Banks can trip in search of a rise up the table February 20, 2012 INVESTMENT bankers are pleased with any pickings these days and in the past few weeks there has been healthy signs of action in the world of block trades. This is a phenomenon whereby a bank offers to buy a block of shares in one company and sell it on. The idea is that, hopefully, the [...]
Segro banks £80m through selling off industrial estates February 20, 2012 BRITISH landlord Segro said yesterday it has sold a portfolio of five non-core industrial estates to funds owned by Ignis Asset Management for £80.2m. The sale is part of the company’s plan to focus its UK multi-let industrial portfolio on London and South East. “The sale of these assets demonstrates that, despite the uncertain economic [...]
Ennis leads track stars’ showcase February 19, 2012 CYCLISTS were not the only Team GB hopefuls to boost their London 2012 medal chances at the weekend, with domestic athletes shining at the Aviva Grand Prix in Birmingham on Saturday. Heptathlete Jessica Ennis posted new personal bests in the 60m hurdles and long jump, beating a strong field in the former with the fastest [...]
Mondi seen sweetening £237m bid for Polish unit February 16, 2012 SHARES in Polish paper maker Mondi Swiecie climbed above an offer price from its South African parent yesterday, as investors bet Mondi would have to sweeten its £237m buy-out bid. The South African paper maker owns two-thirds of Mondi Swiecie, and offered 69 zlotys (£13.60) per share for the remaining 34 per cent of the [...]
Carlyle cashes in with £650m sale of Talaris February 14, 2012 PRIVATE equity house Carlyle Group provided a ray of light for the buyout industry yesterday when it agreed to sell cash-counting equipment firm Talaris to a Japanese rival for £650m. Glory, Japan’s largest money-handling machine maker, has agreed to buy Talaris in its largest acquisition so far. It marks a quick exit for Carlyle, which [...]
Cameron calls on insurers to cut premiums February 13, 2012 DAVID Cameron will today announce plans to reduce insurance premiums by cutting red tape, reducing legal bills and tackling the high number of spurious claims. Proposals include a plan to reduce the number of whiplash claims by enforcing a higher evidence threshold for injuries and cutting the £1,200 fee that lawyers can earn for small [...]
Aviva sees progress on Taiwan sale February 12, 2012 Insurer Aviva said yesterday it was continuing with talks on the sale of its stake in a Taiwan life insurance joint venture, and was making progress. Sources with direct knowledge of the matter had claimed on Friday that the company had put aside for the time being a plan to sell down its stake due [...]
Gender quotas are wrong and don’t work – it’s time to treat people as individuals February 12, 2012 LAST week, the Prime Minister delivered a speech in Stockholm about diversity in the work-place, making the capitalist case that equality should drive more efficient business outcomes by realising a broader range of entrepreneurial talent. This welcome shift in emphasis highlights why mandatory gender quotas in the boardroom are such a bad idea. In Norway, [...]
Duke Street takes stake in legal market February 6, 2012 PRIVATE EQUITY firm Duke Street has become the first investment house to take a stake in the UK’s legal sector, buying a majority stake in Parabis Group – the parent company of two insurance litigation firms. Duke Street’s investment, which means it owns just over 50 per cent of Parabis, values the company at £150m-£200m. [...]
We must resist a tax that isn’t FTT for purpose February 6, 2012 AS THE European Parliament held its public hearing on the proposed financial transaction tax (FTT) on Monday, the battle positions were clearly drawn. For the Eurozone, an FTT represents a smallish subsidy to repair damaged national balance sheets; for the UK, the adoption of an FTT would represent a massive drag on the country’s economic [...]