ANALYST OF THE YEAR
TODAY’S shortlists for the third annual City A.M. awards kick off with the five analysts we have shortlisted who epitomise all that is positive about the City. Their independence and capacity to make accurate calls on stock or the wider economy ahead of rivals sets them apart.
All have shown an ability to give detailed analysis rather than a knee jerk reaction to whatever snippet of information is released, whether it be an interim management statement or a notification of potential M&A activity. In a time of great change in the Square Mile these are the stalwarts who stand out. They understand how companies and economies operate while using mathematical skills to give investors a clear picture with a forensic examination of facts and figures.
Andrew Sentance
PwC
The former Bank of England monetary policy committee member is one of the most influential economists in the UK. His criticism of the extension of quantitative easing to kickstart the economy has been central to the debate on how to stimulate the country’s growth.
Sentance joined PwC in October after five hawkish years on the MPC.
Clive Black
Shore Capital
Clive Black has been ahead of the pack on arguably the biggest retail story of the year – the struggle for Tesco to cling on to its market share. He downgraded full year forecasts for the firm after citing its international performance. He has warned that the giant will continue to struggle in the US.
Mark Stockdale
UBS
Mark Stockdale, head of European research at UBS, has been a leading light among analysts for many years. Specialising in construction, he made his name calling Travis Perkins a bargain stock some years ago just before its price bounced. His team at UBS again led the Thomson Reuters Extel survey in 2012 as the top pan-European brokerages for equity linked research.
Charles Dumas
Lombard Street Research
The chairman and chief economist of the independent macroeconomic forecasting consultancy was a frontrunner in mapping the contours of the deepening problems of the Eurozone. Charles Dumas’ clear-sighted analysis made him both an early commentator on the likelihood of a Greek exit, and a pathfinder through the evolution of the crisis.
Peter Hitchens
HSBC
In a notoriously speculative market, Peter Hitchens has made a number of correct calls; notably his recent note on the Iraqi oil market and his views on Genel and Gulf Keystone. With 26 years as an oil and gas analyst, he is one of the longest serving members of the sell-side.
He worked at Panmure before being poached by HSBC.