UK fundraising hits ten-year high as listed companies scramble for cash January 4, 2021 Fundraising by London-listed businesses reached its highest level in a decade last year as the pandemic drove companies to raise money on public markets. 2020 saw the value of secondary equity raisings on the London Stock Exchange nearly double from £14.5bn in 2019 to £8.8bn in 2020, according to new research by Pinsent Masons. In [...]
Oil prices hover at 10 month highs as Opec mulls production curbs January 4, 2021 Oil prices are hovering around 10 month highs this morning as producer cartel Opec and other oil rich nations meet to discuss output curbs. Worldwide standard Brent crude was up 1.4 per cent this morning at $52.50, while West Texas Intermediate rose 0.8 per cent to stand at $48.90. Today’s meeting is the first of [...]
Euro share trading exits London to new EU hubs January 4, 2021 In the first day of trading since Britain left the EU, trading in euro-denominated shares has shifted away from the City to new platforms. The City’s unfettered access to the bloc ended on New Year’s Eve, meaning EU banks and asset managers must use a platform inside the bloc for euro share trading. The Brexit [...]
FTSE flat despite Oxford jab approval giving cause for 2021 optimism December 30, 2020 The FTSE 100 nibbled upward in early trading but fell to flat by lunchtime, as traders looked forward with some optimism to 2021. The index gained Tuesday, with many stocks hitting pre-pandemic highs. Traders were less bullish today, and after reaching gains of 0.3 per cent this morning the index has settled flat. Read more: [...]
What next for healthcare investing after Covid vaccine success? December 29, 2020 | City Talk With three Covid-19 vaccines proving effective, we ask fund manager John Bowler and Data Insights Unit head Mark Ainsworth what comes next as regards the pandemic, and what the future holds for healthcare investing. We’d been waiting all year for a Covid-19 vaccine, when suddenly three came along at once. First up on 9 November [...]
Sterling hits $1.36 amid relief over Brexit deal December 24, 2020 Sterling extended gains on Thursday and hit $1.36 on the news that a Brexit deal has been agreed. Sterling had this morning been boosted by speculation, rising 0.47 per cent to $1.35, up 0.6% on the day and heading towards the 2-1/2 year high of $1.3625 hit last week. The pound edged up to 90.05 [...]
Octopus Energy expands into Japan with Tokyo Gas partnership December 23, 2020 Octopus Energy has partnered with Tokyo gas in a move that establishes Octopus’s presence in Asia. The agreement will see Octopus Energy and Tokyo Gas launch the Octopus Energy brand in Japan, operated by TG Octopus Energy. Tokyo will act as a launchpad for Octopus’s expansion across the region. Octopus Energy in Japan will provide [...]
FTSE 100 bounces back as investors absorb impact of mutant strain December 22, 2020 The FTSE 100 inched into the green on Tuesday even as the prospect of another national lockdown loomed amid concerns of a new strain of coronavirus. London’s blue-chip index opened 0.43 per cent lower to 6,388 points before bouncing back to trade up 0.35 per cent by 9.30am. The more domestically focused FTSE 250 is [...]
Gold remains relevant as COVID-19 vaccine sees markets rally December 21, 2020 | Sponsored 2020 has been the year of uncertainty, and this has seen the price of gold reach record highs. How have US election results and news of a COVID-19 vaccine affected gold’s performance, and what’s next? Markets regained a sense of status quo after the result of the US election and assurance that Joe Biden will [...]
Global markets slump amid fears of mutant virus and UK border chaos December 21, 2020 The FTSE 100 and US and European stocks tumbled on Monday while the pound slumped after countries banned travel from the UK over fears of a new coronavirus strain. Adding to the gloom on markets was the impasse in post-Brexit trade talks between the UK and the EU. Rising coronavirus cases in Britain, on the [...]