UK active fund inflows nosedive on coronavirus fears February 11, 2020 Sales of active equity funds in the UK plunged over 90 per cent in January after the coronavirus outbreak led to a collapse in investor confidence. Inflows into actively-managed equity funds totalled just £78m in January, a drop of 93 per cent compared to the previous month, according to figures from fund network Calastone. “Stock [...]
Deutsche Bank taps US tech giants to help with overhaul efforts February 11, 2020 Deutsche Bank has reportedly invited bids from Google, Microsoft and Amazon to overhaul its outdated technology networks as part of a wider turnaround effort by the German lender. Deutsche approached the US tech giants as part of a €13bn (£11bn) technology investment it has planned up to 2022 as it seeks to recover from years [...]
KKR denies approaching embattled NMC Health on possible offer February 11, 2020 KKR has ruled out a possible takeover of NMC Health, one day after the embattled FTSE 100 hospital operator said it had been approached by the US investment firm. NMC Health said yesterday that it had received approaches regarding potential takeover offers from KKR and GK Investment Holding, but KKR this morning denied making an [...]
Deutsche Bank’s plans to simplify corporate structure win regulatory backing February 11, 2020 Deutsche Bank’s plan to simplify its complex corporate structure in Germany has won the backing of local and European regulators, in a boost for boss Christian Sewing’s turnaround plan for the German lender. Under the plans, Deutsche will eliminate the separate legal entity that houses its domestic detail operations, known as Deutsche Bank Privat- und [...]
FTSE 100 opens higher after US and Asian markets rise February 11, 2020 The FTSE 100 index has opened higher this morning, taking its cue from positive performances from US and Asian markets as investors shrug off coronavirus fears, despite the death toll from the outbreak passing 1,000. Britain’s blue-chip index climbed as much as 1.02 per cent after the open on Tuesday, following positive impetus from Monday’s [...]
London Metal Exchange under pressure to investigate nickel market February 9, 2020 The centre of metal trading in the City is under pressure to investigate the nickel market after it was hit by a supply shock late last year. Stockpiles of the commodity plunged late last year while prices hit a four-year high after Indonesia, the world’s largest nickel producer, brought forward a ban on exports. Organisations [...]
Top UK fintech firms accused of editing their own Wikipedia pages February 9, 2020 Two of the UK’s most prominent fintech firms have been accused of editing their own pages on Wikipedia to remove criticism. The Wikipedia pages of card management app Curve and challenger bank Starling both have warnings claiming the firms could have edited their own entries, as does the page of Starling chief executive Anne Boden. [...]
Barclays braces for pressure from activist investor and climate campaigners February 9, 2020 Barclays is facing intense scrutiny on two fronts as the bank prepares to release its annual results on Thursday, as the bank tries to shake off an activist investor and address campaigners’ concerns over its financing of fossil fuels. Barclays came under pressure last year from activist investor Edward Bramson to reduce the size of [...]
Fresh blow for Woodford investors as biotech sell-off fails February 9, 2020 Investors in the failed flagship fund of Neil Woodford are facing a further blow after a £550m deal to rescue a portfolio of his stakes in biotech startups collapsed, raising concerns the holdings will be offloaded in a fire sale. WG Partners, a boutique investment bank specialising in life sciences, had been trying to assemble [...]
Storm Ciara: Travel chaos and ‘danger to life’ warning as gales batter the UK February 9, 2020 Severe gales and heavy rain are battering the UK as Storm Ciara sweeps across the country, with dozens of flights cancelled and rail companies warning passengers not to travel. The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for rain across the entire country for Sunday, and 150 flood warnings are also in place. An additional [...]