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Personal Finance News 30 December 2025 - 6 January 2026

UK consumer borrowing jumps as mortgage approvals dip — what the Bank of England data shows

UK consumer borrowing jumps as mortgage approvals dip — what the Bank of England data shows

London, January 6, 2026, 07:36 GMT British consumer borrowing rose by the most in two years in November, while mortgage approvals for house purchases edged lower, Bank of England data showed on Monday. Consumer borrowing grew by a net 2.08 billion pounds ($2.79 billion) during the month and mortgage approvals fell to 64,530 from 65,010 in October, the data showed. “Speculation about tax rises ahead of November’s Budget didn’t influence households’ spending decisions too much,” said Alex Kerr, UK economist at Capital Economics. Reuters The figures matter because they offer a quick read on whether household demand is holding up
6 January 2026
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HSBC cuts UK mortgage rates to start 2026 as refinancing wave builds

HSBC cuts UK mortgage rates to start 2026 as refinancing wave builds

LONDON, Jan 4, 2026, 20:13 ET HSBC UK is cutting mortgage rates across a range of residential and buy-to-let products from Jan. 5, including reductions on two-, three-, five- and 10-year fixed deals, mortgage trade publication The Intermediary reported. The changes span loans with loan-to-value ratios from 60% to 95%, the publication said. Intermediary Mortgage News The move lands as lenders reset pricing after the Bank of England lowered Bank Rate by 0.25 percentage points to 3.75% in December, according to the central bank’s meeting summary and minutes. The BoE’s next rate decision is due on Feb. 5. Bank of
5 January 2026
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Student loan wage garnishment notices start Jan. 7, risking up to 15% paycheck hit for defaulters

Student loan wage garnishment notices start Jan. 7, risking up to 15% paycheck hit for defaulters

WASHINGTON, Jan 2, 2026, 08:47 ET The Trump administration plans to send about 1,000 notices to student-loan borrowers starting the week of Jan. 7, signaling a return of wage garnishment for people in default, a local U.S. television report said late Thursday. Khqa The timing matters because the letters see their first wave landing within days, putting borrowers on the clock to respond before money starts coming out of paychecks. Federal student-loan wage garnishment is set to resume in 2026 for an estimated 5.3 million borrowers who have defaulted, The Independent reported. Independent Wage garnishment is when an employer withholds
2 January 2026
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Lloyds Bank closures start this month as 17 UK branches set to shut in January 2026

Lloyds Bank closures start this month as 17 UK branches set to shut in January 2026

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 05:38 ET Lloyds Bank will close 17 branches across Britain in January, according to closure notices posted on the lender’s branch locator website. The first closures are scheduled for Jan. 8, including the bank’s branch in Gillingham, Dorset. The timetable matters now because it lands at the start of the year, when households and small businesses often still depend on counter services for cash deposits, withdrawals and in-person support. In many towns, losing a local branch means longer travel for basic banking, particularly for older customers and people who do not bank online. The branch
2 January 2026
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India opens NPS pension funds to banks as new fee slabs start April 2026

India opens NPS pension funds to banks as new fee slabs start April 2026

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 05:26 ET India’s pension regulator has cleared scheduled commercial banks to sponsor and independently set up pension funds under the National Pension System, in a move aimed at boosting competition in the retirement savings market. The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) said the approval is “in principle” and subject to eligibility norms. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2210396&lang=1&reg=3 The decision matters now because it opens a new line of business for banks beyond distributing pension accounts to directly managing retirement money, raising the prospect of sharper competition for fund mandates. It also puts banks in the same arena
2 January 2026
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India freezes PPF, SCSS and Sukanya Samriddhi rates for Jan–Mar 2026 — what savers earn now

India freezes PPF, SCSS and Sukanya Samriddhi rates for Jan–Mar 2026 — what savers earn now

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 14:17 ET India’s finance ministry kept interest rates unchanged on a range of post office small-savings schemes for the January–March 2026 quarter, a decision that preserves returns on some of the country’s most widely held household savings products. Public Provident Fund (PPF) stays at 7.1%, while the Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS) and Sukanya Samriddhi Account remain at 8.2%, the ministry said. The Economic Times The rates matter because they set the floor for low-risk household returns just as the new quarter begins on Jan. 1, and many savers make or adjust contributions around year-end.
31 December 2025
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Last day for India taxpayers: Aadhaar–PAN linking and revised ITR deadline collide on Dec. 31

Last day for India taxpayers: Aadhaar–PAN linking and revised ITR deadline collide on Dec. 31

NEW YORK, December 30, 2025, 22:59 ET India has set a Dec. 31 deadline for a subset of Permanent Account Number (PAN) holders to provide their Aadhaar number to tax authorities, according to a government notification. (Notification No. 26/2025) The cut-off matters because PAN is the tax identity number used for filing income tax returns and is commonly required for many financial activities. A PAN that becomes inoperative can create friction for taxpayers when they file returns or complete transactions. The date also lands at the end of India’s year-end compliance window. The Income Tax Department’s tax calendar lists Dec.
31 December 2025
UK savers with £5,001 in the bank get a fresh warning as Yorkshire Building Society flags 12 million low-rate accounts

