How does an asset manager like Schroders actively influence the companies it invests in? September 9, 2020 | City Talk Elly Irving, Schroders’ Head of Engagement, answers questions on why investors engage and how they influence firms’ practices. In the debate over whether investors can encourage a more sustainable recovery, the role of active ownership is key. There is a growing momentum behind ESG investing – investing which considers environmental, social and governance factors. [...]
Emotional intelligence can be just as important as intellect in the workplace September 9, 2020 Sometimes it is hard to step back and see yourself as others see you. Yet when you do, it can be a game changer. For me, that moment came during an internal review with a colleague. My perception of myself as a boss who is empathetic to the people around me was upturned with one [...]
DEBATE: Has enforced working from home during the coronavirus pandemic benefited women in the workplace? September 9, 2020 For the City A.M. debate, Sheree Atcheson and Angelica Reyes Froment consider how work from home rules have impacted women. Sheree Atcheson, director of diversity, equity and inclusion at Peakon, says NO The notion that the coronavirus pandemic has given women the flexibility they yearn for is completely false. Thanks to entrenched gender norms, women [...]
Investors turn their back on UK equity funds due to Brexit jitters September 8, 2020 Resurgent Brexit fears combined with the economic impact of the pandemic has seen investors flee from UK equity funds in record numbers. UK equities suffered their worst three months for outflows between June and August, as investors flock to global equity funds in Europe and the US. Investors have been preoccupied with the coronavirus outbreak [...]
Rishi Sunak can afford to be bold on pension reform in his autumn statement September 8, 2020 Rishi Sunak’s summer economic statement was essentially an exercise in positivity. The update, given by the chancellor two months ago, was mainly focused on helping Britain emerge from the coronavirus pandemic in decent shape. However, as with the various virus-related schemes announced in his spring Budget, his new initiatives to kickstart the economy come at [...]
Exclusive: UK fintech sector launches initiative to end harassment September 8, 2020 Leading figures from the fintech industry have today launched an initiative aimed at tackling harassment and promoting diversity within the sector. The “Fintech for all charter” focuses on increasing diversity and inclusion across the industry. It is being led by data platform Inchorus and supported by Innovate Finance, the Fintech Alliance and Level39. The Financial [...]
Muppet money: Savers lose out on billions as they stash the cash September 8, 2020 UK savers could be wasting the opportunity to earn extra income on their savings as lockdown and recession fears push investors to save cash at a record pace. In the first six months of 2020, investors stashed away a record £77bn, meaning a staggering £1.5 trillion of cash is tucked away in savings accounts, according [...]
Visa falls under scrutiny in Europe over fintech rules September 7, 2020 Visa is at the centre of a probe by the European Commission over its digital payments rules for fintech firms, following allegations of anti-competitive behaviour. The payments giant said in its most recent quarterly filing that the EU’s executive arm had opened a preliminary investigation into its rules at the end of June, asking Visa [...]
What could a Biden presidency mean for climate change investing? September 7, 2020 | City Talk Joe Biden in the White House, and potentially Democrats in control of the Senate too, could turbo-charge climate change as an investment theme. The US response to Covid-19 looks set to be the dominant election issue as we head towards the November polls. Myriad other issues also compete for voters’ attention, and climate change often [...]
15 years that changed the world of journalism and audit September 7, 2020 The world was a very different place 15 Septembers ago. Tony Blair was settling into his final term as Prime Minister after winning Labour’s third consecutive election. England’s cricketers retained the Ashes after the most thrilling series in memory. Oasis topped the singles charts for the very last time. And in September 2005, the UK [...]
