AA: A sustainable recovery of its own? April 12, 2019 | City Talk After a decent start to 2019, our head of markets kicks the tyres after these uninspiring results. There is certainly a great deal going on under the bonnet at AA (LSE:AA.), although by its own admission there remains much to be done. One measure of progress is the number of contract wins the company has [...]
Hedge fund returns hit seven-year high after third consecutive month of growth April 11, 2019 Hedge funds saw the third consecutive month of positive returns in March, which marked best year-to-date aggregate returns since 2012. In March hedge funds gained an average of 0.97 per cent, which brought the average year-to-date gains to a seven-year high of 5.4. Read more: Hedge funds take out £86m bets against British Gas owner [...]
We pick six investment managers to beat Brexit blues April 11, 2019 | City Talk By Jemma Jackson from interactive investor. With MPs failing to agree a Brexit outcome, we name the funds and trusts to weather the political storm. Charles de Gaulle reportedly said that “politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.” With the chaos currently surrounding Brexit, and as MPs are united only [...]
Israel has voted for a dose of reality when it comes to the peace process April 11, 2019 It would be fair to say that Benjamin Netanyahu is not high on the list of many people’s favourite politicians. Bibi, as he is known, rarely engenders cheers of joy when he bounds onto television screens presenting his latest commentary on Israel’s turbulent neighbourhood, often with forensic PowerPoint presentation in hand. Yet against all odds, [...]
Look to Finland for the secret to happiness April 11, 2019 My morning on Wednesday 20 March was idyllic. As I woke from a deep restorative sleep, birds chirped playfully in the warming sun. Scents of fresh bread wafted through my windows, and neighbours greeted me with hugs on the way into work. It was, after all, the United Nations’ International Day of Happiness. And my [...]
Don’t take a backseat over staff posture April 11, 2019 You might be surprised by the impact that back issues could be having on your business. One in every five office absences are caused by back pain and related illnesses – it’s the second-highest reason staff give for needing time off work, beaten only by minor illnesses like colds or stomach bugs. This all adds up. [...]
Fintech unicorn N26 under scrutiny from German banking regulator April 11, 2019 Digital banking starlet N26 is under scrutiny from German banking regulator Bafin, after reports emerged of fraudulent transactions and problems with the bank’s communications structure. Concerns about N26 were first reported in October by German newspaper Handelsblatt, before further inquiries by Bafin were said to have revealed numerous deficiencies at the fintech startup. N26, which counts Monzo, [...]
10 reasons to sell a share April 10, 2019 | City Talk It’s generally accepted that it is more difficult to sell a share than to buy one. After all, the buying part ties you in to a share of a company. You have identified a share you like, done your research, consider that the current valuation is fair and that the company’s prospects are strong, so [...]
Debate: Should personal auto-enrolment pension contributions rise above the current level of five per cent? April 10, 2019 Should personal auto-enrolment pension contributions rise above the current level of five per cent? Yes – Samantha Seaton is chief executive of Moneyhub. The introduction of auto-enrolment has been hugely positive, and it has offered a great opportunity for people to better engage with their finances. The hard truth, however, is that even saving the minimum [...]
You’ve been served: A look at the growing trend for divorce loans April 10, 2019 Divorce law in England and Wales is set for an overhaul. New rules announced yesterday will prevent one partner refusing a divorce when the other partner wants one. It’s hoped that the reform will speed up “no-fault” divorces, allowing couples to split with less acrimony, and ending what justice secretary David Gauke described as the [...]
