Bank of America analysts back HSBC’s possible move out of UK April 27, 2015 HSBC’s bosses are right to look at quitting the UK, a Bank of America Merrill Lynch analyst said yesterday. The high tax charge from the bank levy is a key factor, as is the cost of splitting the UK retail bank away from the rest of the business under the new ring fence rules. The [...]
Styropack and Jablite deal sets up factory floor-to-corner office rise move April 27, 2015 THE DIRECTORS of Jablite and Styropack, including one who started his career on the factory floor at the latter 28 years ago, have completed a management buyout from previous owner Synbra Group. Richard Lee, managing director and new joint owner of the expanded polystyrene manufacturing business, started working at Styropack aged 17, and has worked [...]
Staffline is new leader for welfare-to-work after £34m deal to buy A4E April 27, 2015 Recruitment firm Staffline yesterday became the UK’s biggest welfare-to-work supplier after it struck a £36.4m deal to buy business consultancy A4E, helping crystallise a £20m fortune for A4E founder Emma Harrison. The junior stock market listed firm, which offers a variety of outsourcing services, will pay £23.5m in cash and assume A4E’s £11m of [...]
Bob Diamond firm Atlas Mara eyes up Banque Populaire du Rwanda as Africa expansion continues April 27, 2015 Bob Diamond’s firm Atlas Mara is in talks to buy a second Rwandan bank, as part of his plan to shake up lending across Africa. If the deal goes ahead, Atlas Mara will acquire a 45 per cent stake in Banque Populaire du Rwanda (BPR), on an investment of $22.5m (£14.7m). BPR has 191 branches [...]
UK’s big four banks face £19bn more in conduct fines April 27, 2015 Legal and compensation payouts are set to cost the big four UK banks another £19bn over 2015 and 2016, analysts at credit ratings agency Standard and Poor’s said yesterday. Mounting bills come on top of the £42bn the four have already paid out over the past five years. The next nine largest lenders paid a further £6bn [...]
Challenger bank Cambridge and Counties swings to profit in just its second year trading April 27, 2015 Challenger bank Cambridge and Counties delivered a pre-tax profit of £4.1m in 2014, compared to a loss of £99,000 when it was set up in the previous year. It was established by the University of Cambridge’s Trinity Hall and Cambridgeshire Local Government Pension Fund, using their large asset base to set up a small business-focused lender. Its [...]
Great Portland Estates and Aberdeen Asset Management sell £222m Wigmore Street office block April 27, 2015 Great Portland Estates and Aberdeen Asset Management have sold a huge office scheme at 95 Wigmore Street in London’s West End for £222.4m. The Wigmore Partnership, the companies’ joint venture, said yesterday that UBS Global Asset Management’s real estate business has bought 95 Wigmore Street near Bond Street station. The 98,800 square feet office block [...]
Regulation pushes EE revenue down ahead of £12.5bn BT deal April 27, 2015 Revenue at mobile phone network EE dropped by 1.1 per cent in the three months to 31 March, down to £1.47bn, ahead of its £12.5bn takeover by BT. The group linked the decline in revenue to the impact of regulation, and said underlying revenue had improved by 0.3 per cent compared to the first quarter [...]
Liverpool Victoria sales shift mirrors UK pensions overhaul April 27, 2015 RADICAL changes to the pensions landscape upended insurer Liverpool Victoria last quarter after the group sold fewer annuities but more bonds. Moves by chancellor George Osborne to give retirees more choice about how they spend their pension pots saw LV’s annuity sales slump. The group, which sponsors the UK’s premier cricket competition the County Championship, [...]
Gaming software developer Playtech bets on a strong 2015 April 27, 2015 Isleof Man-based gaming firm Playtech yesterday said it had won big in the first quarter, with revenue up 31 per cent. Playtech, which develops online gaming and sports betting software, said – despite being impacted by the weakness of the euro – it increased revenues from regulated markets by 40 per cent for the three [...]