UK savers with £5,001 in the bank get a fresh warning as Yorkshire Building Society flags 12 million low-rate accounts

NEW YORK, December 30, 2025, 16:40 ET Yorkshire Building Society said new research shows more than 12 million UK current accounts hold balances of £5,001 or more while paying interest of 1% or less. GB News The warning lands as households look for ways to stretch budgets and reduce reliance on borrowing, with rates on some savings products far above what most current accounts pay. For people holding spare cash, the cost of staying put can run into the hundreds of pounds a year, at a time when even small gains can offset everyday expenses. The lender, a member-owned “building
30 December 2025
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Canada’s 2026 TFSA limit is $7,000 as tax brackets rise: key CRA dates ahead

Canada’s 2026 TFSA limit is $7,000 as tax brackets rise: key CRA dates ahead

NEW YORK, December 30, 2025, 11:34 ET Canada’s federal income tax brackets for 2026 will rise 2% with inflation and the lowest federal rate will be 14%, Canada Revenue Agency payroll tables show. The first bracket runs to C$58,523 and the top threshold begins at C$258,482, the tables show. Canada Why it matters now: employers set January payroll withholdings in days, and households are already lining up their first-quarter cash flows and registered-account contributions. The new year also brings a fresh set of deadlines for the 2025 tax season. Missing a filing date or misreading contribution room can quickly turn
30 December 2025
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Kevin O’Leary’s $15 salad warning: Shark Tank star says lunch splurges can drain $500,000 from retirement

Kevin O’Leary’s $15 salad warning: Shark Tank star says lunch splurges can drain $500,000 from retirement

NEW YORK, December 30, 2025, 11:00 ET Kevin O’Leary said people who insist they cannot afford to invest often make room in their budgets for recurring small purchases, including what he called $15 lunch salads. “People tell me they don’t have money to invest. And then I watch them spend $15 on a salad for lunch,” O’Leary said in a YouTube video this month. Benzinga The message is landing as households keep looking for ways to stretch paychecks, even as everyday costs remain a top concern. The latest annual Consumer Expenditure Survey from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics —
30 December 2025
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Martin Lewis flags Premium Bonds trade-off as 4.5% UK savings rates stay on top

Martin Lewis flags Premium Bonds trade-off as 4.5% UK savings rates stay on top

NEW YORK, December 30, 2025, 02:07 ET MoneySavingExpert updated its savings best-buy list on December 29, showing easy-access accounts paying up to 4.5% and one-year fixed deals topping out at 4.46%, as UK banks compete for deposits. MoneySavingExpert.com That matters because Premium Bonds remain a popular place to park cash, but they pay out through a monthly prize draw rather than a guaranteed interest rate. For savers who want certainty, the gap between top bank rates and prize-based returns can be hard to ignore. NS&I’s prize checker shows the next Premium Bonds results are due on January 3, after the
30 December 2025
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Mortgage rates in 2026: Why Fed cuts may not lower home loans as much as buyers hope

Mortgage rates in 2026: Why Fed cuts may not lower home loans as much as buyers hope

NEW YORK, December 29, 2025, 21:06 ET U.S. mortgage rates have edged down to about 6.18% for a 30-year fixed loan, but economists say Federal Reserve rate cuts may not translate into a big drop in 2026. The issue matters as the housing market heads into the new year with affordability still tight and millions of would-be buyers waiting for financing to ease. The Fed wrapped up 2025 with another quarter-point cut in early December, its third cut of the year, CBS News reported. (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fed-rate-cuts-mortgage-rates-what-buyers-can-expect-in-2026-experts-say/) Even modest rate moves are showing up in demand. The National Association of Realtors said
30 December 2025
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Stock Market Today

CapitaLand Investment share price jumps as CapitaLand REIT payouts roll in — what’s next for 9CI

CapitaLand Investment share price jumps as CapitaLand REIT payouts roll in — what’s next for 9CI

7 February 2026
CapitaLand Investment shares rose 1.3% to S$3.12 on Friday, bucking a 0.8% drop in Singapore’s benchmark index. CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust reported a 16.4% jump in second-half distributable income, while CapitaLand Ascendas REIT posted a 1.4% full-year rise. CapitaLand China Trust saw full-year DPU fall to 4.82 cents amid weaker yuan and occupancy. CLI reports FY2025 results on Feb. 11.
Keppel stock holds near 12-year high after profit jump, special dividend; buyback adds support

Keppel stock holds near 12-year high after profit jump, special dividend; buyback adds support

7 February 2026
Keppel shares closed at S$11.64 on Friday, up 0.17%, after surging 6.1% the previous day on stronger FY2025 profit and a larger dividend plan. The company bought back 151,400 shares for about S$1.74 million. Keppel reported a 29% rise in full-year profit to S$1.02 billion and proposed a total distribution of 47 cents per share, including a special dividend partly paid in Keppel REIT units.
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