Investors demand companies manage climate change risk ahead of AGM season March 5, 2020 Investment managers will demand to know what companies are doing to manage climate change in this year’s AGM season. The Investment Association (IA), whose members own one third of the value of UK listed companies, is asking companies to report the impact of climate change will have on their business model and how it will [...]
How to select a quality investment manager – or at least a decent one March 4, 2020 Humans are bad investors. Unfortunately, they think they are great at it. So how can you protect yourself from yourself? Here are your need-to-knows in finding an investment manager who might help. You are a bad investor If you have money, you were probably successful. Congratulations. That does not make you a good investor. Research [...]
How does the stock market perform when the VIX fear gauge surges? March 3, 2020 | City Talk The spread of the coronavirus has sent shock waves through global stock markets. Alongside plummeting share prices, the VIX index, the market’s so-called fear gauge, has shot up. At the time of writing, on 28 February, it stands at over 40. This is very high compared to long-term norms. Since 1990, it has averaged 19 [...]
“Diversity drives better investor outcomes” says Margaret Franklin, CFA March 3, 2020 | City Talk Investors are bracing for a bear market sometime in the future. And when it comes, it will be more critical than ever for firms to embrace diversity on their investment teams and in their senior ranks if they want to deliver better outcomes for clients. That’s the reality and the challenge that Margaret “Marg” Franklin, [...]
Goldman-backed Neyber set to be rescued by rival Salary Finance March 1, 2020 The Goldman-Sachs backed lender Neyber will reportedly sell its assets to rival Salary Finance. Neyber is expected to appoint administrators this week, according to Sky News reports. The consumer finance provider will offload its assets including its blue-chip customer contracts to Salary Finance. Sky News sources said the deal was almost certain to happen in [...]
Schroders set to change results reporting to woo City analysts March 1, 2020 Asset manager Schroders is reportedly changing how it reports results in a bid to highlight individual parts of its business to analysts. The Sunday Times reported that the move could result in a revaluation of the fund manager’s shares. It currently trades on a price-to-earnings multiple of 17 times, compared to fellow wealth manager St [...]
Coronavirus: the investment impact in seven charts February 28, 2020 | City Talk The spread of coronavirus, COVID-19, beyond China has created fresh uncertainty for the global growth outlook and sparked volatility in financial markets. Outbreaks in South Korea, Iran and Italy have raised concerns that the spread outside of China may be accelerating. We offer key facts on the spread of the virus, interspersed with views from [...]
Wealth managers reduce exposure to UK property February 27, 2020 Following the high-profile suspensions of the M&G and Prudential UK property funds last year, UK wealth managers have significantly reduced their exposure to property. Six adviser groups have removed direct property funds from their portfolios for investors across all risk profiles, according to FE fundinfo’s Adviser Fund Index. Ten funds in the sector were removed [...]
FCA tells asset managers to gear up for the end of Libor February 27, 2020 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has written to asset managers to tell them to get ready for the end of Libor. Libor is being phased out after banks were fined billions for trying to manipulate it. The benchmark, used for pricing trillions of dollars of swaps, futures and loans, is set to end at the [...]
Provident Financial increases dividend as it posts a rise in profit February 27, 2020 Provident Financial has proposed a 60 per cent increase in its final dividend has it posted a rise in profit. The figures Group profit before tax rose 1.6 per cent to £162.2m Basic earnings per share increased 22 per cent to 33.3p, while adjusted EPS fell 2.9 per cent from 48.7p to 47.3p. Provident’s division [...]