London Stock Exchange commits to Refinitiv deal and posts strong results April 21, 2020 London Stock Exchange has said it is making “good progress” on its planning for the $27bn (£22bn) takeover of Refinitiv, emphasising that it is still committed to the deal despite the coronavirus pandemic. In its first quarter results, LSE said its gross profit rose 13 per cent to £555m. Its total revenue rose 10 per [...]
Good vs. bad active fund management: three indicators April 21, 2020 Do you ever wonder whether your active fund is worth the management and performance fees you charge? Would passive investments have yielded similar or better outcomes for your clients? If you haven’t asked yourself these questions, you can be sure your clients have asked themselves. And they will continue to, measuring what you deliver with [...]
Government issued ‘Corona Bonds’ are inevitable. Could blockchain provide the answer to efficiency and transparency of their issue? April 21, 2020 Price Watch The crypto market has had a positive week with the total market cap once again heading north of the US$200bn mark and at the time of writing, Bitcoin (BTC) was trading at US$7,050.62 / GB£5,685.18; Ethereum (ETH) is at US$179.39 / GB£144.70; Ripple (XRP) is at US$0.1894 / GB£0.1520; Binance (BNB) is at [...]
Fighting an Infodemic April 21, 2020 The world is in the throws of the COVID-19 pandemic. And one of the challenges being faced by society, the healthcare system, governments and the rest is an infodemic. The world is in the throws of the COVID-19 pandemic. And one of the challenges facing society, the healthcare system, governments and the rest is an [...]
Coronavirus: Joules secures £15m credit boost as crisis hits high street April 21, 2020 Joules today said it has added £15m to its revolving credit facility as the fashion retailer battles a sharp decline in sales caused by the coronavirus crisis. The credit boost, agreed with Barclays, follows a share placing earlier this month that raised £15m. Joules has already taken a number of measures to mitigate the impact [...]
Miner BHP holds on to iron production guidance despite coronavirus April 21, 2020 Mining giant BHP has maintained its production guidance for iron, coal and petroleum for 2020 despite the ongoing economic shutdown caused by coronavirus. However, the firm said that it expected to see double-digit contraction outside of China could contract by a double-digit figure, and that capital spending could fall below the $8bn previously forecast. In [...]
Primark owner ABF reveals £284m charge for unsold stock April 21, 2020 Associated British Foods (ABF) has revealed a £248m hit for unsold stock as sales plunge while Primark stores remain shut across Europe. Following the closure of its stores the level of inventory at Primark increased significantly as sales ceased immediately and the inbound supply chain continued for several weeks with goods in transit. An assessment [...]
Donald Trump suspends immigration over coronavirus April 21, 2020 US President Donald Trump has vowed to suspend all immigration into the US in the latest dramatic response to the world spread of coronavirus. The temporary move effectively delivers on a long-held Trump administration goal. But Trump said it was a necessary step to protect US jobs. The country has seen spiking unemployment claims, with [...]
US oil prices rebound into positive territory after historic crash April 21, 2020 US crude oil has bounced back into positive territory after plunging into negative territory for the first time, as the coronavirus outbreak crushes demand. The US oil benchmark – West Texas Intermediate (WTI) – was at $1.43 a barrel in afternoon trading in Asia after starting the session at minus $14. It means producers were [...]