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Moneyextra’s latest quarterly review of financial services shows how you could put thousands of pounds a year back into your wallet by making the right choices.

The total annual savings available by replacing near-worst with near-best products across a range of financial services in the third quarter of 2006 was £3,976.02, up £167.24 on the same figure three months earlier. The savings available demonstrate the importance of choosing the right financial products, whether you’re borrowing money or saving it, especially when interest rates are rising. (more…)

First Direct, the online arm of HSBC, will start charging some customers a £10 monthly fee in what could be the first step towards the end of free banking for all.

The news has provoked an angry response from This is Money readers (which have been published in the Daily Mail), who are threatening to switch away from First Direct, despite most of them not being affected by the change in rules. (more…)

We are considering buying a property in Southern Spain for £150,000. Our home in the UK is worth £250,000 with a £60,000 mortgage outstanding, we have a £10,000 deposit to invest and our combined income is £65,000.

Initially we though it would be best to re-mortgage our UK home but we have seen a number of Spanish euro mortgages available. Which is the best way to fund the purchase? BG, Bucks
Darren Fretwell from NatWest International Spanish mortgages replies: Typically most lenders will look for a contribution of between 25-30% of the purchase price. (more…)

LONDON (ShareCast) - European markets are either flat or slightly lower Thursday as banks turn south with Wall Street closed for Thanksgiving keeping trade pretty thin.

UK banks took a hit after some negative broker comment, while Belgian financial services group KBC eased despite nearly doubling third quarter profit as earnings in its home market fell 4.7%. (more…)

Card fraud has affected more than seven million people in the UK, figures show.

Research from the European Security Transport Association (Esta) found that nearly 20 per cent of the adult population in Great Britain had been targeted as part of a credit or debit card scam.

It makes the UK the card fraud capital of Europe, with citizens almost twice at risk of becoming a victim compared to adults in seven other European countries polled as part of the survey. (more…)

London’s bluechip stocks rallied after early losses, adding 0.2 per cent to 6,204.5 after strong gains in the mining sector and continued merger and acquisition activity.

Consolidation hopes following news of another big takeover in the North America - Freeport - McMoran bid $19.4bn for copper producer Phelps Dodge - was the trigger for the mining sector’s rise.

“The Freeport/Dodge deal is a reflection of the industry’s continued confidence in the supply/demand outlook for miners,” Man Securities said in a research note. (more…)

LONDON (ShareCast) - Financial services group and bid target London Scottish Bank said today it has continued to progress its strategy during the second half and overall trading has been broadly in line with expectations.

In a trading update for the year to 31 October, the group, which has been in an offer period since April, said corporate activities have resulted in legal and accounting costs of £750,000. (more…)

The London Stock Exchange has rejected a £2.7bn takeover offer from New York-based Nasdaq. The offer “substantially undervalues” the company, the LSE said in a statement. It “failed to reflect its unique strategic position and the powerful earnings and operational momentum of the business,” it said of the offer.

The New York-based technology stock trading platform already owns a large stake in the London market. (more…)