UK economic growth: Sharp pullback as GDP climbs by just over 1 per cent and contraction expected this month December 22, 2021 The UK economy grew at a slower pace than first thought between July and September, at 1.1 per cent, compared with the 1.3 per cent initial estimate, the Office for National Statistics said this morning. This was before the impact of the new Omicron variant of coronavirus. This marks a sharp pullback on growth in [...]
NS&I lifts rates on savings to meet Treasury’s fundraising target December 21, 2021 National Savings & Investments, the government-backed savings bank, today announced it will push up interest rates on some of its savings accounts at the end of the month, as it scrambles to meet the government-set net financing target for its financial year. As of 29 December, the interest rate on NS&I’s Direct ISA, Direct Saver [...]
River & Mercantile bidding war deadline extended December 21, 2021 Asset manager River & Mercantile (R&M) has extended the deadline for takeover bids from its suitors AssetCo and Premier Milton into the new year. The new deadline is 18 January, but R&M said “This revised deadline may be extended further, at the request of the Board of River and Mercantile and with the consent of [...]
Global M&A activity hits new record of $5 trillion in 2021 December 20, 2021 Global merger and acquisition (M&A) activity records of all time have been smashed this year, after exceeding $5 trillion for the first time. Global M&A jumped 63 per cent to $5.63tn (£4.26tn) while in Europe activity was almost 50 per cent up, to $1.26tn (£954m), driven in part by a boost of confidence among chief [...]
London ‘uniquely well-placed’ as space sector heads for M&A boom in 2022 December 20, 2021 The UK’s space sector is bound for an explosion in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) next year – with London “uniquely well-placed” for a leading role in the forecasted frenzy. Managing associate of Linklaters technology practice, Katie Williams told City A.M., that an increase in M&A activity is likely, with banks and other financiers expected to [...]
IntegraFin shares run red on looming post-Brexit regulations despite record inflows December 16, 2021 Investment platform IntegraFin posted record inflows of £7.7bn today, however, shares fell into the red after its boss warned of looming Brexit regulations. Profit after tax jumped 12 per cent to more than £51m in the year to September 30, while funds under direction swelled nearly a third to £52.1bn. But shares tumbled more than [...]
Schroders confirms it is in advanced talks to buy ‘significant’ stake in renewables fund Greencoat Capital December 16, 2021 Following media reports last night, asset manager Schroders has this morning confirmed that it is in advanced talks to take what it described as a ‘signficant stake’ in Greencoat Capital, which manages solar, wind and other renewables funds. “Schroders continues to evaluate potential acquisition opportunities in line with its strategy to build a comprehensive private [...]
Analysts ponder whether activist fund Elliott is more in need of a ‘shake-up’ than the firms it invests in December 15, 2021 Activist investor Elliott has ramped up its pressure on UK businesses this year, taking on builder Taylor Wimpey, pharmaceuticals firm Glaxo Smith Kline, and energy giant SSE. It took a sizeable top-five stake in SSE in September and last week wrote a ten-page letter to the firm’s chairman Sir John Manzoni criticising the firm’s CEO [...]
Companies led by women attract 96 per cent less funding than male-run ones December 15, 2021 Businesses led by females on average received a staggering 96 per cent less funding than their male counterparts this year despite growing pressure for gender parity, according to new data. The study of the highest funded female and male businesses in the UK in 2021 revealed a vast gap in funding between companies led by [...]
US investor Fortress snaps up Punch Pubs for undisclosed sum December 15, 2021 Investment group Fortress has acquired Punch Pubs from Patron Capital for an undisclosed sum. The US-based investor owned by SoftBank said it had acquired 100 per cent of the firm’s share capital on Wednesday. The pub group comprises 1,300 venues in the UK, made up of wet-led, community pubs. It is largely focused on a [...]