Pocketful of Dirhams

There’s a lot of content that goes viral on popular short-form video app TikTok these days. Think pranks, dance challenges, lifestyle tips and even the trolling of former US president Donald Trump thanks to a merry band of K-Pop fans and Tiktok teens. But there’s one surprising sector that Gen Zs and millennials are also embracing: personal finance advice. Dubbed FinTok, youth are flocking to TikTok channels that offer a range of entertaining smart money tips that help them understand the complexities of credit cards, loans, interest and even how to invest.

Host Felicity Glover, the Personal Finance Editor at The National, is joined by Nathan McFarlane, the founder of Dubai-based Help With Debt and a rising FinTok influencer in the Middle East, who offers his advice on how to get the most out of personal finance advice on TikTok.

While the Covid-19 crisis has decimated the finances of some people, it has been kinder to others. Some have lost jobs or had their incomes slashed, while others have managed to retain the same wage level and actually build up a healthy savings pot because restrictions have prevented them from spending. 

So, how should the young handle their new Covid cash piles? With vaccinations set to ease restrictions in 2021, is now the time to splurge that cash or to build on that savings base?

Host Alice Haine from The National is joined by Iona Bain -- the founder of Young Money Agency and the author of Own It, set to be published on March 16 -- who offers her advice on the right path to take.

Investing your money is a tricky business, particularly when the financial markets are trying to factor in a global pandemic. Wild swings in equity prices can cause emotional reactions, with some investors buying or selling without thinking about the long-term implications. 

While an army of DIY investors in the UAE now adopt a long-term approach by investing in exchange-traded funds, others prefer a helping hand from either a regulated financial adviser or digital investment platforms, known as robo-advisers. But, how about taking it one step further and using the power of Artificial Intelligence to ensure our investment decisions stay in line with our rational values?

Host Alice Haine is joined by Mehdi Fichtali, the founder of Finamaze, a new hybrid human AI robo-asset manager, which launched in Abu Dhabi in November.

The UK left the European Union on January 1, more than four years after the country voted to leave the economic bloc in a 2016 referendum. Britain’s exit from the EU comes at a very challenging time for the country’s economy. Not only are businesses adapting to a raft of new rules from the trade deal, they are also enduring a third national lockdown in England as the surge in Covid-19 cases intensifies.

Britain’s economy is expected to contract by about 11 per cent in 2020 because of the effects of the pandemic, with the recovery in the first half of this year set to be very limited. Despite all the gloom, the benchmark FTSE 100 Index secured its best start to a year on record. So, does post-Brexit Britain present a lucrative opportunity for investors?

Host Alice Haine is joined by Stephane Monier, chief investment officer at Swiss Bank Lombard Odier, who guides listeners through the investment opportunities post-Brexit Britain presents.

After soaring 300 per cent last year, Bitcoin’s value is still on the rise, as investors pile funds into the leading cryptocurrency. The prices of many other digital coins have also increased sharply, as cryptocurrencies experience a mini boom. While some analysts are making wild predictions about Bitcoin’s price rising as high as $400,000 from its position of about $31,000 at the time of recording, new investors should tread cautiously.

In December 2017, one Bitcoin was worth almost $20,000, up around 1,900 per cent from the start of the year before plummeting in value in early 2018 leaving some investors badly burnt. So will this time be different? And, what is the advice for investors looking to add Bitcoin to their portfolio now?

Host Alice Haine of The National is joined by Gaurav Kashyap, market strategist at Equiti Global Markets, who shares his advice on how to invest in Bitcoin.

The coronavirus pandemic came as a surprise to us all, making 2020 one of the most challenging years of our lives. From a financial point of view, it has hurt some but benefited others. For those who lost their jobs or had their incomes reduced, it has made the last 10 months a struggle. For others who managed to retain their salary, movement restrictions offered a chance to build up their savings and rethink how they wanted to live their lives. No matter how your finances were affected, the New Year brings hope for us all, along with new goals and new priorities. So how are you going to save your money in 2021? Is this the year to get your finances in order?

Host Alice Haine is joined by Carol Glynn, a finance coach and chartered accountant at Dubai’s Conscious Finance Coaching, who offers her tips on how to save more money over the next 12 months.

For many, 2020 will be a year they would rather forget. Whether the pandemic affected their health, their families or their finances, its effects will be evident for some time to come. Investors across the globe also suffered a rollercoaster ride in 2020, with markets experiencing some wild swings over the course of the year. And while some people managed to save money during the Covid-19 outbreak, others faced job losses or lower incomes. Now, with a vaccine set to return life to some semblance of normality, the question we all want to ask is: what’s in store for investors in 2021? So, is this the year of recovery? Will Joe Biden deliver a boost to the US economy? Will Britain falter when the Brexit transition period ends on December 31?

Host Alice Haine is joined by industry veteran Moukarram Atassi, head of investment management at the National Bank of Fujairah, who offers his take on what is store for investors in 2021.

Like many parts of the world, the UK property market has experienced a roller-coaster ride of ups and downs as it absorbs the effects of Covid-19. While there was a total halt in transactions at the height of the pandemic when the country first went into lockdown, the second half of the year saw mortgage applications and transactions surge on the back of UK finance minister Rishi Sunak’s stamp duty holiday. 

Add in pent-up demand and a desire for more space, along with an expected increase to stamp duty for overseas buyers in April next year, and it’s easy to see why there has been a rise in interest from the Middle East. With British house prices now on their strongest growth run since 2004, with the average home now selling for £253,000 according to Halifax, how long will the house price surge last? What should Middle East investors do to ensure they get the best deal? And what’s driving the increased interest from the region?

Host Alice Haine is joined by Henry Faun, partner and head of Knight Frank's Middle East private office, who offers listeners an insight into what's to come for Britain's property sector in 2021.

Over the past few weeks, the UAE has seen a number of legal and immigration changes that will have a big effect on life in the Emirates. Among them is a very significant expansion to the UAE’s golden visa scheme, which offers a 10-year residency visa to expatriate workers in certain professions. So how does the visa work? How do you find out if you are eligible to apply and why is this important for the country?

Host Alice Haine is joined by Haider Hussain, partner in the UAE office of immigration specialists Fragomen.

The UAE government has embarked on one of the biggest overhauls of the legal system in years. Among the changes are amendments to family and personal law with new regulations covering divorce, couples living together and other areas affecting people’s daily lives. From a personal finance perspective, however, one of the most interesting changes centres on wills and inheritance. So how significant is this change? When will it take effect? And what does it mean for people looking to write a will now?

Host Alice Haine is joined by Siri Hashem, senior counsel at UAE law firm Fichte and Co, and Devanand Mahadeva, head of the inheritance and personal law practice of the Goodwins Group in the UAE.