WHAT CHALLENGES DOES THE UK LABOUR MARKET FACE? October 17, 2010 MICHAEL SAUNDERS | CITI “Last week’s BCC survey implied that there is less labour market slack than would be expected given the surge in the jobless rate. The share of firms reporting recruitment difficulties also rose slightly. It is possible that the shift towards export-oriented manufacturing is exacerbating skill mismatches.” IAN JERMIN | MERCHANT SECURITIES [...]
WHAT CHALLENGES DOES THE UK LABOUR MARKET FACE? October 17, 2010 MICHAEL SAUNDERS | CITI “Last week’s BCC survey implied that there is less labour market slack than would be expected given the surge in the jobless rate. The share of firms reporting recruitment difficulties also rose slightly. It is possible that the shift towards export-oriented manufacturing is exacerbating skill mismatches.” IAN JERMIN | MERCHANT SECURITIES [...]
Aim needs UK companies to aid recovery October 17, 2010 THE ALTERNATIVE Investment Market (Aim) is showing signs of a revival, but the junior market needs to attract more UK-based firms to support this return to growth, according to research out today. The market has raised £2.8bn in the first eight months of 2010, said business advisory firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in a report released today, [...]
Aim needs UK companies to aid recovery October 17, 2010 THE ALTERNATIVE Investment Market (Aim) is showing signs of a revival, but the junior market needs to attract more UK-based firms to support this return to growth, according to research out today. The market has raised £2.8bn in the first eight months of 2010, said business advisory firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in a report released today, [...]
Tax deal has yet to be agreed October 17, 2010 GERMANY and Switzerland have rejected a report they had agreed to a landmark tax deal that would reap €30bn (£26.2bn) from tax evaders but said they still aimed for a deal this month. Germany, along with Italy, the US and France, has been one of the most fervent critics of Switzerland’s banking secrecy laws. Berlin [...]
CEBR predicts £100bn in QE and no rates change October 17, 2010 NEW CEBR forecasts taking into account Wednesday’s Comprehensive Spending Review show growth slowing in 2011 but increasing thereafter as the recovery speeds up. It has forecast growth of 1.6 per cent in 2010, 1.3 per cent in 2011, 1.4 per cent in 2012, 1.8 per cent in 2013 and 2.4 per cent in 2014. Its [...]
3i debates offloading stake in Norman Foster’s indebted UK architecture firm October 17, 2010 PRIVATE equity provider 3i is understood to be considering selling its stake in architect Norman Foster’s design house Foster & Partners. 3i is believed to have contacted investment banks about a possible exit, as one of the options it looks into three years after buying the stake. It is yet to appoint an adviser and [...]
Astaire Securities sold off to Canada’s Northland Capital Partners for £2.45m October 17, 2010 EMBATTLED stockbroker Astaire on Friday agreed to divest itself of its main Astaire Securities division for £2.45m, bringing to a close a tumultuous period for the group which included the failed takeover of rival Hoodless Brennan, directors’ resignations and a lawsuit against the firm. Astaire sold the securities unit to Canadian group Northland Capital Partners [...]
Equitable Life prepares for payout October 17, 2010 Mutual insurer Equitable Life is in discussions with the government over the finer details of the £1.5bn compensation pot earmarked for the policyholders who lost money when the firm nearly went under a decade ago. It is not yet clear whether the payout, which will be detailed in the comprehensive spending review later this week, [...]
Hermes pressures Infineon chair October 17, 2010 UK fund manager Hermes has upped the pressure on management at German chipmaker Infineon to put a succession plan in place in the next fortnight, it emerged last night. Hermes’ head of corporate governance Hans Hirt said the firm was worried about speculation mounting that Infineon’s chairman Klaus Wucherer may not propose a successor at [...]