Hiscox to scale back Lloyd’s operations after revealing that rates are under “severe pressure” November 7, 2016 One of the best known Lloyd's insurers today revealed a strategic pivot, saying its London market operations will "shrink materially" next year. Hiscox, whose Lloyd's footprint can be traced back over 70 years, said it can't generate enough profit when underwriting aviation, marine and energy and US large property policies in particular. Chief exec Bronek Masojada said that [...]
British businesses say cuts to corporation tax are “not the be all and end all” November 7, 2016 British businesses do not want further corporation tax cuts for fear of alienating the general public. The consensus opinion across the UK's companies is that corporation tax is not a "defining feature of tax policy". This means that the benefits of a cut are outweighed by negative publicity attached to business’ role in the tax system, according to [...]
OneSavings’ boss wants to know. Until then he’ll “carry on ploughing” November 7, 2016 Clarity. It's a real buzz word at the moment, especially when referring to exactly how Prime Minister Theresa May plans to extract Britain from the EU. Andy Golding, the 25-year banking veteran in charge of challenger OneSavings Bank, is one of many business leaders calling for clarity. “I think that in any situation of change [...]
Real wages are on the wane and it’s only going to get worse, say accountants November 7, 2016 Sterling’s post-Brexit vote collapse is hitting Britons where it hurts the most. In the pocket. Inflation is outstripping wage growth as businesses are forced to pass on increased costs associated with sterling’s slump to consumers, according to a report prepared by accountants BDO. “Rapidly rising inflation is quickly going to hit the pockets of UK [...]
Clinton emails: no criminality found November 6, 2016 The FBI announced this evening that it had found no evidence of criminal behaviour in its latest investigation into Hillary Clinton's emails. The director of the FBI, James Comey wrote to Congress to update politicians on his findings. The letter was released on Twitter by Californian Democrat Adam Schiff. As expected, the review of the additional emails [...]
Professors’ retirement fund to invest in future Green Investment Bank projects November 6, 2016 Macquarie Bank is poised to team-up with the pension fund that manages the retirement money of Britain's university professors as part of the privatisation of the Green Investment Bank (GIB). The Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), a pension scheme that can trace its roots over a hundred years, will help the Australian lender pay for future funding [...]
Sainsbury’s to reveal how much its pension scheme has grown over the last six months November 6, 2016 Sainsbury's pension scheme deficit is expected to have ballooned by up to £900m over the last six months when the company releases its interim results on Wednesday. The supermarket's pension hole stood at £390m in March but analysts are predicting that a chasm will have developed. Market expectations are that the deficit will be between £900m and £1.3bn. Read [...]
Do you want to buy back your own company? Wetherspoon’s boss says no and asks for shareholder help November 6, 2016 Wetherspoon shareholders will meet on Tuesday to head-off an unfortunate pickle that its boss and major shareholder has found himself in. Tim Martin, who owns 29.9 per cent of the pub chain giant, is facing the prospect of having to make a takeover offer for the very business he founded 37 years ago, due to Takeover [...]
Hurricane Matthew impact “less than it might have been” for Lloyd’s insurer Lancashire November 3, 2016 Hurricane insurer Lancashire's share price spiralled up over eight per cent today after blowing away analysts with its third quarter results. Announcing a $150m (£121m) special dividend, the Lloyd's insurer said that the impact of Hurricane Matthew – the worst in the Atlantic for nine years – wasn't quite as bad as it had expected. "As an [...]
Inmarsat’s share price flies up 10 per cent after releasing starry-eyed results November 3, 2016 Shares in satellite group Inmarsat reached for skies today after revealing better than expected third quarter results. The group's aviation division grew revenues by 10 per cent to $36m (£29m) having been boosted by mopping up contracts with some of Europe's largest airlines. These included an agreement with British Airways to provide wifi on its short haul [...]
