Londoners must install water smart meters under new plans November 4, 2013 LONDON households will have to install smart meters to cut down the amount of water they use, under a new proposal from utility firm Thames Water. The scheme, which is starting in Bexley, south east London, aims to encourage customers to reduce their water use, with the capital described as “seriously water-stressed” by the Environment [...]
Saccomanni wants majority voting November 4, 2013 Italy’s economy minister Fabrizio Saccomanni called for European institutions to switch to majority voting from unanimity in order to implement economic reforms more efficiently. He urged the move at a speech in London yesterday.
Pimco loses biggest fund crown November 4, 2013 Bill Gross’s Pimco Total Return Fund had outflows of $4.4bn in October, stripping it of its status as the world’s largest mutual fund, data from Morningstar showed yesterday. The outflows lowered its assets to $248bn, according to Morningstar data. The Vanguard Total Stock Market Index now holds the title of world’s largest mutual fund with [...]
Poundland hires retail analyst Dorgan as it eyes 2014 flotation November 4, 2013 PHILIP Dorgan, one of the retail sector’s top analysts, has joined Poundland, fuelling further speculation that the bargain chain is heading for flotation next year. Dorgan, who has worked over three decades as an analyst, was most recently at broker Panmure Gordon, but was made redundant from the firm in July. One of the most [...]
Dubai property titan backs laws ahead of float November 4, 2013 ONE OF Dubai’s biggest property firms yesterday said tougher regulations in the country would help prevent a repeat of its 2008 real estate meltdown, as it unveiled plans to raise $500m in a London float. Damac Properties, which was founded by chairman Hussain Sajwani and is the biggest developer in the middle east, said recent [...]
Renewables firm Infinis puts price tag on IPO stake November 4, 2013 INFINIS, the energy company owned by Guy Hands’ private equity firm Terra Firma, yesterday set the price range for its forthcoming stock market float to value the company at nearly £1bn. Shares in the renewable energy provider are expected to price at between 260p and 310p each, giving the company a market cap of between [...]
Merlin move float forward November 4, 2013 ALTON Towers owner Merlin Entertainments yesterday closed the book early for its looming stock market float after strong demand. Merlin has moved forward the deadline for institutional investors to show interest in buying stock in the firm from next Monday to this coming Thursday 7 November. Retail investors hoping to buy in to the theme [...]
Rapid boost for UK builders as sector heats up November 4, 2013 UK CONSTRUCTION firms have continued their upward climb during October, posting the strongest one-month improvement to activity since before the financial crisis. According to Markit’s purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for the sector, construction is expanding at the fastest rate since September 2007. The headline figure of the index is 59.4, well above the neutral 50 [...]
Online retail takes up growing share of sales before Christmas November 4, 2013 RETAILERS saw a boost ahead of Christmas during October, with sales up 2.6 per cent in comparison to the same month last year according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). However, the survey conducted with KPMG suggests the UK’s high streets may not be benefiting as much from the increase. On a like-for-like basis, sales [...]
Productivity lifted by UK’s migrant staff November 4, 2013 HIRING migrant workers has boosted productivity in the UK according to research published today, which also showed that British-born employees now appreciate the need for skilled migration. The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (Niesr) said that hiring workers from outside the UK has enabled firms to fill vacancies in highly-skilled or specialised roles. [...]
