Latest news with #PrivateOffice
Sky News
5 days ago
- Business
- Sky News
Regular savings rates fall - and you need to keep your eye on the small print
For this week's guide, Anna Bowes, personal finance expert from The Private Office, looks at where rates are falling... Savings rates have resisted the Bank of England's base rate cut in recent weeks, but the top rates on offer have now begun to fall - and the terms and conditions for some of them have changed. Atom Bank's Instant Saver Reward account, for example, is offering the top rate at 4.75% AER, but if you make a withdrawal, the rate falls to 2.5% for the month that follows. "It's important to double-check the small print, as many of the top rate accounts have either restricted access to the cash, which means that if you make some or too many withdrawals, you could earn less interest than you were expecting - or there may be a short-term bonus," Bowes says. Here are the best rates available... Fixed-rate bonds The fixed-rate bond market looks different, with rates across all terms increasing slightly as markets expect no changes to be made to the base rate for a while. While the new rates are only marginally higher, it does mean that savers have more inflation-beating options to choose from. "Choosing a longer-term bond could be a way of hedging against any further base rate cuts that are still expected to happen over the next year or so," Bowes adds. Here's a look at the best rates available. All of these accounts can be opened online and can't be accessed during the term... Easy access cash ISAs Unlike fixed-rate cash ISAs, which haven't changed over the past week, competition is fierce among easy access cash ISA providers. Yet a few rates have been cut this week, which may indicate the start of a lull. The top easy access ISA is 4.85% with Plum, while a week ago Chip was offering 4.99% on its Chip Cash ISA. Those who opened the account before this latest rate cut will still continue to earn the higher rate - for the time being at least. "Currently it would appear that the best paying cash ISA on the market is the Moneybox Cash ISA, paying 5.46%. But this rate includes a bonus of 1.51% for just three months, after which the rate will fall to 3.95% - this account also restricts the number of penalty free withdrawals," Bowes explains. "The advice would be to check the interest you are earning on your savings and switch, where possible, if you can improve your returns - but watch out for any tricks that might catch you out." Here are the best rates on the market...
Times of Oman
05-05-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
HM The Sultan, Algerian President hold bilateral meeting and talks session
Algiers: His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and President Abdelamdjid Tebboune of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria held a bilateral meeting at the Presidency of the Republic in the capital Algiers on Monday. The meeting reviewed areas of bilateral cooperation and means of promoting them to serve interests of the two peoples. The two leaders also exchanged views on a set of regional and international developments. After that, an official session of talks was held under that chair of His Majesty the Sultan and the Algerian President. The session explored opportunities for economic and investment cooperation between the two countries in various sectors, particularly renewable energy, pharmaceutical industries, agriculture, marine resources, food security, and financial and logistical investment. The two sides also exchanged views on a set of matters of interest to the two countries. The session was attended from the Omani side by HH Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs, Sayyid Khalid bin Hilal Al Busaidi, Minister of the Diwan of Royal Court, Gen. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Nuamani, Minister of the Royal Office, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, Dr. Hamad bin Said Al Aufi, Head of the Private Office, Abdussalam bin Mohammed Al Murshidi, Chairman of Oman Investment Authority, Dr. Saud bin Hamoud Al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, Dr. Hilal bin Ali Al Sabti, Minister of Health and Saif bin Nassir Al Badaai, Ambassador of Oman to Algeria.
Observer
05-05-2025
- Business
- Observer
HM, Algerian President hold bilateral meeting, talks session
Algiers: His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and President Abdelamdjid Tebboune of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria held a bilateral meeting at the Presidency of the Republic in the capital Algiers on Monday. The meeting reviewed areas of bilateral cooperation and means of promoting them to serve the interests of the two peoples. The two leaders also exchanged views on a set of regional and international developments. After that, an official session of talks was held under the chair of His Majesty the Sultan and the Algerian President. The session explored opportunities for economic and investment cooperation between the two countries in various sectors, particularly renewable energy, pharmaceutical industries, agriculture, marine resources, food security, and financial and logistical investment. The two sides also exchanged views on a set of matters of interest to the two countries. The session was attended from the Omani side by HH Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs, Sayyid Khalid bin Hilal al Busaidi, Minister of the Diwan of Royal Court, Gen Sultan bin Mohammed al Nuamani, Minister of the Royal Office, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, Dr Hamad bin Said al Aufi, Head of the Private Office, Abdussalam bin Mohammed al Murshidi, Chairman of Oman Investment Authority, Dr Saud bin Hamoud al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, Dr Hilal bin Ali al Sabti, Minister of Health and Saif bin Nassir al Badaai, Ambassador of Oman to Algeria. Meanwhile, it was attended from the Algerian side by some senior officials.
