Last Week in the City: Trade fears re-emerge August 3, 2018 Garry White, chief investment commentator, looks at the market-moving events that have shaped the UK equity markets this week (30 July to 3 August 2018). Interest rates were raised in the UK for the second time since the financial crisis, but the move was widely expected. The earnings season continued. Growth in all regions was [...]
Rise in weather related claims makes dent in Aviva’s first half profits | City A.M. August 2, 2018 Insurer Aviva said profits took a slight dip in the first half of 2018 as business was hit by divestments, weak earnings in its Canada division and a rise in weather related claims. The figures Operating profit was down two per cent to £1.4bn – excluding disposals it rose four per cent to £1.4bn. It [...]
Insurance giant Aviva sells Friends Provident for £340m to International Financial Group subsidiary July 19, 2018 Insurance giant Aviva will sell its loss-making Friends Provident arm to International Financial Group for £340m, the firm announced this morning. The sale follows a strategic review of Friends Provident International Limited (FPIL), which made a post-tax loss of £2m last year and remitted no cash back to the parent company, Aviva said. The sale [...]
Lloyds loses mortgage market share as HSBC and RBS rise July 18, 2018 Lloyds lost market share in UK mortgages last year as Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), HSBC and a host of challengers gained, according to new data published today. Competitors to Lloyds bit off almost one per cent of their market share, which fell from 22.1 per cent to 21.2 per cent of mortgage balances outstanding [...]
June’s most widely bought and sold funds on Charles Stanley Direct July 4, 2018 Artemis Global Income remained a popular choice for exposure to high yielding global stocks among Charles Stanley Direct customers in June, while Fundsmith Equity was the most widely-purchased global equity fund, beating another regular favourite Lindsell Train Global Equity. In the Asia ex-Japan sector Invesco Perpetual Asian outstripped the perennially popularStewart Asia Pacific Leaders in [...]
A sovereign wealth fund could diffuse the UK’s debt timebomb June 13, 2018 There’s a hint of sunshine peeping out from behind the grey clouds of austerity. After eight long years of belt-tightening, we’re living within our means at last. Our taxes cover our day-to-day spending on things like health, education, policing and defence, so we’re only having to borrow to invest in long-term infrastructure like roads and [...]
May’s most widely bought and sold funds June 8, 2018 Artemis Global Income remained a popular choice for exposure to high yielding global stocks among Charles Stanley Direct customers in May, while Fundsmith Equity was the most widely-purchased global equity fund, beating another regular favourite Lindsell Train Global Equity. In the Asia ex-Japan sector Invesco Perpetual Asian outstripped the perennially popularStewart Asia Pacific Leaders in [...]
Online wealth manager Moneyfarm raises £40m in round led by Allianz as FCA scrutiny fails to deter investment in robo-advice May 29, 2018 Digital wealth manager Moneyfarm has today grabbed £40m in a funding round led by the asset management arm of insurance giant Allianz. The funding round – which saw contributions from new parties Endeavor Catalyst and Italy's Fondazione di Sardegna, as well as existing investors United Ventures and Cabot Square Capital – is the largest to [...]
Online wealth manager Moneyfarm raises £40m in round led by Allianz as FCA scrutiny fails to deter investment in robo-advice May 29, 2018 Digital wealth manager Moneyfarm has today grabbed £40m in a funding round led by the asset management arm of insurance giant Allianz. The funding round – which saw contributions from new parties Endeavor Catalyst and Italy’s Fondazione di Sardegna, as well as existing investors United Ventures and Cabot Square Capital – is the largest to [...]
M&S passes on £1.4bn of its pension liabilities to Aviva and Phoenix May 17, 2018 Nearly £1.4bn of Marks & Spencer’s pension liabilities were today passed to insurers Aviva and Phoenix. It follows a trend of organisations including National Grid, Pearson and Smith Group transferring pensions calculated on worker’s final salaries over to insurers. Read more: Zurich completes deal to cover £2bn of National Grid pension liabilities Around £925m will [...]