Fintech ‘innovation hubs’ set to launch around the UK in levelling up push February 28, 2023 A host of “innovation hubs” are set to be launched in cities across the UK today as part of a Treasury-backed plans to boost the growth of fintech beyond London. The hubs have been announced as part of the launch of the new Centre for Finance, Innovation and Technology (CFIT), a key recommendation of the [...]
Man Group bucks investor exodus trend with £2.57bn inflows February 28, 2023 Man Group said investors pumped £2.57bn ($3.1bn) into its funds last year as it bucked an industry-wide investor exodus that has rocked many of its peers. In its full year results today, the London-listed asset manager said flows into its funds had sailed past analysts estimate and topped the industry average by 5.3 per cent, [...]
Klarna: BNPL giant on ‘solid path to profitability’ after cost cutting push helps narrow losses February 28, 2023 Buy-now pay-later giant Klarna said it was on a “solid path to profitability” today after a major cost-cutting push saw it narrow its losses in the second half of the year. The Swedish headquartered firm, which has slashed its headcount and pared back growth plans in the past 12 months, lost a record SEK 10.4bn [...]
‘One of the hardest investing years in living memory’: Abrdn swings to pre-tax loss as investors pull £10.3bn from funds February 28, 2023 Abrdn swung to a pre-tax loss last year as investors pulled £10.3bn from its funds in what its chief called “one of the hardest investing years in living memory”. In its full year results today, the FTSE 100 asset manager posted a pre-tax loss of £615m, down from a profit of £1.1bn a year prior, [...]
FTSE bosses braced for wave of takeovers as foreign firms hunt for bargains February 27, 2023 Bosses at the UK’s top firms are braced for a wave of takeovers this year as foreign buyers continue to swoop on cheap London-listed companies amid a rebound in dealmaking, new research has found. Nearly ninety per cent of FTSE 250 directors said they believed UK firms were vulnerable to foreign takeovers this year, with [...]
Bunzl snaps up German and Canadian firms as profits jump to £634m February 27, 2023 Outsourcing specialist Bunzl revealed it had snapped up two businesses in Germany and Canada today as it reported a jump in pre-tax profits for the full year. The London-listed firm said this morning it had acquired acquire Arbeitsschutz-Express, a German online workwear and PPE seller in Germany, as well as Capital Paper, a distributor of [...]
Top Home REIT shareholder Liontrust slams ‘serious shortcomings’ as it mulls next move February 26, 2023 Top Home REIT investor Liontrust has slammed “serious shortcomings” at the beleaguered social housing firm and said it is mulling “propositions” with other major shareholders to try and steady the ship.
Warren Buffett turns record profit – despite lashings of global headwinds February 25, 2023 Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc on Saturday reported its highest-ever annual operating profit, even as foreign currency losses and lower gains from investments caused fourth-quarter profit to fall. Buffett called 2022 a “good year” for Berkshire in his annual shareholder letter after the conglomerate’s dozens of businesses generated $30.8 billion of profit despite rising inflation and [...]
Priti Patel calls on Jeremy Hunt to stop planned corporation tax rise February 25, 2023 Former home secretary Priti Patel has urged the Chancellor to use his Budget next month to halt the planned corporation tax rise. The senior Conservative has argued that “now is not the time” for an increase in the tax on big business. In plans agreed while she served in Boris Johnson’s cabinet, corporation tax is [...]
Hargreaves Lansdown chief on spats with the founder, his time at the top and the power of retail investors February 23, 2023 At times of turbulence, retail investors are entirely rational creatures. At least, that’s the view of Chris Hill, the outgoing boss of Britain’s largest retail investment and savings platform, Hargreaves Lansdown. Hill – who has been at the helm of the retail giant since 2016 and is preparing to step down in November – was [...]