Times of Oman
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Times of Oman
HM the Sultan to visit Algeria on Sunday
Muscat: His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik will go on a state-visit to the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria on Sunday. A statement was issued by the Diwan of Royal Court to this effect. It reads as follows: 'Stemming from the historical relations binding the Sultanate of Oman and the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik will go on a state-visit to Algeria on 4-5 May 2025, in response to an invitation from President Abdelamdjid Tebboune of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria. The visit underscores the keenness of the two countries' leaderships on enhancing the fraternal ties. During the visit, the two leaders will discuss all areas of cooperation in a manner that elevates the bilateral relations to a level that meets the desired goals in various fields and serves the joint interests. The two leaders will also exchange views on a set of matters that boost the joint Arab action, in addition to addressing the regional and international developments. During the visit, His Majesty the Sultan will be accompanied by a high-ranking official delegation comprising HH Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs, Sayyid Khalid bin Hilal Al Busaidi, Minister of the Diwan of Royal Court, Gen. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Nuamani, Minister of the Royal Office, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, Dr. Hamad bin Said Al Aufi, Head of the Private Office, Abdussalam bin Mohammed Al Murshidi, Chairman of Oman Investment Authority, Dr. Saud bin Hamoud Al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, Dr. Hilal bin Ali Al Sabti, Minister of Health and Saif bin Nassir Al Badaai, Ambassador of Oman to Algeria. May the Almighty Allah protect His Majesty the Sultan in his journeys and guard him as a source of pride for his nation!'
Times of Oman
09-04-2025
- Health
- Times of Oman
Oman National Health Policy launched to bolster healthcare
Muscat: The Ministry of Health launched Oman National Health Policy on Wednesday. This comes as part of efforts to bolster the healthcare system in the Sultanate of Oman and to achieve objectives of Oman Vision 2040. The launching ceremony was held under the auspices of Sayyid Dr. Sultan Ya'arub Al Busaidi, Advisor at the Private Office. The launch programme featured a speech by Dr. Ahmed Salem Al Mandhari, the Ministry of Health's Undersecretary for Health Planning and Regulation, who emphasised that this achievement would not have been possible without the tireless efforts and fruitful collaboration across various sectors and partners. He explained that the policy was developed in a participatory manner, ensuring its alignment with Oman Vision 2040 and its responsiveness to global health developments, making it the cornerstone for a more efficient, equitable, and sustainable healthcare system. Al Mandhari highlighted that the policy is grounded in the principle of 'Health for All, by All,' which reflects a shared vision where health is a collective responsibility that requires the joint efforts of all sectors and partners. He added that it is well-known that individual and community health is influenced by several factors beyond the traditional healthcare sector, such as education, housing, income levels, working conditions, environmental, and economic factors. This is why the Health in All Policies (HiAP) approach has been adopted. He emphasised the importance of cooperation and integration between government and non-government sectors, stakeholders, and the community to maximize health benefits and minimize the negative impact of public policies on individual health. He outlined that the goals of the HiAP approach include improving the health of populations, promoting health equity, ensuring the integration of health considerations into government policy-making, and supporting the sustainability of decisions that prioritize public health while preventing potential health harms. For her part, Dr. Hana Balkhy, Regional Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, emphasized in her speech on behalf of the Organization that Oman National Health Policy aligns with the WHO's Fourteenth General Programme of Work, the Strategic Operational Plan for the Eastern Mediterranean Region 2025-2028, and the WHO's three regional flagship initiatives on expanding access to medicines, building up the health workforce, and tackling substance use. Dr. Balkhy also pointed out that one of the strengths of this NHP is its recognition that a population's health and well-being is a responsibility shared by all. The National Health Policy represents a pivotal advancement in the development of Oman's healthcare system and serves as a fundamental update to previous policies. It prioritizes sustainability, governance, and the strengthening of cross-sector partnerships. The policy introduces a comprehensive healthcare model that not only addresses demographic and epidemiological shifts but also emphasizes sustainable health financing and the integration of digital technologies to improve service delivery. This policy is designed to tackle the key challenges facing the healthcare sector, including the rise in non-communicable diseases, the growing elderly population, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of health financing.
