BEST OF THE BROKERS February 21, 2011 AVIVA JP Morgan Cazenove (JPM) rates the insurer “overweight” with a 524p target price. The broker expects continued momentum when the firm reports its full-year earnings on 3 March and hopes Aviva will focus on highlighting its upside risks to investors. JPM expects a 23 per cent earnings rise in 2010, with a six per [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS February 16, 2011 PensionsFirst The pensions risk management firm has hired three new assistant vice presidents: Matthew Furniss (pictured) and Robert Heathcoat, who both join from Punter Southall, and Chris Hoddman, who joins from the Pension Protection Fund. Furniss will work in the client solutions group, helping clients to manage their pension risk. Hoffman and Heathcoat will be [...]
Ireland take credit but not the victory February 13, 2011 IRELAND (22) vs FRANCE (25) IRELAND head coach Declan Kidney admitted his side only had themselves to blame after France escaped from the first RBS 6 Nations match to be played at the Aviva Stadium with a scarcely deserved victory. Fergus McFadden, scrum-half Tomas O’Leary and Jamie Heaslip all crossed as the hosts, playing by [...]
S&P ups outlook on Aviva February 9, 2011 INSURANCE group Aviva’s credit rating outlook was upgraded yesterday by Standard & Poor’s after it confirmed plans to cut its debt and reduce pension deficits, and on the strengthening of its balance sheet. Aviva’s outlook was raised from negative to stable by the rating agency, which also affirmed the group’s core operating entities at AA-. [...]
FTSE slips as metal price drop weighs on mining firm shares February 9, 2011 BRITAIN’S top share index closed down yesterday, hurt by heavyweight stocks trading ex-dividend and miners following metals prices lower. The FTSE 100 closed down 39.04 points, or 0.6 per cent, at 6,052.29, having closed up 0.7 per cent on Tuesday at its best level since May 2008. “You have to consider (the FTSE 100) lost [...]
FTSE held back by blue-chips and miners February 9, 2011 London trading was weighed down by falls in major stocks trading ex-dividend, outweighing strong performances by financial stocks. The FTSE 100 closed down 0.64 per cent or 30.04 points at 6,052.29, as BP, GlaxoSmithKline, International Power, Royal Dutch Shell, Sage Group and Unilever all lost their payout attractions. “After Tuesday’s leap to multi-year highs, a [...]
A Foreign and Colonial coup February 3, 2011 An activist investor’s audacious bid to topple the chairman of one of Britain’s best-known fund managers was backed by shareholders yesterday. F&C Asset Management investors confirmed the board’s worst fears as they ousted chairman Nick MacAndrew and brought rebel investor Sherborne onto the board. Voters overwhelmingly approved five resolutions to replace MacAndrew and long-standing director [...]
Brokers seek Keydata deal February 3, 2011 STOCKBROKING groups have been invited to voice their concerns about their share of the £326m compensation bill for the collapse of financial products seller Keydata at two meetings being arranged by Tim May, the chief executive of their trade body, the Association of Private Client Investment Managers (Apcims). May has arranged meetings, one in London [...]
How the enigmatic Bramson won investors’ trust February 3, 2011 SHAREHOLDERS’ decision to put Sherborne Investors in charge of F&C Asset Management’s board yesterday resolved six months of tension. The question now is whether new chairman Edward Bramson can relieve the uncertainty that has dogged F&C for years. Bramson, who made a rare public appearance at yesterday’s meeting, is an enigmatic figure who has remained [...]
Time for Johnson to make the Red Rose bloom again February 2, 2011 ENGLAND begin this year’s RBS 6 Nations as the bookmakers’ favourites and, with an encouraging autumn series behind them and three home games in the championship, the initial predictions were that Martin Johnson’s ripening side, currently ranked fourth in the world, would be able to live up to those lofty expectations. In mid-November a record [...]