Any Other Business – 16/09 September 15, 2013 The old saying that sex sells, is apparently not the case for the gentlemen in the City of London. Based on prescription statistics released by NHS GP surgeries, the Sunday Times has found that the Square Mile boasts the lowest prescriptions for anti-impotence drug Viagra compared to men in other parts of the UK. The [...]
City marathon man races for GB in Triathlon final September 15, 2013 THE “FASTEST man in the City” Andrew Greenleaf – a consultant at financial services firm Capco – who came 45th in the London Marathon has upped his athletic game, competing for Team GB in the World Triathlon Grand Final yesterday. Greenleaf came in a very respectable 18th position out of 1,324 who finished the race.
Debt funds set for bumper returns as Lehman Europe repays all debt September 15, 2013 FIVE years on from the collapse of Lehman Brothers, creditors of the European arm are set to receive a full repayment, creating a windfall for distressed debt funds that bought bonds in the bankrupt bank. Hedge funds, including Paulson & Co, who bought Lehman debt when other investors rushed to sell, are now set to [...]
US consumer sentiment index misses mark September 13, 2013 A consumer sentiment index flash estimate has come in at 76.8, following the August figure of 82.1. Traders had predicted a move to 82.0. The index gives a picture of consumers' willingness to spend. Michigan consumer sentiment, falls; business inventories increase more than expected. Cause for concern for 2013Q4, but a + for Fed [...]
Engineer Kentz is confident of standalone prospects as two bidders disappear in as many days September 13, 2013 Engineer Kentz has released an update after German M+W has issued no further takeover proposals for the firm (release). That comes after Amec withdrew interest yesterday. Since its announcement of 19 August 2013, Kentz can confirm that it received no further proposals from either Amec plc or M+W. The Company remains confident it can deliver [...]
US retail sales miss in August September 13, 2013 US retail sales have missed expectations of 0.4 per cent increase coming in at 0.2 per cent. Last month's figure of 0.2 per cent has been revised to 0.4 per cent, making this the weakest gain in four months. The 0.2 per cent increase means August retail food and services sales were $426.6bn. This is [...]
Walkie scorchie repair bother for Canary Wharf Group September 13, 2013 Figures for repairs to the 'Walkie Talkie' tower on Fenchurch Street are "in the low single-digit millions". David Pritchard, chairman of Songbird Estates, an owner of the building, was speaking today following damage to the unusually shaped skyscraper caused by its own reflection of sunlight at the end of August. City A.M. first reported [...]
Regulator fines AXA £1.8m for failing to give customers suitable investment advice September 13, 2013 AXA Wealth Services has been hit with a £1,802,000 fine by regulators "for failing to ensure it gave suitable investment advice to its customers." The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) investigated cases between September 2010 and April 2010 at branches of Clydesdale, Yorkshire Banks and West Bromwich Building Society. AXA sold approximately 37,000 investment products to [...]
Employment in Eurozone continues to fall September 13, 2013 Eurozone employment has fallen by 1.0 per cent in the year to the second quarter. From the previous quarter employment fell by 0.1 per cent with consensus amongst analysts of a -0.2 per cent fall. In the first quarter change stood at -0.4 per cent. Howard Archer, Chief UK and European economist at IHS Global [...]
Construction increases in July on new work, repair and maintenance September 13, 2013 Results for UK construction output show a 2.2 per cent increase in July, following 0.7 per cent growth in June. This is up 2.0 per cent from July 2012 . This rise in new work is in contrast to the estimated 3.6% fall in repair & maintenance during the same period. The result covers both the [...]