Innovative is 48th failed US bank April 18, 2010 California-based Innovative Bank has become the 48th US financial institution to fail this year. It had $268.9m (£175m) in assets, and $225.2m in deposits at the end of 2009. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FIDC) estimates that the collapse will cost the deposit insurance fund $37.8m. Innovative was founded in 1982 as the Bank of [...]
Facebook’s new targeted ads April 18, 2010 Facebook, the world’s most popular social networking site, could introduce a new generation of targeted advertising that tracks its users’ internet activity. By following its users’ journey through the internet it could deliver highly tailored ads. The system will involve introducing a new “Facebook button” which will appear on a host of external sites, allowing [...]
Prudential bid like a forced marriage, says Asia analyst April 18, 2010 ONE of the largest brokerage firms working in Asia has launched a scathing attack on Prudential’s planned acquisition of AIA. A CLSA note obtained by City A.M. likened Prudential’s $35.5bn (£22.8bn) bid for AIG’s Asian business to “parents forcing their daughter to marry someone she doesn’t like for money.” The 11-page attack, penned by Patricia [...]
Navy could rescue travellers April 18, 2010 DRASTIC plans were hastily drawn up yesterday to help return at least 150,000 Britons stranded by the Icelandic volcano to the UK. Government ministers say the Navy could be recruited to ferry thousands of Britons who have been grounded by the fine cloud of ash belched over vast swathes of Europe. Some estimates place the [...]
UK politicians join Goldman bandwagon April 18, 2010 UK POLITICIANS presented a rare united front yesterday as they called for the City regulator to begin its own investigation into securities fraud allegations against Goldman Sachs. Fabrice Tourre, the individual named in the case brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the US, is now based at Goldman’s Fleet Street headquarters after [...]
Red Knights bid imminent April 18, 2010 THE structure for an audacious fan-backed bid for Manchester United has been finalised, paving the way for a formal offer as soon as next month. A group of wealthy City financiers desperate to take control of the club from the Glazer family thrashed out details of their £1.25bn bid last week and will now present [...]
Third former Northern Rock banker caught up in scandal April 18, 2010 A THIRD former Northern Rock executive has been implicated in the scandal that last week saw the stricken bank’s former deputy chief executive slapped with a £504,000 fine. It was reported yesterday that David Jones, the bank’s former finance director, is being investigated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). It is alleged Jones was aware [...]
Momentum for global bank tax slows amid uncertainty from EU April 18, 2010 HOPES for a global bank tax were dealt a hammer blow this weekend as European Union finance ministers failed to agree on how to impose a Europe wide bank levy. The European Commission has in the past been adamant that Europe could pioneer its own bank levy if the rest of the world dragged their [...]
Arriva close to receiving German bid April 18, 2010 DEUTSCHE BAHN, the German rail and bus operator, is one step closer to acquiring Arriva as the group puts the finishing touches on a takeover package that could see the British based transport company valued at £1.6bn. It is understood that the Deutsche Bahn board will meet this week to finalise a bid, which could [...]
Marketing spend is best in two years April 18, 2010 MARKETING budgets were raised in the first quarter of this year for the first time in ten quarters. Companies also remain upbeat about financial prospects, according to the latest IPA/BDO Bellwether survey. It found firms expect the ongoing economic recovery to gain momentum, and plan to raise their spending for 2010. Around 42 per cent [...]
