More vacancies than jobseekers February 1, 2015 UNEMPLOYMENT has fallen so far that some recruiters now have more vacancies on their books than jobseekers. Jobs site Adzuna today reported it had 968,273 vacancies registered at the end of 2014, a rise of 30 per cent on the year. But at the same time it only had 823,032 jobseekers. However, Adzuna said advertised [...]
Businesses see skills shortage February 1, 2015 BRITAIN’S economic recovery could be thrown off track by a shortage of skilled workers, according to a study out today by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). Its business confidence index slid from 28.6 three months ago to 16.8 now, reflecting a more challenging economic environment. As demand from customers grows, [...]
PwC: Customers should pay for bank accounts February 1, 2015 Banks should charge regular fees to current account customers, to encourage innovation and help challenger banks, PwC analysts argue in a report today. Most UK current accounts charge no upfront fee, but make money from low interest rates, overdraft fees and other one-off charges. However, implementing up-front charges may prove difficult, as the majority of [...]
Traditional lenders to make up ground on alternative financing February 1, 2015 A LEADING group of economists expects lending to businesses to recover this year after six years of decline. The total amount of loans to businesses in 2014 was 31 per cent below their 2008 level. This trend should reverse this year, according to the Item Club, sponsored by consultants EY. The economists predict a slow [...]
Seedrs toasts French wine equity raising February 1, 2015 Seedrs, the popular London-based equity crowdfunding service, is breaking new ground this week with a French vineyard conducting its London stock market roadshow via the site. Domaine Chanzy will raise at least £1.9m selling shares at a price of 120p through Seedrs. The Seedrs roadshow is expected to run for four weeks from today, while [...]
Bilby aiming to raise £6m from junior market February 1, 2015 BUILDING services firm Bilby is planning to raise over £6m ahead of a float on Aim later this month. Bilby, which specialises in acquisitions in the gas heating and general building services markets, is seeking to raise £2m through the issue of new shares, while founder shareholders are seeking to place up to a further [...]
Aim boss expects a race to float ahead of the May election February 1, 2015 But Marcus Stuttard tells Oliver Smith why we should brace for a post-election slowdown around the question of Europe LONDON’S public markets are set for a flood of new entrants in the lead up to the May general election, according to the head of London’s Alternative Investment Market (Aim), but could see a dearth of [...]
Antibiotics developer Motif set for £16m London raising February 1, 2015 MOTIF Bio, a New York-based developer of antibiotics, will begin its investor roadshow this morning as the business prepares to raise between £4m and £16m on London’s Alternative Investment Market (Aim). With an expected valuation of up to £60m Motif is hoping to drum up investor interest in Iclaprim, a potential new antibiotic moving into [...]
China fish firm gobbles £10m February 1, 2015 A CHINESE fish food company is set to list on the junior stock market tomorrow after raising close to £10m from investors. Aquatic Foods Group, which is based in the Shandong Province, has sold shares worth £9.3m to investors, giving the business a £79.3m price tag. The company specialises in producing frozen seafood for China’s [...]
City Moves for 02 February 2015 | Who’s switching jobs February 1, 2015 EY Kate Richardson-Walsh has been appointed to EY’s business development team in London. She is a triple Olympian, and has been the captain of England and Great Britain hockey for the past 11 years. She will take up the role while training for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. Investec Specialist Bank The bank has announced [...]