Aviva hikes dividend payout after profits boost August 16, 2023 Insurance giant Aviva has hiked its payout to shareholders today after posting a boost in profits in the first half of the year on the back of growth across the group. In its half year results this morning, the FTSE 100 firm said operating profits had grown eight per cent to £715m in the first [...]
FTSE 100 close: London subdued on quiet earnings day as YouGov mulls US listing August 14, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 started the week in subdued fashion, as a quiet earnings day was overshadowed by reports that YouGov is mulling a US listing. The capital’s premier blue chip index closed the day on 7,495.24 points, down 0.88 per cent, while the FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the domestic economy, was [...]
Shaftesbury secures £200m loan as property giant juggles debt arrangements August 14, 2023 Newly formed London property giant Shaftesbury Capital has launched a new 10-year loan of £200m secured against a portfolio of assets within the Carnaby estate. The major London landlord said the financing highlights the “attractiveness” of the company’s mainly retail and leisure portfolio to a “broad range of institutional capital”. The loan will sit alongside [...]
Aviva, L&G and Admiral to report next week as long-time insurance boss Sir Nigel Wilson eyes exit August 11, 2023 Investors will need to figure out the impact of new accounting rules next week as three of the country’s biggest insurers report their financial results. It will also be the final set of half-year results for Legal & General boss Sir Nigel Wilson, who is set to depart later in 2023. “Sir Nigel steps down [...]
IP Group boss: There have never been more stakeholders calling for Mansion House reforms August 2, 2023 Reforms to boost investment in the UK’s high-growth companies have support from across the sector, the boss of a FTSE 250 IP Group told City A.M. “There have never been more stakeholders across the sector – be it regulators, capital providers, the stock exchange and companies – saying that this is something which is important,” [...]
BT appoints first woman boss in 170-year history as Allison Kirkby to continue long-term fibre strategy July 31, 2023 BT has announced a successor for outgoing boss Philip Jansen, as Allison Kirkby, a former chief of Nordic telecoms giant Telia. The ailing British telecoms group appointed its first female boss in its 170 year history, who will take the reins from Jansen starting January 2024 “at the latest”. Jansen will continue to serve until [...]
Northern Triangle tech start ups should be prime targets for Square Mile investors July 31, 2023 British firms are having to turn to global sources of funding, when there’s capital here in the City we could direct towards homegrown start ups, writes Nicholas Lyons. THE recent report by the Treasury Select Committee on the UK’s Venture Capital industry should ring alarm bells for the City. The Committee found that for many [...]
Nestle sales outlook brightens after strong first half July 27, 2023 Nestle improved its full-year organic sales outlook and reported better-than-expected first-half organic sales, as the world’s biggest packaged food company again raised prices to cope with higher input costs. Nestle said it is narrowing its full-year organic sales growth guidance – which does not include the impact of currency movements and acquisitions – to a [...]
Insurance chiefs back new Solvency II investment forum to help deliver £100bn in investment July 19, 2023 The heads of the UK’s major insurance firms have written in support of a new Investment Delivery Forum to help drive investment following the reforms to Solvency II. Established by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) earlier in July, the forum is designed to tackle the investment gap preventing investment from the insurance and long-term [...]
Bosses from Natwest, Shell and Sainsbury’s join PM’s new taskforce to boost growth July 18, 2023 Top bosses from firms including Barclays, Aviva and Shell have joined the Prime Minister’s new business council aimed at supercharging the UK’s growth. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will chair the first business council meeting at No10 today, followed by a glitzy reception for scores of industry bigwigs to celebrate UK enterprise. CEOs including Alison Rose [...]