Bitcoin is rising again after yesterday’s crash below $10,000 January 18, 2018 Bitcoin is finally regaining some ground after a two-day collapse which sliced tens of billions off of its market value. The number one cryptocurrency was up 12.94 per cent at $11,652.80 today, according to Coinmarketcap, after slumping to below $10,000 yesterday, around half the value of its all-time high. Other major cryptocurrencies were also in [...]
As Thailand and Vietnam lead the Asian century, it’s time for British businesses to look east January 18, 2018 I wrote in these pages last October that this has all the makings of being the Asian century: a century when Asia stands ready to cement its position as a cultural, political, and economic powerhouse. This was evident most recently on my visit to Thailand and Vietnam, where I continued to promote the UK as [...]
As London Blockchain Week starts, it’s worth remembering that bitcoin is a drop in the ocean to compared to blockchain opportunities January 18, 2018 London Blockchain Week kicks off tomorrow, bringing together experts from around the world to share their new and exciting applications for blockchain technology. It marks an important moment for blockchain’s move to the mainstream, with several indicators suggesting that 2018 will be a tipping point for the innovative technology. Big businesses are already starting to [...]
Who’s getting the biggest City pay rises this year? Junior accountants, it seems January 18, 2018 Junior accountants will take home the biggest pay increases of any City roles during 2018, according to analysis of the top 10 jobs for pay rises to be published today – even beating finance directors and their more senior colleagues. Beancounters with less than three years’ experience will enjoy a 4.2 per cent salary rise [...]
Financial planner Symphony launches robo-advice service Finchtech with Tam Asset Management to plug the gap between Nutmeg and the super-rich January 18, 2018 Financial planning firm Symphony has become the latest to enter the growing “robo-advice” melee, launching an online wealth management service to rival competitors such as Nutmeg, Wealthify and Netwealth. The Finchtech platform will be aimed at clients who do not want – or can’t afford – bespoke advice services, but would like their money invested [...]
McKinsey, SAP and KPMG accused of criminal conduct by South Africa’s companies regulator CIPC over ties with the Gupta family January 17, 2018 Consultancy firm McKinsey, software group SAP and accountancy business KPMG have been accused of criminal conduct by South Africa’s companies regulator, the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC). The move comes as the South African authorities are cracking down on businesses with ties to the controversial Gupta family. The Guptas, friends of the president Jacob [...]
Goldman Sachs boss David Solomon’s assistant charged with stealing $1.2m in rare fine wine January 17, 2018 While Goldman Sachs today announced its latest financial results, one of the US investment bank giant’s top bankers may have had other things on his mind as his former personal assistant was charged with stealing from his rare wine collection. Nicholas De-Meyer was named in an indictment unsealed today in a Manhattan court, according to [...]
Chris Tremlett: Regardless of how the situation has been handled, Ben Stokes has been sorely missed by England and his clearance to play is great news January 17, 2018 When the news of Ben Stokes being cleared to return to international duty flashed up on my phone this morning, my reaction was one from a cricketing perspective and what great news it is for England. Stokes was sorely missed during the Ashes and hopefully he will be ready to play when called upon for [...]
Asset manager consolidation continues as Franklin Templeton swallows up Edinburgh Partners January 17, 2018 The big fish of the asset management world are continuing to hunt down their smaller rivals, as Franklin Templeton Investments today announced it is set to buy Edinburgh Partners. The Scottish asset manager, which currently manages around $10bn (£7.2bn), is speculated by market sources to have sold for a value in the region of £200m. [...]
RBS-GRG memo “Just Hit Budget” told staff that clients need to “hang themselves” and “basket cases” can be “remunerative” January 17, 2018 RBS staff were advised by a colleague to “let [small business] customers hang themselves” in the wake of the financial crisis, according to an internal memo published yesterday. Employees at the bank’s now defunct restructuring unit GRG were encouraged to raise fees to a level that clients “normally cannot afford”, in order to “leaverage [sic] [...]