Culture and creativity will drive a new golden era for the UK and China December 6, 2018 The strength of Britain’s technological and creative industries, combined with the longstanding value of its archetypal brands, has given rise to a growing desire among Chinese companies to invest in the UK. This follows on from the strong trade ties between the two nations. The UK exported £22bn worth of goods and services to China [...]
Is DIY investing a cheap trick? December 6, 2018 | City Talk As passive investors, we sometimes get asked by clients and prospects: “Why don’t I just invest in passive funds and exchanged-traded funds (ETFs) directly myself?” And at first glance, DIY investing may seem like the cheapest way to invest. But some professional services can actually work out as a much more cost-effective means of investing, [...]
Palladium hits high as its soars above gold price December 5, 2018 Palladium has soared to record levels, eclipsing the value of gold for the first time in 16 years. The metal, which is primarily used to help reduce emissions in petrol-driven cars, has jumped by around 50 per cent over recent months to a high of $1,264 per ounce. This today put it at a premium to gold, which [...]
Monzo ‘absolutely not’ the next Wonga, says founder amid high-cost loan speculation December 5, 2018 Monzo is “absolutely not” going to be the next Wonga, its founder has said, amid speculation the digital bank was planning to move into the high-cost loan space. Tom Blomfield, whose up-and-coming challenger bank this morning completed a landmark £20m crowdfunding round powered by its own customers, told City A.M. he was “categorically not working [...]
Podcast platform Acast secures $33m funding amid rise in on-demand listening December 5, 2018 Podcast startup Acast has secured $33m (£25.9m) in Series C funding as it cashes in on the surging popularity of on-demand listening. Acast, which helps podcast makers distribute and monetise their content, said the funding will be put towards growth as the platform looks to expand internationally. “This has been the biggest year in our [...]
Dow Jones takes a tumble amid trade truce doubts and recession fears December 4, 2018 US stocks fell sharply today amid uncertainty over the country’s trade war truce with China. The Dow Jones tumbled more than 800 points as initial enthusiasm about the trade ceasefire between President Trump and President Xi began to wane. On Monday the Dow saw large gains after Trump agreed to delay a rise in tariffs [...]
Royal Mail, Kier Group and Thomas Cook set to lose out in tomorrow’s FTSE reshuffle, as insurer Hiscox looks set to join the big league December 4, 2018 Royal Mail will need a miracle to avoid relegation from the FTSE 100 Index tomorrow, as insurer Hiscox looks ready to step into its place as a blue chip firm. The winners and losers of the last FTSE reshuffle of the year are to be announced tomorrow afternoon, with Thomas Cook, Kier Group and the [...]
Pound falls after government loses contempt vote December 4, 2018 Sterling fell today after Theresa May's government was found in contempt of parliament for failing to publish Brexit legal papers. The pound had climbed back from fresh lows earlier in the day after the European Court of Justice (ECJ) suggested the UK could change its mind about Brexit by unilaterally withdrawing Article 50. But the [...]
Exxon and Chevron plan to sell stakes in ‘contract of the century’ oil field December 4, 2018 Exxon Mobil and Chevron are looking to sell their stakes in a BP-operated oil field in Azerbaijan once dubbed the “contract of the century”. Exxon Mobil is hoping it can raise up to $2bn by selling its 6.8 per cent holding in the field by the Caspian Sea, sources told Reuters yesterday. The move is [...]
Outsourcers’ woes continue as construction giant Kier Group braces for potential drop from FTSE 250 December 4, 2018 The beleaguered UK outsourcing industry could suffer another blow in coming days with construction giant Kier Group looking set to drop from the FTSE 250 index. Kier’s stock was down another eight per cent this morning as the spectre of Wednesday’s round of FTSE index relegations and promotions loomed. City A.M. understands Kier is one of several [...]