Investment managers lobby politicians for strong EU ties post-Brexit November 6, 2019 UK fund managers have called on the next government to protect cross-border investment arrangements and secure close alignment with EU rules post-Brexit. Entering the fray of general election campaigning, the Investment Association (IA) also warned against a no-deal Brexit, calling it “the worst possible outcome for UK investment managers”. Read more: Investors urge FTSE 350 [...]
BT shares fall as Virgin Media ditches telco for Vodafone network November 6, 2019 Virgin Media is leaving BT’s mobile network for rival Vodafone from late 2021, in a five-year deal that will give its customers access to new services including 5G. Under the deal, Vodafone will supply wholesale mobile services including voice and data to over three million Virgin Mobile and Virgin Media Business customers until 2026. Read [...]
Gocardless and Transferwise join forces for global recurring payments service November 6, 2019 Fintech firms Gocardless and Transferwise have teamed up to create a service to help businesses collect recurring international payments. Read more: UK fintech Gocardless to launch in the US Gocardless said it has created “the first global network for bank debit”, and will use Transferwise’s business product to provide the transfer company’s foreign exchange rates [...]
UK mulls change in IPO rules to attract tech startups November 5, 2019 Downing Street has reportedly held discussions with representatives from the investment industry about changing the UK’s listing rules to encourage high-growth firms such as tech startups to float in London. The talks were part of a push by Number 10 to help boost the City after the UK leaves the EU at the end of [...]
Fimalac builds £500m digital ad firm with Jellyfish deal November 5, 2019 Fimalac, the group owned by French billionaire Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière, has bought a majority stake in London-based digital marketing agency Jellyfish as it seeks to compete in an increasingly online advertising landscape. Fimalac data-driven marketing specialist Tradelab will be merged with Jellyfish, the companies said, to create a combined entity with a market capitalisation [...]
Private equity firm KKR raises record €5.8bn European fund November 5, 2019 US buyout firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) has raised its largest ever European fund at €5.8bn (£5bn), as investors look to the region for higher returns. The flagship fund, which launched in February with an initial target of €5bn, will focus on private equity deals in Western Europe. Read more: European private equity buyouts climb [...]
Investors urge FTSE 350 firms to link executive pay to performance November 5, 2019 Listed companies must make a clearer link between pay and performance and justify executive remuneration levels to avoid shareholder dissent, the Investment Association (IA) has said. The IA has written to all FTSE 350 firms outlining the standards it expects their remuneration policies to meet ahead of the 2020 annual general meeting (AGM) season, when [...]
Government urged to make London Stock Exchange a battleground in fight against autocracies November 5, 2019 The government should give itself the power to block London Stock Exchange listings on national security grounds as a check on the “influence and reach” of autocratic states, a committee of MPs said. In a report released today, the foreign affairs committee (FAC) said the government is failing to engage with the threat to international [...]
Nancy Pelosi expects Donald Trump impeachment hearings to begin this month November 1, 2019 Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi has said she expects the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump to begin public hearings this month. “I assume there would be public hearing in November,” the top House Democrat said in an interview with Bloomberg, but insisted there was no deadline to finish the investigation. [...]
Abuse is putting female MPs off standing for re-election November 1, 2019 Two-thirds of female MPs say that slow progress tackling violence against women in politics is impacting their willingness to stand for re-election, according to a survey released as concerns mount over the number of women stepping down at the next election. The research, carried out for the Commons’ Women and Equalities Committee (WEC), surveyed 147 [...]