Why has the weaker pound failed to turbocharge the economy? August 5, 2019 | City Talk The sharp fall in the pound in the wake of the 2016 Brexit referendum would help “rebalance the UK economy”, in the words of Mervyn King, former governor of the Bank of England. But since then, the UK has struggled to improve its trade position and has certainly not seen any boost to GDP growth. [...]
Business culture has a problem with booze, beers and drinking August 5, 2019 Many of the key moments of our working lives are punctuated or fuelled by alcohol. From leaving drinks to boozy client lunches where important business conversations are had and relationships forged, drink has become an integral part of the culture of most organisations and industries – perhaps none more so than the ad industry, where [...]
Phrasee reveals how artificial intelligence will change marketing August 5, 2019 We’re all aware that artificial intelligence (AI) is predicted to transform every sector of the economy, and marketing is no exception. Already, the industry is using this new technology to analyse data or give product recommendations to customers. Of course, as adoption of the technology increases, so too is anxiety over the future of jobs. [...]
Starling to break even as bank customers double August 4, 2019 Starling Bank is set to break even in the UK by the end of 2020, its founder and chief executive has said, after revealing that its user numbers have doubled in the last eight months. In her annual letter, Anne Boden said the fintech firm’s account total – spanning both business and retail users – [...]
Why the RBS dividend joy is short-lived August 2, 2019 | City Talk While there’s much to like in the Royal Bank of Scotland interims, it’s still far from plain sailing. After years in the investment wilderness, RBS (LSE:RBS) is finally making its way back into the fold. A strong second quarter has helped to inflate the half-year numbers, with total income rising by 20 per cent and the earnings [...]
Losses widen at Seedrs as deal sizes continue to grow August 2, 2019 Equity crowdfunding platform Seedrs has reported a record operating loss as it focuses on expansion, but saw a significant increase in average deal size over the past year. 2018 saw Seedrs’ net operating losses climb to £4.33m, a 12 per cent increase on the previous year. This marks a return to increasing losses after the [...]
UK bonds bounce back in June as equity funds lose out August 1, 2019 Bonds are back in favour with UK investors but equities have continued to struggle amid ongoing political uncertainty. £2.4bn flowed into bonds during June – taking this year’s total inflows to almost £6bn – according to figures released by the Investment Association (IA). This included net retail sales of £1.1bn for UK Strategic Bond funds [...]
ii view: Lloyds Bank friendless on results day August 1, 2019 | City Talk by Keith Bowman from interactive investor. Lloyds continues to bear down on costs to offset tough market conditions, but shares have slumped. Half-year results to 30 June 2019 Net income down 2% to £8.82 billion Pre-tax profit down 7% to £2.89 billion Earnings per share down 7% to 2.7p Interim dividend up 5% to 1.12p per share Chief [...]
Avoid these 8 financial mistakes in your marriage August 1, 2019 For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer – until death do us part. Sadly, with money fights being the second leading cause of divorce behind infidelity, many of us do not adhere to this marriage vow. Read more: What are banks doing to help survivors of financial abuse? Few individuals consider financial compatibility before [...]
Fintech star Revolut goes live with zero-fee Nasdaq stock trading service August 1, 2019 Digital bank Revolut has today launched its commission-free stock trading service, more than a year after it was first announced. The platform will present a fresh rival to London startup Freetrade, in addition to larger services such as those run by Etoro. Read more: Metro Bank finance director quits to take role with Revolut Enabled [...]
