UK blackout risk at five-year high October 7, 2013 THE UK is at its greatest risk of a winter power blackout in half a decade, National Grid warned yesterday. In the latest threat to the country’s energy security, the network operator forecast that the margin of electricity reserves – the safety buffer of spare capacity between supply and demand – will fall to five [...]
Cable insists that Royal Mail price is right October 7, 2013 BUSINESS secretary Vince Cable last night accused Labour’s Chuka Umunna of irresponsibly stoking demand for shares in Royal Mail, after the shadow business secretary suggested the group was being privatised too cheaply and has £1bn in property assets that could be sold. “I feel it is irresponsible to imply that a share offering looks significantly [...]
Virgin Money is the fourth lender to join Help to Buy October 7, 2013 VIRGIN Money yesterday became the fourth bank to sign up for the Help to Buy Scheme, which from today will offer state guarantees to homebuyers. It joins RBS, Lloyds’ Halifax brand and challenger bank Aldermore in offering mortgages with deposits worth as little as five per cent of the home’s value. However, new figures on [...]
How to buy shares in Royal Mail October 7, 2013 Q Am I too late to buy shares in Royal Mail? A You can sign up for shares until midnight tonight – so you’re not too late just yet. Otherwise you will have to wait until they are trading, and risk paying a higher price. Q Where do I do that? A The government has [...]
What the other papers say this morning – 08 October 2013 October 7, 2013 FINANCIAL TIMES Hedge fund DE Shaw limits investors One of the most profitable hedge funds has closed its doors to new clients, calling time on the industry’s ability to square vast inflows of money with the promise of market-beating returns. DE Shaw’s move means that of the largest six, only Man Group and Och-Ziff, are [...]
City watchdog says it already has power to claw back bank bonuses October 7, 2013 THE BANK of England has the power to confiscate bonuses years after they are paid out as a new way to punish any rogue bankers who fiddle markets, the regulator said yesterday. It means no new legislation is needed to claw back payouts up to a decade after they were paid out, and the Prudential [...]
China and Japan warn US over default threat October 7, 2013 CHINA has warned the United States to resolve its budget crisis for the sake of the American and global economy. Chinese vice foreign minister Zhu Guangyao said “the clock is ticking” and called on politicians to break the deadlock and agree an increase in the debt ceiling before 17 October, when it is projected the [...]
Jenkins puts £1m in bank October 7, 2013 BARCLAYS chief Antony Jenkins bought another £1.1m of shares in the bank’s rights issue, the lender announced yesterday. The bank raised £5.8bn in the capital-raising round, with each existing shareholder offered the right to buy one new share at 185p for each four shares they already owned. Jenkins took advantage with a purchase of 613,084 [...]
Zoellick goes to Goldman October 7, 2013 FORMER World Bank president Robert Zoellick is to head up Goldman Sachs’ board of international advisers, the investment bank said yesterday. Goldman hopes Zoellick’s experience in emerging markets and development economics will help it and its clients operate in high-growth regions. The Washington DC-based job will see Zoellick offer advice on global strategic issues, overseeing [...]
Osborne moves aides into top ministerial jobs October 7, 2013 GEORGE Osborne last night emerged as the main winner of a government reshuffle that barely touched cabinet positions but shuffled dozens of second-tier jobs. Allies of the chancellor were yesterday placed in key roles across ministries with an economic role – and also within the whips office – tightening Osborne’s control on the government’s agenda. Sajid Javid, [...]