Middle East investment vehicle buys 23 per cent stake in UK broker September 20, 2016 A Middle Eastern investment vehicle today took a 23.1 per cent stake in broker WH Ireland. Kuwaiti European Holding Group (KEH), the vehicle of the Al-Humaidi family, this morning announced it had paid £8.45m for more than 6m shares at 140p, a 39 per cent premium on last week’s closing price. WH Ireland’s share price rocketed [...]
Steepening the curve: The Bank of Japan may modify its bond buying scheme to ease pressure on commercial banks, insurers and pension funds September 20, 2016 In a defiant speech earlier this month, Bank of Japan (BoJ) governor Haruhiko Kuroda insisted that there is plenty of ammo left in his monetary policy clip. With a comprehensive review of the effects of monetary policy on prices and the economy promised at tomorrow’s BoJ meeting, speculation is rife about what surprises could be in [...]
Opec is like a latter-day Ratpack act: It doesn’t need new material to move the market September 20, 2016 How many stories are there in town at the moment? What are the current obsessions for traders who, now that September is here, are routinely swinging the equity market over one per cent on a daily basis? To my mind, after a seemingly endless succession of sessions in July and August without a one per cent [...]
More property funds suspended after Brexit are being reopened September 19, 2016 Henderson Global Investors has announced it will reopen the UK property fund it suspended in the aftermath of the EU referendum. Henderson was among several asset managers to suspend trading on funds during the summer. Read more: Brexodus: Retail investors took £3.5bn out of funds in referendum month Aberdeen Asset Management, Columbia Threadneedle and Canada [...]
Premier listing: Fund manager plots London Stock Exchange flotation September 18, 2016 Fund management company Premier Asset Management is considering a float on the London Stock Exchange this year. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods and Numis are advising the firm on the possible initial public offering (IPO). The flotation discussions come nine years after Guildford-based Premier was taken private by Electra Partners. Read more: Another London Stock Exchange strike: Hollywood [...]
Are fears about the UK commercial property market overblown? September 14, 2016 As Columbia Threadneedle Investments prepares to join Aberdeen Asset Management and Canada Life in re-opening its £1.4bn property fund, doubts persist over the future of the UK’s commercial property market. The Brexit vote brought three years of double-digit returns from UK property investments to a juddering halt. By early July, panicked investors clamouring to withdraw their [...]
As the monetary policies of the US, the UK and the Eurozone diverge, what should investors make of this fork in the road? September 13, 2016 Since the end of last week, speculation has been mounting that the US Federal Reserve will raise interest rates again this year. The probability of a September rate raise looks slimmer after the Fed’s most dovish official, Lael Brainard, struck a cautionary tone in a speech yesterday. But there is a strong chance that the next [...]
Buyers beware: Is the central bank credibility crunch point approaching? September 12, 2016 Market contrarians continue to close out their short positions on stocks, bonds and risk currencies as buying supports market levels, record low bond yields and emerging market assets. But can central banks continue to win the confidence game and herd investors into riskier trades, or will the credibility of Draghi, Kuroda, Carney and Yellen ultimately be [...]
HgCapital investment trust’s share price soars on rising revenue and earnings September 12, 2016 HgCapital Trust’s share price jumped five per cent today after reporting revenue and earnings growth. The figures The company, which gives investors exposure to private equity firm HgCapital's portfolio, reported revenue growth of 12 per cent in the first six months of the year. Earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda), meanwhile, were up 22 [...]
Aberdeen Asset Management told to boost its minimum capital requirements September 12, 2016 Aberdeen Asset Management said today that it had been asked to up the minimum level of capital it holds for regulatory purposes by Britain's financial watchdog. The Financial Conducted Authority now wants the asset manager to increase its minimum financial cushion to about £475m, up from £435m previously. Analysts said this will not affect its capital adequacy "which [...]