From Quindell and Gotham City to Uber and the LDTA – five of the biggest business battles to watch out for in 2015 December 22, 2014 Rival camps have banded together, the lines are drawn, battle armour is on and adrenaline is running high. All that's left for spectators to do is grab some popcorn and watch from the ringside. From rival estate agents, to a business targeted by a Batman styled US fund and an influx of tiny new banks [...]
Watchdogs with City past wanted: FCA fines top £1.47bn as experience of executives called into question December 15, 2014 The City watchdog has issued over £1.47bn worth of fines to financial services firms so far this year, while issuing over 100 disciplinary measures such as bans. But, its critics say, it has done all this with an organisation that is lacking in commercial experience on its executive committee, its most senior board of full-time [...]
Insurers launch guide to sharing November 25, 2014 A GROUP of insurance experts have launched a guide to the sharing economy for people who want to make money from assets such as their home or car. The guide is being launched as the government publishes the results of its independent review into the sector, which includes sites such as Airbnb and ZipCar. Business [...]
The UK could be the world capital of the sharing economy if we take these steps November 25, 2014 EVERYONE seems to be talking about the “sharing economy”, and while this may not be a model that will work for every industry, it is a trend that requires attention. So much so that, in September 2014, the UK government raised the need for an independent report to examine the social and economic potential of [...]
Aviva share price falls as Friends Life shares rise: Surprised market reacts to deal bombshell November 24, 2014 The market was divided yesterday following the announcement of a planned merger between insurer Aviva and its competitor Friends Life. Aviva saw its shares fall by more than five per cent during the day, while shares in Friends Life climbed by six per cent. Most analysts agreed that the announcement was surprising, with [...]
Manufacturing figures point to slower growth – London Report November 2, 2014 MANUFACTURING figures due out today are likely to show a loss of momentum in the UK economy’s growth. The manufacturing purchasing managers’ survey for October is forecast to sit at 51.5, the same as for September and weaker than the rates of 52.2 in August and 54.7 in July. A reading of 50 shows no [...]
George Osborne’s pensions revolution: Withdrawing cash early is big risk October 14, 2014 The insurance industry and business groups have issued a stark warning following the government’s most recent pensions announcement, claiming that withdrawing cash from pension pots too early could store up huge financial risks for the UK for years to come. Yesterday chancellor George Osborne hailed the next stage in his pensions revolution with news [...]
Eurozone fears pull down FTSE to one-year low – London Report October 9, 2014 THE FTSE 100 yesterday hit its lowest level for a year after early gains fell away in a broad-based sell-off as investors became anxious about signs of serious weakening in the Eurozone economy. The blue-chip index, which hit 6,544 points in morning trading, due mainly to a rise in mining shares, ended the day down [...]
Bank of England: Banks must submit ring-fencing plans by year-end October 6, 2014 British banks have been given less than three months to put together an initial plan of how they would protect retail customers from any potential fall out from their riskier activities. The Bank of England has published four papers outlining its plan to improve the financial stability and security of deposit takers, to avoid a [...]
Lib Dems told to stop tinkering with pensions by industry body October 5, 2014 The Liberal Democrats were rapped over the knuckles by the insurance industry yesterday after the party proposed to reduce the amount of pension pot money on which tax relief could be claimed. Huw Evans, deputy director general at the Association of British Insurers, called the proposal to reduce the lifetime allowance from £1.25m to £1m [...]