Abrdn forced to delay £1.5bn Interactive Investor takeover due to global paper shortages February 6, 2022 Edinburgh headquartered asset manager Abrdn has been forced to delay a shareholder ballot on its plans to launch a £1.5bn takeover of online investment platform Interactive Investor, because of an international paper shortage. Abrdn had hoped to let shareholders vote on its plans to takeover Interactive Investor ahead of its results. However, the Scottish asset [...]
Exclusive: ‘Keep a cool head in hairy markets but avoid being an ostrich’, says City grandee and fund chief Andrew Bell January 20, 2022 Witan Investment Trust is a well-know name in the City’s investment space. It can trace its history back to 1909 when it was set up to manage the investment affairs of Sir Alexander Henderson, who later became the first Lord Faringdon. Today it holds over £2.2bn on behalf of more than 28,000 shareholders, using a [...]
NS&I lifts rates on savings to meet Treasury’s fundraising target December 21, 2021 National Savings & Investments, the government-backed savings bank, today announced it will push up interest rates on some of its savings accounts at the end of the month, as it scrambles to meet the government-set net financing target for its financial year. As of 29 December, the interest rate on NS&I’s Direct ISA, Direct Saver [...]
Exclusive: ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ no longer applies as tech-daring UK companies are hungry for risk November 25, 2021 Enthusiasm for experimenting with new technologies is growing fast across UK businesses, largely because many companies are increasingly prepared to take more risks. Given the increased risk appetite and firms embracing tech, organisations are pumping more cash in new technological applications and platforms. In fact, 77 per cent of businesses with headcounts over 250 said [...]
Treasury accused of killing off UK freeports November 21, 2021 Treasury officials have been accused of “killing off” freeports, by lacking ambition in tax cuts and a cap that will limit the number to 10. Whitehall is said to be opposing the policy, claiming the perks of freeports will lead to less tax revenue and existing businesses moving to these new designated zones from elsewhere [...]
HgCapital reports strong interim results despite ‘risk environment’ November 15, 2021 Tech private equity firm HgCapital announced strong performance of its portfolio, with its three month net asset value (NAV) per share up 11.6 per cent.
Oxford college to change name after richest woman in Vietnam makes £155m donation November 3, 2021 A University of Oxford college is to change its name to Thao College after signing a memorandum of understanding over the money with Sovico Group – represented by its chair, Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao.
Scottish Investment Trust to merge with JP Morgan in £1.2bn deal October 20, 2021 Scottish Investment Trust is dropping its in-house management team to combine assets with JP Morgan’s Global Growth & Income (JGGI) arm to create a new £1.2bn enlarged trust. The deal is expected to complete in the first quarter of next year if approved by shareholders, and the Scottish Investment Trust will be voluntarily liquidated through [...]
Watchdog blames social media ‘hype’ and competitiveness for younger investors’ bets on crypto October 20, 2021 Three quarters of younger investors in the UK who place their bets on high-risk products, such as cryptocurrencies, say they are driven by “competition” with friends and their own past investments, according to new research from the FCA. Of the 1000 UK younger investors that the FCA surveyed between the ages of 18 and 40 [...]
CFOs do not expect ‘double whammy’ of labour shortages and supply disruptions to ease before 2023 October 18, 2021 Finance leaders believe that the labour shortages and supply disruptions British businesses are experiencing now are likely to persist for a year, with no meaningful easing until late 2022 or more likely early 2023. The majority of CFOs experienced labour shortages over the past three months with three-quarters reporting some, severe or significant recruitment difficulties. [...]