Aviva life sales jump to £25bn, boosted by record savings and retirement inflows November 11, 2021 Aviva’s life sales have jumped to £25.3bn in its latest quarter, which has been boosted by “record” inflows in its savings and retirement division, the firm’s boss confirmed today. The insurer secured £7.3bn worth of savings and retirement funds in its third quarter, which CEO Amanda Blanc said signals “excellent” progress in its post-shakeup growth. [...]
What analysing language tells us about inflation November 10, 2021 | City Talk With the headline consumer price index (CPI) rate at a 13-year high in the US, it is not surprising that companies are talking more about inflation. It’s not just business surveys that show us this. You can also see it by looking at the transcripts of what the management teams of publicly-listed companies have talked [...]
Don’t make climate promises you can’t keep November 9, 2021 | City Talk Company CEOs and governments have rushed recently to make “net-zero by 2050” promises. This is a very admirable sentiment but in reality, how many of those CEOs and leaders of government will be in their current positions in 2050? Likely zero. Promises are easy to make when making them is an easy way to carry [...]
Global IPO bonanza: Market listings raise record $346bn in 2021 so far November 5, 2021 The global IPO market is booming, according to new data from Refinitiv ahead of the likely listing of Amazon-backed EV maker Rivian next week. IPOs have raised more than $346bn so far this year, with technology the unsurprising star sector. All up, 1,793 initial public offerings have been recorded globally so far during 2021, two-thirds [...]
Investing with impact November 2, 2021 | Sponsored Green catastrophe bonds aim to reinvent the world of impact investment by delivering a return for both the planet and investors. As delegates gather for this week’s Cop26 climate talks in Glasgow, here’s why professional services firm Aon are hoping green cat-bonds signal a new dawn for innovative finance… “Bond will save the world!” is [...]
Budget 2021: Government freezes Isa allowances as inflation comes down the track October 28, 2021 Isa and Junior Isa spending limits will be frozen at their current levels until at least 2023 under the Treasury’s Autumn budget plans, in a move that could hit investors with tax and harm savers if inflation begins to multiply further down the line. Chancellor Rishi Sunak outlined the annual payment limit for adult Isas [...]
UK investors cheer third quarter dividend windfall October 25, 2021 As supply chain, labour and inflation storm clouds gathered on the horizon, City investors toasted an overflowing dividend pot and the end of this summer – boosted by the FTSE’s mining, oil and banking companies. Total UK dividends soared to £34.9bn in the three months to 30 September, up by nearly 90 per cent on [...]
The future of work in a post-Covid investment industry October 19, 2021 | City Talk Disruptions resulting from Covid-19 have forced businesses to adapt and create new models of work. Although some industries may return to something resembling their pre-pandemic operating model, the investment industry has already crossed a threshold. That is the view of Kunal Kapoor, CFA, who participated in a webinar entitled ‘The War for Talent and the [...]
Revenue soars for fintech Wise thanks to price drop October 19, 2021 Money transfer company Wise has reported a 25 per cent jump in revenue for the second quarter, compared to the same period last year. In a trading update on Tuesday, the payment firm posted revenue of £132.8m in the second quarter. Lower prices had enticed new customers, Wise said. Just under 4m customers transacted via [...]
UK investors play it safe, while Chinese take risks and Indians are all over crypto October 14, 2021 Affluent to ultra-high-net worth investors in the UK are the most conservative in terms of investment risk among international peers, according to new research, shared exclusively with City A.M. today. More than half of wealthy UK-based investors rated themselves as conservative in terms of their approach to risk, with 20 per cent describing themselves as [...]