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2018 Q2 Report

06th November 201820th December 2018
By Oakwood Mortgage ServicesIn General

We’ve scoured the global news headlines to recap the most significant geopolitical and economic events which took place in the second quarter of 2018, as Donald Trump’s unconventional approach to foreign policy sent mixed signals to the financial markets.

UK

Brexit dominated the political agenda in the UK throughout the quarter. Prime Minister Theresa May struggled to come up with a customs deal which would not only satisfy the European Union but would also be acceptable to Tory MPs on both sides of the debate. However, Parliament narrowly passed the EU Withdrawal Bill in June after Mrs. May overcame challenges from the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Against this backdrop, the Bank of England decided not to raise interest rates, although a six-to-three split on the Monetary Policy Committee signalled the likelihood of a hike in August – something that was indeed realised.

US

Despite seeming unlikely in the preceding months Donald Trump became the first US President to meet with a North Korean leader when he travelled to Singapore in June for an historic summit with Kim Jong Un. The summit represented an important step in the thawing of relations between the two countries, although it failed to deliver any concrete outcomes. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve – the most advanced of the world’s central banks in the monetary tightening cycle – raised interest rates for the second time in 2018 and hinted at two more hikes over the next six months.

Asia

Trade tensions continued between China and the US, despite appearing to ease in April as President Xi Jinping offered foreign companies, including the finance and automotive industries, greater access to Chinese markets. Two rounds of talks failed to produce any tangible results, so Donald Trump followed through on his pledge to impose tariffs on Chinese goods. China responded in kind. In other Asian news, the Bank of Japan decided to scrap its goal of raising inflation to 2% by the end of the first quarter of 2020.

Europe

The US also introduced tariffs on European steel imports and the EU countered by imposing levies of its own on a range of American goods including motorbikes and whiskey. Turning to economics, the European Central Bank (ECB) decided to leave interest rates unchanged at its April meeting and announced it would scale back its monthly bond-buying programme after September 2018 and end it completely in December.

Latin America

A mid economic reforms, in May, Argentina’s central bank raised interest rates three times in eight days to 40%, as it attempted to support the peso and bring down inflation. Elsewhere, populist candidate Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador topped the polls ahead of presidential elections in Mexico, and the US imposed new sanctions on Venezuela banning the purchase of debt owed to the government and state-run oil company PDVSA.

If you are concerned about how global events can impact your investment portfolio, please get in touch.

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Oakwood Mortgage Services Ltd
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Sharon Price
Sharon Price
15:30 12 Aug 20
In these current times Stuart has assisted me with a temporary solution to my mortgage issues which went very smoothly. I will be working with Stuart again very soon to change mortgage product completely. Thank you Oak wood Mortgage Services
Ben Brown
Ben Brown
16:38 31 Jul 20
I would like to say a huge thank you to Oakwood Mortgage Services and in particular to Richard Burley who seems capable of working miracles, particularly when dealing with the complicated applications of a sportsman. Richard’s calm manner and problem solving have been brilliant over the years and allowed both Katie and I to stay relaxed and in control during stressful house buying moments, as well as helping us to navigate the the complex buy-to-let market! We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Richard and Oakwood mortgage services ahead of moving house next week, and I would highly recommend their services. In particular I would recommend them to other sports people who have previously struggled with mortgage companies based on our short contracts and the potentially volatile nature of our work. Thanks again Richard. Ben and Katie
Gwenie Ralph
Gwenie Ralph
20:57 06 Jul 20
I gave Stuart at Oakwood Mortgage services a challenge of finding me an impossible mortgage. I knew I wouldn't get exactly what I wanted, but he came up with some nice surprises. He explained everything, not pushy at all, a friendly and professional approach. Thank you
nicky Myers
nicky Myers
19:17 25 May 20
We were first time buyers and dealt with Richard around the mortgage application. He helped us understand each process, explaining everything thoroughly and came to meet us twice where he was very personal and efficient. Dave took us through the building and contents and life insurance process, again coming to meet us in person and took us through the options, step by step. Dave was very communicative and answered any questions we had.Emma was there throughout this process and on hand with any urgent queries we had and was a delight to deal with.They managed to make it all happen, even during lockdown!Highly recommend Richard, Dave, Emma and Oakwood. We are very happy in our new home!
Daniella Castro Gouveia
Daniella Castro Gouveia
11:31 19 May 20
I have worked with a number of the Oakwood team over many years and they are all excellent and totally professional at what they do. Dave came to our family home a few years ago to discuss and advise us in terms of financial insurance. He was very knowledgeable, really easy to talk to. Sometimes discussing financial things can be quite tricky to understand, but I felt at complete ease with Dave. I would highly recommend speaking to him if you need insurance or even need a mortgage as he covers both areas. Thanks for all your support Dave. It's always good to have someone who has your back!
Richard Craven
Richard Craven
19:12 03 May 19
Stuart was excellent, helped me obtain a mortgage quickly and painlessly with minimal effort and was always ready to promptly answer any questions I had.
Andrew South
Andrew South
17:50 26 Mar 19
Stuart was very profession and friendly, He was there to help when something went wrong.Highly recommend!!
Ian L
Ian L
13:45 03 Jan 19
When we started looking for a house, we contacted Stuart based on a work colleague's recommendation. Having not bought a house in the UK before, we had a lot of questions.Stuart guided us through the process and was always available to answers questions and provide advice that was easy to understand.We had a protracted period between initial contact and purchase, in this time Stuart was patient, professional and provided us with a high level of confidence that we were in capable hands.A huge thank you to Stuart and the staff at Oakwood, we would not hesitate to recommend them.Ian and Yoosun
Claire Vince
Claire Vince
22:13 21 Dec 18
Great service. Paul talked us through everything really clearly and made the whole process very smooth and straightforward. We have recommended Oakwood to friends as a result.
Christopher Relph
Christopher Relph
23:27 29 Aug 18
The team is very friendly, professional and knowledgeable on their given subject. My situation was rather unusual and my options were very limited, if i had tried on my own i wouldn't have found the best deal for me. The information provided to me was well presented and insightful, if anything was unclear they made sure that i understood things fully. In the end they found the best deal out there that ticked all the boxes i needed and went above and beyond. To make sure i wasn't put into a position i couldn't afford to be in Stuart would go to an agent and tell them when things weren't possible, even when they were insistent on getting a deal, Stuart had my back in it!I can't recommend them enough, and will be returning to them down the line myself!
Sam Eccles
Sam Eccles
15:35 24 Jul 18
Top notch service. Friendly, prompt and accessible no matter where you are based (I'm in the Highlands). Much better service than that experienced by local face-to-face advisers with a large portfolio of companies that ensure you can get the mortgage to suit your needs. Have happily referred to others in less than usual circumstances, all of whom have come away delighted
Michelle Ames
Michelle Ames
18:20 07 Jul 18
Highly recommend. We were first time buyers and Stuart made the process simple and efficient. We found our property and made an offer on the spot, but the agents needed to speak to Stuart before stopping further viewings, so he dropped everything whilst at a conference and the rest is history. Buying a house is an emotional time, so having the mortgage element handled by a professional, yet down to earth person like Stuart was invaluable to us. Thanks Stuart.
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