This time last year Foxtons was an investor favourite – what happened? December 4, 2014 It was just over a year ago that London estate agent Foxtons became the darling of the London Stock Exchange with a stonkingly successful IPO. Having floated at 230p, valuing it at £649m, shares in the company rose sharply to a peak of 285.5p in its first day of trading. By the end of February, [...]
Ryanair just revised up its 2015 profit forecast by €60m December 4, 2014 Ryanair’s share price soared more than eight per cent this morning as it revised its full-year profit forecast upwards by €60m (£47m). The budget airline said customer numbers increased in November, which it credited to its "Always Getting Better" campaign and it now expects more than 1m additional passenger numbers over the year. The firm [...]
US government to auction 50,000 Bitcoins seized from online drugs marketplace Silk Road December 4, 2014 The US Marshals Service has announced a fresh auction of 50,000 Bitcoins seized after the shutdown of online drugs marketplace Silk Road last year. The digital currency was seized from wallet files that belonged to the owner of the Silk Road, allegedly website Ross William Ulbricht, known online as "Dread Pirate". In 2012, Ulbricht was charged [...]
UK house price growth slows, but prices are five times average earnings December 4, 2014 House prices across the UK were up 8.2 per cent in the year to November, another month of slower growth after October's 8.8 per cent rise. The price to earnings ratio is ticking up, however, and has reached a multiplier of 5.02. Halifax’s house price index also showed quarterly prices up 0.7 per cent (slowing [...]
Tui share price rises ahead of merger with German parent December 4, 2014 Tui Travel has reported a three per cent rise in pre-tax profits to £472m ahead of its merger with parent company Tui AG. The travel company behind Thomson and First Choice posted operating profits of £612m, up four per cent on last year and an increase of 11 per cent to £654m on a constant [...]
Betfair pays £200m to shareholders as profits rise 112 per cent December 4, 2014 It been a bumper half year for Betfair. The figures for the six months to 31 October 2014 are the stuff of a financial officer’s dreams: profit before tax up 112 per cent to £67.3m, revenue up 26 per cent to £237.6m, EBITDA up 51 per cent at £73.9m, and a £200m pay-out to shareholders. [...]
Ofgem slaps “unacceptable” British Gas with £11.1m penalty December 4, 2014 British Gas has been penalised to the tune of £11.1m by Ofgem after it failed to meet energy efficiency targets, the regulator said today. Ofgem said British Gas had not reached targets on insulating homes under two efficiency schemes that ran until 2012. It delivered on 62.4 per cent of its Community Energy Savings Programme [...]
Autumn Statement 2014: Rich pickings for George Osborne – banks, mansions, multinationals, tobacco December 3, 2014 George Osborne delivered sweeping reforms to property tax yesterday, in an Autumn Statement that aimed to raise extra billions from banks, tobacco companies, international corporations and buyers of expensive properties. Attempting to knock the wind out of Ed Miliband’s Labour party, the chancellor sought to neutralise several of the opposition’s key policies, taking on the [...]
ICAP’s charity day competes with Osborne’s giveaways December 3, 2014 ICAP’S Michael Spencer went head-to-head with the Autumn Statement for column inches yesterday – holding his annual charity day, with the likes of Cheryl Fernandez-Versini (pictured), Prince Harry, Damian Lewis, Lord Jeffrey Archer and Dame Helen Mirren all helping to raise money by making trades. The inter-dealer broker is supporting around 200 charities globally and [...]
Autumn Statement 2014: George Osborne hits banks to help home buyers December 3, 2014 Chancellor plays Robin Hood by grabbing from the wealthy to fund stamp duty sweetener for those lower down property ladder. THE UK ECONOMIC OUTLOOK ● The UK’s economic growth has outperformed the March forecast of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), giving Britain the fastest growth rate in the G7. ● Unemployment has fallen [...]