UK IPO: Standard Life Aberdeen chief Sir Gerry Grimstone says Saudi Aramco should come to London October 2, 2017 Sir Gerry Grimstone, chairman of Standard Life Aberdeen, has backed a listing of Saudi Aramco in London. Saudi Aramco, a petroleum giant comprising the oil wealth of Saudi Arabia, is planning a listing that could value the company at $2 trillion. London and New York are the frontrunners for the listing, but a float on [...]
Pret a Manger brushes off Jollibee takeover rumours | City A.M. September 19, 2017 Pret a Manger intends to push ahead with its plans for a possible float on the New York Stock Exchange despite speculation a multi-billion-dollar Filipino business is eyeing a takeover bid for the coffee and sandwich chain. City A.M. understands that Jollibee and Pret have not been in contact with each other on the potential [...]
London retains financial services crown: City extends lead over New York, Hong Kong and Singapore in international ranking by Z/Yen September 11, 2017 London has maintained its position as the world’s number one global financial centre, according to a major international study out today, extending its lead over rivals New York, Hong Kong and Singapore. However, City chiefs have warned that London’s supremacy will come under threat if the government does not secure the right kind of Brexit [...]
What happens to the markets if America goes to war? August 31, 2017 The stock market hates uncertainty, and there is plenty of uncertainty with respect to the tensions over the latest round of North Korean missile tests. This post, originally published 13 September 2013, focused on the violence in the Middle East, specifically Syria, and the potential that the United States could enter the conflict and [...]
20 years on, could the Asian financial crisis be repeated? July 12, 2017 The Asian financial crisis of 1997 was a traumatic dislocation for financial markets that I experienced first hand, working as a fund manager for Schroders in Singapore. The fallout was shocking. The Indonesian economy, for instance, shrunk by 85% in US dollar terms during the aftermath, a contraction unthinkable today. Twenty years on, the pressing [...]
American investment in London property is at an all time high due to the fall in sterling. But what are they buying and where? July 7, 2017 Earlier this week, US citizens all over the world were celebrating Independence Day, yet for the first time in a long time, many of them had one eye on the fireworks and another across the Atlantic on the bargains to be had back in the Old Country. Following the fall in the pound due to [...]
FTSE 100 history: how the index has changed over 33 years July 3, 2017 The FTSE 100 index has just seen one of its quarterly changes with security firm G4S and real estate investment trust Segro promoted to the top 100. Although perhaps small in themselves, these regular events have changed the face of the UK’s leading index since it was formed in 1984. For the many investors whose [...]
Hollywood movie company Film Finances considers London IPO June 1, 2017 A Hollywood film financier is said to be plotting a float on the London Stock Exchange. Los Angeles-headquartered Film Finances Inc could be making its way for a UK initial public offering (IPO) during the summer. Sky News reported that the flotation is being overseen by Liberum Capital and could value the firm at several [...]
Estée Lauder: The woman behind the brand May 2, 2017 Estée Lauder's story could have started on the stage. Before her head was filled with visions of making women beautiful, the woman who would revolutionise the cosmetics industry wanted to be an actress. But, the business of beauty pumped through her veins. Stage Gem Estée toyed with becoming an actress, as she believed that “actresses [...]
Square, Twitter chief exec Jack Dorsey’s payments company, is coming to the UK March 28, 2017 Jack Dorsey’s payments company Square is launching in the UK to kick off European expansion plans. It’s the fifth market for the New York Stock Exchange-listed tech company and the first in Europe after the US, Canada, Japan and Australia. Square’s launch here has been anticipated since last year, when it was first revealed it [...]