Carillion inquiry Frank Field and Rachel Reeves: MP probes must shed more light than heat if they are to be worthwhile March 5, 2018 Carillion’s former top brass yesterday pushed back against a parliamentary inquiry into the failure of the doomed contractor. They are particularly aggrieved by MPs drip-feeding information to the media alongside headline-grabbing quotes. Whether it be refusing pension top-ups, overseeing “aggressive” accounting or squeezing suppliers, there is no doubt Carillion’s execs have serious questions to answer. [...]
Open banking is a test of trust for financial firms: What lenders face in their quest to win customers’ confidence March 5, 2018 Open banking, the new initiative threatening to tear up the banking rule book, has the power to revolutionise how people manage their money. For the first time, customers will be able to give companies other than their bank access to their financial data, opening retail and business banking to fresh competition and delivering more choice, [...]
The Crown Prince’s UK trip shows Saudi means business March 5, 2018 The arrival of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman this week presents a unique opportunity for our two countries to usher in a new era of trade and investment. Relations between these nations have considerable history. Saudi Arabia and Britain have enjoyed a close friendship dating back 100 years. What makes the timing of Prince [...]
Beware the real Beast from the East: Chinese tech giants March 5, 2018 The last week has seen the UK battered by the worst snow we’ve seen in years, thanks to freezing temperatures coming from the east. But cold weather and heavy snow is not the only thing that is making the move from east to west. Chinese tech giants Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu and JD.com have started to [...]
Blockchain and artificial intelligence to cause a flurry of tech M&A, but private equity’s bubble could burst warns new report from Hampleton Partners March 5, 2018 A flurry of technology mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are set to happen before 2020, a new report predicts. However private equity firms – which have recently been elbowing trade buyers out of the way to splash the cash on tech targets, such as in the $5.3bn (£3.8bn) buyout of Nets – could soon see their [...]
Aston Martin in pole position as world’s fastest growing car brand as Brexit currency devaluation helps drive 268 per cent growth in brand value March 5, 2018 James Bond’s carmaker of choice Aston Martin saw its brand value grow by 268 per cent in 2018. The spectacular growth saw it top the table as the fastest growing car brand in the world in 2018 with a brand value of $3.6bn (£2.6bn), according to a report by research organisation Brand Finance. The British [...]
Manchester City 1, Chelsea 0: Antonio Conte hits out at television pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Redknapp over game-plan slur March 4, 2018 Chelsea manager Antonio Conte hit back at television pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Redknapp, branding them “stupid”, after they were critical of his side’s game-plan during Sunday’s Premier League defeat to runaway leaders Manchester City. Conte adopted ultra-defensive tactics which resulted in Chelsea having just 29 per cent possession and failing to register a shot [...]
These are the stocks to long and hortin the aftermath of Italy’s general election, according to algos at Quant Insight March 4, 2018 Italy’s general election today could have profound consequences on European markets, and certain stocks will be winners or losers. Analytics firm Quant Insight, which counts a number of global asset managers and hedge funds on its books, uses powerful algorithms to track which stock could benefit from specified outcomes. Ladbrokes Coral, Capita, Royal Dutch Shell [...]
Exeter 24, Saracens 12: Chance to beat defending European champions empowered Chiefs, insists Rob Baxter March 4, 2018 Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter insisted the opportunity to thwart reigning European champions Saracens empowered his side after the Chiefs claimed victory in their top-of-the-table Premiership clash. The hosts led 14-12 at the break as 21-year-old Joe Simmonds, who was making his first top-flight start, kicked three penalties and Phil Dollman touched down, while [...]
Investors set to receive £34m in compensation from misleading “closet tracker” fund managers March 4, 2018 Investors who may have been misled into paying higher fees are set to get £34m in compensation from asset managers. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said that a number of firms were returning money to investors, though not in any official FCA-backed scheme, after the watchdog launched a crackdown on “closet tracker” funds. These are [...]