Before the bell: What you need to know before the US market open May 23, 2016 The latest round of consolidation in the drugs and chemicals industry is on after Germany Bayer made a $62bn bid for US seeds company Monsanto while European PMIs this morning have added to European economist concerns. Here's what you need to know before the open. US pre-market futures are mixed today. The S&P is down by 0.06 per [...]
Investors unimpressed by Obama and back Brexit despite stock market fears May 23, 2016 UK personal investors have been unimpressed by politicians in the run-up to the EU referendum and a majority say they will vote for a Brexit, new research has found. The 56 per cent backing for Leave – compared with a 39 per cent vote for Remain – comes despite a majority feeling that a Brexit would [...]
UK dividend attraction falls as it lags behind global payout growth May 23, 2016 UK dividends fell by five per cent in the first quarter of 2016, lagging behind global growth, a new report out today has found. Since 2009, UK dividends have grown 44 per cent, behind the global average of 59 per cent, according to Henderson Global Investors. In the first quarter of this year, the report [...]
Investment Association issues stern warning to kitchen sink companies May 22, 2016 The Investment Association late last week fired a warning shot to companies which rejig their profit forecasts as soon as a new management team is appointed, essentially washing the business' value down the drain. The association, which represents unit trust and investment fund managers, has issued a letter to chairmen at FTSE 350 companies, telling them that they [...]
Infrastructure fund makes first move into US as it seeks better value investments away from the UK May 19, 2016 A UK-based infrastructure fund has made its first move into the United States and is planning further investment across the pond as it becomes less focused on home soil. John Laing Infrastructure Fund (JLIF), a FTSE 250-listed company, has agreed a deal to acquire a 100 per cent interest in Project Service, which provides 23 [...]
Brewin Dolphin profits flow downstream May 19, 2016 Profits for wealth manager Brewin Dolphin have almost halved in the six months to the end of March, as less-than-ideal market conditions and a business restructuring took their toll. Profits before tax dropped to £21.5m, down 42.2 per cent from £37.2m for the same period the year before, although the earlier period included a one-off exceptional gain of £9.7m. [...]
Brexit worries are beginning to bite at Hargreaves Lansdown May 19, 2016 Investment giant Hargreaves Lansdown has said uncertainties over Brexit are hitting investors' confidence, as net inflows dipped. The figures Net inflows dipped to £2.3bn in the four months to the end of April, from £2.75bn in the same period last year. That said, assets under management rose to £60.3bn, from £58.8bn last year. And the number of active clients also rose, by 15 per [...]
Crowdfunding platform named UK’s most active investor in private companies May 18, 2016 A crowdfunding platform has been named as the UK’s most active investor in private companies by a new report. In the first quarter of 2016, Seedrs made 37 investment deals. It was followed in second place by fellow crowdfunder, Crowdcube, which was involved in 30 deals. The Business Growth Fund was the next most active, [...]
How Brexit will hit investment portfolios: What (little) we know so far May 18, 2016 The Bank of England and the International Monetary Fund both issued stark warnings last week about the EU referendum and the potential impact of Brexit. In a report, the IMF said that a Leave vote could have a “negative and substantial” long-run effect on UK output and incomes. Later, IMF managing director Christine Lagarde added [...]
Shareholders lambast Standard Life over excessive boadroom pay deals May 17, 2016 Standard Life faced a backlash from shareholders at its annual general meeting on Tuesday with 22 per cent of votes cast going against the investment group’s executive pay report. Other big companies caught up in a so-called shareholder spring in the past few weeks include BP, Smith & Nephew, Shire, Regus, Weir Group and Anglo American. [...]