Golden years of retirement turning sour February 10, 2010 FOUR out of ten “baby boomers” are approaching retirement without setting aside any money each month, a report showed yesterday. Research compiled by insurer Aviva found that people aged between 55 to 64 are laden with debt and have scant resources to fund themselves after stepping down from work. Individuals in the age bracket – [...]
Farah to take on Bekele February 10, 2010 ATHLETICS: European 3,000m indoor champion Mo Farah is to take on three-time Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele in Birmingham next Saturday. Farah, the British record holder, goes head-to-head with the Ethiopian in the Aviva Grand Prix at the National Indoor Arena.
THE LONDON REPORT February 9, 2010 BRITAIN’S top share index closed up yesterday, led higher by miners and banks, but lingering concerns over Europe’s fiscal problems weighed on sentiment. The FTSE 100 ended 19.51 points or 0.4 per cent ahead at 5,111.84, having hit a session high of 5,132.93. Metals prices regained some ground after sharp falls last week, helping mining [...]
Insurer Aviva is hit by poor life revenues February 4, 2010 Insurer Aviva yesterday reported weaker 2009 life sales, held back by tough economic conditions in the UK, and said its general insurance arm had been hit by hefty bad weather claims in the final quarter. Aviva had total 2009 life and pensions sales of £32bn, down 12 per cent from £36.24bn the previous year, the [...]
RBS ponders sale of HQ at Gogarburn February 1, 2010 JUST five years after the completion of Gogarburn – Royal Bank of Scotland’s vast headquarters near Edinburgh and the darling of disgraced former chief Sir Fred Goodwin – and the £350m office complex may already be heading for the block. RBS is considering the merits of a sale and leaseback of the property to shore [...]
Happy Monday for financials as US data lift big cap shares February 1, 2010 Britain’s top share index closed 1.1 per cent higher yesterday, helped by upbeat US manufacturing data, with banks and commodity stocks topping the list of gainers. The FTSE 100 closed up 58.89 points at 5,247.41, having dipped to 5,163.57 earlier in the session. The index ended 0.8 per cent higher on Friday. Experts said the [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS January 27, 2010 Aviva The insurance giant said yesterday Patrick Regan, its incoming chief financial officer and executive director, will step up to his new role on 22 February. Regan was previously group chief operating officer and chief financial officer at Willis Group, and has also held finance roles in the past at the likes of RSA and [...]
Heavyweights beef up Cowdery buyout vehicle Resolution January 27, 2010 RESOLUTION, the buyout vehicle founded by entrepreneur Clive Cowdery, has taken on former Swiss Re chief Jacques Aigrain, ex-Aviva Spain boss Gerardo Arostegui and Mel Carvill, founder of private equity firm PPF Partners, as independent directors. Aigrain left Swiss Re last year after holding the position of chief executive since 2006. Prior to joining the [...]
Wolseley duo to return with a breakfast pad on city doorstep January 20, 2010 RESTAURATEURS Chris Corbin and Jeremy King, owners of the Wolseley, have managed to keep this extraordinarily quiet, but word reaches The Capitalist that they’re in the early stages of launching another power breakfast hotspot right on the City’s doorstep. Rex Restaurants has long been enjoying the spoils of the Wolseley’s popularity with just about everyone [...]
BROKER WILLS & CO OPENS FIRE ON FSA’S REGULATORY CRACKDOWN January 18, 2010 WHEREAS most City firms are content to whinge ineffectually about the Financial Services Authority’s new heavy-handed approach to regulation, it seems that others are starting to put their money where their mouth is. Rumours have been busy swirling in the Square Mile over the regulatory status of private client stockbroker Wills & Co, which can [...]