts to recommend the best funds that cover different investment sectors - and included This is Money's selection of active and passive options too.

Rightly or wrongly, some people simply want a quick, straightforward route map to investing in an Isa. To that end, this is our distilled guide to getting started.

How much money do I need to save for my pension?

The amount you can save into a pension ultimately depends on what you can afford - but the longer you leave it the more you will need to save. We tend to put ambitious targets on our hoped-for income in retirement and then underestimate how much we will need to set aside to achieve that. So how much should you save?

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Making the most of a pension is your best chance of securing a decent income when you retire. We explain what you need to know.

Even at a time when we are stretching our finances further to afford a home, moving less, and pushing mortgages beyond 30 years, we still remain captivated by two-year fixed rate deals.

When will UK interest rates rise?

All nine Bank of England policymakers voted to leave interest rates unchanged in December as they said inflation should start easing back next year. The Bank also said that different economic indicators suggested growth was likely to have slowed down as they year ends.

What next for mortgage rates?

Borrowers are being offered a raft of cheap fixed rate mortgages as lenders attempt to lure them into remortgaging or buying a home. But HSBC has decided to buck the trend and launch a new rate mortgage that is a tracker instead. We pick out the best fixed and tracker rate mortgages and look at what next for rates.

Ten tips for buy-to-let

For many buy-to-let looks an attractive income investment in a time of low rates and stock market volatility. Climbing house prices, rising rents and improving mortgage deals are tempting investors - although they will need a big deposit. Read This is Money's top ten buy-to-let tips

   

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