Bank of England steps up Brexit derivatives warnings in plea for EU to take action October 9, 2018 The Bank of England has doubled down on its call to the EU to put measures in place to allow European banks to access UK-based clearing houses after Brexit, avoiding financial market chaos which could damage firms across the continent. City lobby groups echoed the Bank's plea, urging the EU to stop using clearing as a [...]
Commercial real estate might be reliably disinteresting now, but don’t get too cosy October 9, 2018 At a time of political and market turbulence in the UK, there is one area where we’ve seen relative stability. Commercial real estate data in recent months has been fairly constant, with no significant changes to the outlook. The returns for commercial real estate have remained disappointing relative to recent years, yet there has been [...]
Cenkos boss steps down after profits vanish October 9, 2018 Stockbroker Cenkos Securities surprised the City this morning after announcing its chief executive is to step down in the wake of tumbling profits. Boss Anthony Hotson will leave his post at the end of the month, putting an end to a 12-month reign which was dampened last month when Cenkos halved its dividends and posted [...]
Could YouTube star Joe Sugg win Strictly Come Dancing? October 8, 2018 When Strictly Come Dancing unveiled its 2018 lineup, I imagine there would have been more than a couple of blank faces at the name Joe Sugg. While reality stars frequently feature on the show, Sugg is the first social media celebrity to ever appear. But if Strictly’s core fanbase aren’t familiar with him, plenty of [...]
Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane to head industrial strategy council October 7, 2018 The government has appointed Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane to chair a new industrial strategy council in a bid to boost Britain’s low productivity. The council, which will meet three or four times per year, will publish a regular report on the government’s progress on implementing its industrial strategy. The body will also [...]
We’re on the cusp of a blockchain revolution October 4, 2018 Earlier this year, Bank of England governor Mark Carney scrutinised blockchain technology, describing it as an inadequate currency platform set for a “brutal reckoning”. His views come as no surprise for someone deeply ingrained into the traditions of the financial system and the institutions that have set the industry’s tone for centuries. Read more: Up [...]
DAC Beachcroft unveils plans to merge offices in new City HQ October 1, 2018 Global law firm DAC Beachcroft is to merge its City offices under one roof next year, in a move to create a new global headquarters in the heart of the Square Mile. Roughly 50,000 square feet will be taken up in Beachcroft’s move to The Walbrook building, where its team of lawyers are expected to [...]
How London can fend off the European hotspots vying for its fintech crown October 1, 2018 Flash back to the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote. “London has committed suicide as a leading fintech centre,” tweeted Traxpay, a German payments platform. Catchy advertising urged startups to “keep calm and move to Berlin”. Read more: Meet the startups in the Treasury-backed Tech Nation fintech accelerator Over two years later, and it’s French [...]
Debate: Are British high street banks a good opportunity for investors at the moment? September 26, 2018 Debate: Are British high street banks a good opportunity for investors at the moment? Yes – Richard Buxton is chief executive and a fund manager at Old Mutual Global Investors. As a long-term investor in UK banks, the most recent reporting season came as a welcome relief. The litany of conduct charges and regulatory [...]
Patchy regulation prevents the world from reaping the full benefits of the markets September 25, 2018 Ten years ago today, the world woke to the news that yet another bank had collapsed. Washington Mutual was the latest casualty in what became the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Those events have cast a long shadow. Governments, businesses, and households have had to tackle the legacy of that crisis. As [...]