BC Partners shrugs off the recession with bumper profit November 8, 2009 BC PARTNERS, the private equity firm whose investments include estate agent Foxtons and gym chain Fitness First, increased operating profits last year even as the recession hit leveraged buyouts. Turnover fell in what was held to be the worst year for venture capital since 2005, but overall profits grew from £4.2m in 2007 to £5.4m. [...]
Bonus row to reignite at Barclays and HSBC November 8, 2009 BARCLAYS and HSBC will risk stirring up more public anger over bankers’ pay tomorrow when they are likely to report strong third quarter results – and bumper bonuses to match. Both Barclays and HSBC avoided taking Government cash to survive the global financial crisis but that is unlikely to protect either from criticism over the [...]
WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING FROM BARCLAYS AND HSBC THIS WEEK? November 8, 2009 DAVID BUIK BGC PARTNERSI’m expecting both results to be exceptionally good, both Barclays and HSBC have been buoyed by investment banking. HSBC will likely make another significant writedown from its US consumer lending business which has been a noose around its neck.JUSTIN URQUHART STEWART 7 INVESTMENT MANAGEMENTThese are going to be very good results and [...]
PwC: Credit card market must innovate to survive November 8, 2009 THE CREDIT card market needs urgent change to survive, with bad debts reaching historic highs, according to new data out today. The PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Precious Plastic report will show that bad debts have reached a record six per cent, and the accountancy firm predicts that this figure will climb to nine per cent by the [...]
Anglo says Hampton is not on cards November 8, 2009 MINING group Anglo American has dismissed reports that Royal Bank of Scotland chairman Sir Philip Hampton is set to join the board. Weekend reports said an announcement of his appointment could be made today. But Anglo said the report was “speculation”. Anglo plans to refresh its board following the failed merger approach by rival Xstrata [...]
EU hedge fund clampdown is labelled ‘poor’ November 8, 2009 THE planned clampdown on hedge funds by European bureaucrats is “vague, sweeping and inadequate”, according to a damning report on the merits of the controversial directive. Research by economists and academics on behalf of the European Parliament said the attempt to regulate hedge funds is, in its current form, “poorly-constructed, ill-focused and premature”. Authors said [...]
Lord Myners to face hedge fund grilling by Lords November 8, 2009 Lord Myners, Financial Services Secretary, will this week be questioned by the House of Lords EU sub-committee over the controversial Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFM Directive). The directive requires managers of funds to register and submit data to regulators, creating extra costs and stifling investments from hedge funds and private equity groups. Experts say [...]
City boost for fund managers November 8, 2009 BRITAIN’S asset management industry and the government will today outline how they will work together to both retain business and lure back funds that have fled overseas, in a key report to be published in London. The Asset Management Working Group will make 25 key findings and 22 recommendations including making the UK a domicile [...]
WHAT GOD COMPLEX? BLANKFEIN IS JUST FEELING A WEE BIT LONELY November 8, 2009 One could feel a bit sorry for Goldman Sach’s chairman and chief executive Lloyd Blankfein. Push aside the fact that he earns more than the GDP of a small country for doing “God’s work”, and life on the 30th floor starts to look very lonely. “People are pissed off, mad and bent out of shape. [...]
BILL OF THE WEEK November 8, 2009 Little Bay played host to a group of 16 colleagues from a well-known accountancy firm, who treated themselves to a long lunch in honour of one of the party’s 30th birthday celebrations. Readers may remember the Farringdon Road venue after owner Peter Ilic ran a “pay what you think” promotion in February. No such frugality [...]
