As the Co-Op Bank goes on sale, is now the time to buy UK banks? February 14, 2017 It wasn't hard to spot the irony when Paul Flowers, chairman of the avowedly ethical Co-Operative Bank and a methodist minister, was arrested for drug possession in 2013. In the same year, the mutual Co-operative Group ceded control of the ailing lender to its bondholders, after a massive £1.5bn hole was discovered in its balance [...]
Investment company targeting Middle East e-commerce floats on Nex February 10, 2017 A new investment company targeting the Middle East e-commerce sector is listing on the Nex Growth Market today. Dealings of ordinary shares on the company, Indigo Holdings, will start at 8am. Read more: British exporters look to Middle East and Asia to avoid Brexit uncertainty The investment firm has raised more than £800,000 from the [...]
Retail investors welcome Brexit for their portfolios but think Trump will harm their investments February 9, 2017 Almost half of the UK’s retail investors think Brexit will have a positive effect on their investment portfolios, a new survey says. The poll also found the same proportion, 44 per cent, of retail investors thought the Presidency of Donald Trump would benefit their investments, according to the poll by IW Capital. While many economists expect [...]
Henderson shares hit as fund manager reports £4bn outflows February 9, 2017 Henderson Group’s shares dropped three per cent on Thursday after the fund manager reported outflows of £4bn last year. The figures Assets under management (AUM) grew 10 per cent during the year, closing 31 December at £101bn, as market gains more than offset the net outflows. The company reported underlying pre-tax profits of £212.7m, down [...]
Hargreaves Lansdown profits jump as retail investors put money to work around Brexit February 8, 2017 Profits before tax at retail broker Hargreaves Lansdown grew by more than a fifth in the second half of 2016, as booming inflows stymied fears investors would hold on to their cash after the Brexit vote. The figures Pre-tax profits rose 21 per cent in the last six months of 2016 compared with the first half [...]
The rising tide of inflation: Investment ideas to protect your portfolio February 8, 2017 Inflation is a real bogeyman for investors, and it rankles most when you don’t see it coming. Few predicted the oil price rebound at the end of last year – a big influence on prices – or the optimism which caused yields to rise after Donald Trump’s election. The threat that rising prices will erode wealth [...]
Investing in automation: If robots are coming for your job, how can you make money out of it? February 7, 2017 "Robots are coming to take our jobs,” scream the headlines. The debate around automation has become alarmingly dichotomous – either your job requires skills which are resistant to computers and machines, or you’re destined for the scrap heap. The reality is probably more nuanced. According to the McKinsey Global Institute, it is unlikely that specific jobs [...]
Fund managers plan executive pay crackdown to avert need for government intervention February 5, 2017 A group of fund manager giants have agreed to club together to combat excessive executive pay. Aberdeen Asset Management, M&G Investments and Standard Life Investments were among 13 firms involved in the recent pact. The agreement came after an 18 January meeting of the Investment Association, which came around the time Blackrock, the world’s biggest fund manager, indicated [...]
After the FTSE 100’s 37% return, should I still invest? February 3, 2017 | City Talk The rise in the FTSE 100 since a low last February has been remarkable. The index was up 33% between 11 February 2016 and mid-January 2017. Including dividends, the index returned 37%. The index also recorded a fresh all time high during that period, reaching 7,337.81 on 13 January 2017. Stocks in certain sectors led [...]
Startup Dead Right aims to bring digital disruption to the funeral industry February 1, 2017 A new digital disruptor is aiming to put the ‘fun’ in funeral. Dead Right, a service comparison startup, is backed by advertising exec Sir John Hegarty and his company Garage Soho, and is in the process of seeking further funding. Read more: A startup sprouting up across London could be getting a massive investment from Softbank [...]