Is central bank independence even a thing? November 13, 2018 Parents often find it tough to let go of the control they have on their children’s lives, no matter how old they are. While children usually tend to wriggle out of these constraints, the constant jostling between two often opposing opinions is a worldwide phenomenon. And such is the relationship between the government and the [...]
Brexit deal remains most likely outcome, says the Bank of England November 12, 2018 The Bank of England predicted today that a deal remains the most likely Brexit outcome, despite ongoing uncertainty around UK and EU negotiations. “I still think it’s the most likely outcome, but obviously over time, every day there are headlines – positive, negative – which will send the currency in particular one direction or the [...]
War games: Bank of England to test financial services sector’s resilience to cyber attacks November 9, 2018 The Bank of England will today test the financial industry's ability to withstand a major cyber attack on the UK. Leading banks will be among around 40 firms that will partake in the exercise, aimed at ensuring firms are able to meet certain recovery requirements in the wake of a cyber-attack. "This exercise forms a [...]
The tech revolution could be a catastrophic setback for civilisation November 8, 2018 Social earthquakes are looming fast from the emerging wave of automation and the tech revolution. We’ve all seen the headlines about artificial intelligence (AI), the rise of the robots, self-driving cars, and leaps forward in machine learning. But does society realise what is coming? Will it prepare itself? Can the scale and speed of change [...]
Bank of England slaps rare personal fines on Japanese bankers for failing to disclose ban November 7, 2018 THE BANK of England has fined a Japanese banker for not disclosing that he was about to be banned from activities in the US. Akira Kamiya, former chair of Mitsubishi UFJ Securities’ (MUFG) EMEA division, was charged £22,700 by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) for not disclosing he was personally investigated when the bank was [...]
Ex-CEO returns to troubled stockbroker Cenkos 18 months after he left November 5, 2018 Former chief executive of City stockbroker Cenkos Securities, Jim Durkin, has returned to the company just 18 months after stepping down. Shares were up by two per cent after the announcement that Durkin, who stepped down in May after five years in the role and was replaced by former Bank of England economist Anthony Hotson, [...]
Bank of England: A British scientist will feature on the next £50 note November 2, 2018 The Bank of England told the public to “think science” when nominating new faces for the £50 note this morning. Figures such as Stephen Hawking and Dorothy Hodgkin are among the early frontrunners in the race to be on the new plastic note, which comes as part of a six-week process where the public can [...]
We must turn the page on the public perceptions of finance November 1, 2018 A company needs to stand for something more than making money. Sustainability matters more than profit. The mission should be a lasting contribution to society that finds a balance between all stakeholders. Those aren’t the words of a pious left-wing hand-wringer but of John McFarlane, chairman of Barclays, in an anthology of writing published this week [...]
EU says European firms can still use UK clearing houses in no-deal Brexit October 30, 2018 EU banks and companies will be able to access UK clearing houses for a limited time in the case of a no-deal Brexit, it has been confirmed. Valdis Dombrovskis, vice-president of the European Commission, made the pledge after months of lobbying from companies urging for the rules stopping them using the institutions if the Brexit [...]
Consumer credit growth stutters to three-year low as UK house purchases fall back October 29, 2018 Consumer borrowing grew at its lowest rate for three years last month after car sales dropped 20 per cent, the Bank of England revealed today. The annual growth rate of consumer borrowing hit 7.7 per cent last month, the lowest it's been since June 2015, and far below the 10.09 per cent growth rate in [...]