Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper calls for October election August 2, 2015 Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper yesterday called a parliamentary election for 19 October, launching an 11-week campaign that is likely to focus on the sluggish economy and his party’s decade-long hold on power. Harper’s centre-right Conservative party has been in power since 2006, and is campaigning for a rare fourth consecutive term. But polls suggest [...]
London goes wheely mad August 2, 2015 MORE THAN 70,000 cyclists – some in Lycra, others not – took to the streets of the capital this weekend for Prudential RideLondon. Apart from the thousands cycling around the capital’s traffic-free streets, there was also the serious RideLondon-Surrey 100 ride, a 100-mile event that goes through central and west London and Surrey. The event [...]
Investors slash exposure to oil as prices drop August 2, 2015 INVESTORS will be closely watching oil prices this week, after Iran revealed that it expects to raise oil output by 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) as soon as sanctions are lifted and by 1m bpd within months. Iranian oil minister Bijan Zanganeh said yesterday: “Within the next few months, we will return to the level [...]
Tyrrells buys Yarra Valley Snack Foods for global growth August 2, 2015 Upmarket crisps maker Tyrrells is speeding up its global expansion after announcing its acquisition of Melbourne-based organic snacks company Yarra Valley Snack Foods. Tyrrells launched a range of products in Australian supermarket Coles in April last year, and says the purchase will “accelerate the international growth”. It reported a net worth of over £26m last [...]
Stephen Hester’s role at risk as offer for RSA looks likely August 2, 2015 RSA boss Stephen Hester was given a hero’s welcome when he was appointed to lead the embattled insurer just over 18 months ago. However, following last week’s revelation that Zurich is mulling an offer for the group, he could be set to leave before finishing what he has started. The former Royal Bank of [...]
Robo-advisers backed to fill financial gap August 2, 2015 GOVERNMENT officials and regulators are today launching a new review aimed at improving consumers’ access to financial advice. However, experts say that the answer to the so-called “advice gap” is likely to be found in new financial technologies such as automated online portfolio managers known as “robo-advisers”. Robo-advisers are most common in the US, where [...]
Bank of England hawks to vote for interest rate hike on Super Thursday August 2, 2015 The Bank of England will for the first time release a string of reports alongside its monthly monetary policy decision this week. And at least two hawks are expected to break rank and vote in favour of an interest rate hike. The so-called Super Thursday meeting will see the central bank publish its monthly decision [...]
Bank of Cyprus mulls re-listing stock in London August 2, 2015 THE BANK of Cyprus is weighing plans to move its stock market listing from Athens to London next year. The business, led by former RBS banker John Hourican and chaired by the ex-Deutsche Bank boss Josef Ackermann, has a primary listing in Cyprus, but wants to move its secondary listing to London to boost liquidity, [...]
Odd Shares Awards nominees August 2, 2015 NOMINATIONS have just opened for this year’s annual Shares Awards, and some of the nominees may already raise a few eyebrows. Last month, customers were up in arms after several banks failed to sign on to mobile payment system Apple Pay, despite many believing that some, such as HSBC, were meant to be launch partners. [...]
City soccer star is merciless in FA Cup final August 2, 2015 THE LADIES’ FA Cup final saw a record turnout with more than 30,000 fans storming to Wembley yesterday as Chelsea beat Notts County 2-1. Deutsche Bank analyst and Chelsea left-back Claire Rafferty showed no mercy in a rallying cry before yesterday’s game: “When you step out on to the pitch there’s no friends there.” Spoken [...]
