London IPO: Darktrace shares surge 40 per cent on market debut April 30, 2021 Shares in UK tech darling Darktrace soared on their London debut, jumping as much as 42 per cent higher than their initial listing price, in an IPO that valued the company at £1.7bn. Darktrace this morning said shares were priced at 250p in its London IPO, the midpoint of the range. Upon the opening bell shares traded [...]
Corona Impact Series: How the chronicle of a storyteller from Dalston turned into a virtual tale April 30, 2021 In this series, City A.M. looks at the financial and economic impact of the ongoing pandemic on a range of small and medium-sized businesses across London. This week: How a creative provider of experience in East London was pushed to go entirely digital overnight, without losing its authenticity and immersiveness. “As Covid hit and the bottom fell out [...]
London ranked most optimistic UK city for career prospects April 30, 2021 Londoners have been crowned the most optimistic about their career prospects, according to research by LinkedIn, as the City emerges from a third national lockdown. LinkedIn’s latest research has found that 68 per cent of people in the capital are feeling optimistic about their job chances. Across the rest of the country, 61 per cent [...]
Firms helping vulnerable during pandemic recognised in Dragon Awards April 30, 2021 | City Talk An app which mobilised volunteers to shop for vulnerable people during the pandemic is among the winners in London’s top responsible business gongs. Described as an ‘Uber for volunteers’, onHand, which matches volunteers with projects in need of help, won the Lord Mayor’s Award for Innovation During COVID-19 in the Lord Mayor’s Dragon Awards. The [...]
Leaked report advises Johnson to scrap social distancing at large events April 30, 2021 Prime minister Boris Johnson will be advised to scrap social distancing at larger events from 21 June, as results from a pilot scheme revealed no surge in Covid-19 cases among attendees. Johnson will be told next week to shelve the restrictions after the interim report into reopening trials found that crowds can return safely and without [...]
Business confidence in London jumps to pre-pandemic levels April 30, 2021 Business confidence in London rose 20 points during April, to 32 per cent, its highest level since January 2020. Moreover, companies in the capital reported higher confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, up 17 points at 31 per cent, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking. When taken alongside their optimism in the economy, up 22 [...]
Exclusive: UK private equity firms pool £20bn fire power as they circle higher value targets April 29, 2021 The total value of UK private equity club deals reached £19.7bn last year, a fourfold increase from the £4.5bn in 2019. Moreover, the number of club deals has reached a three-year high as there were 56 deals in 2020, a jump of 30 per cent from 43 the year before, according to new data that [...]
The Evening Read: City veteran Gavin Rochussen on closing deals remotely April 29, 2021 In an exclusive interview, City A.M. sits down with Gavin Rochussen, the CEO of St. James’s-based Polar Capital, to talk all things asset management, how the pandemic has changed working practices, navigating acquisitions in lockdown and how culture is so important to success. You told me that Polar Capital is a boutique asset manager, but [...]
Deutsche Bank staff in the City set for three-day work from home week April 29, 2021 Deutsche Bank plans a post-pandemic policy for its City staff that allows them to work from home for up to three days a week. The implementation of the hybrid working model is part of a wider initiative to encourage flexible working at the German financial giant. “It’s a range of 40 per cent to 60 [...]
London homes snapped up by Hong Kong buyers quadruples April 29, 2021 The number of London homes being bought by Hong Kong buyers has quadrupled since the UK’s visa scheme has allowed many to relocate. Hong Kong buyers now account for four per cent of transactions in the capital, up from one per cent, according to client data from property firm Benham and Reeves. Since the British National [...]