Costa spin-off could lead to £3bn Whitbread windfall – and cost just £20m April 15, 2018 Whitbread shareholders could snaffle a £3bn windfall if the firm spends just £20m spinning off Costa Coffee – a move one the world’s most famous activist hedge funds is clamouring for. Elliott Advisors has built up a £430m position in Whitbread over the last year. A stock market disclosure late on Friday revealed it is [...]
FTSE 100 closes lower as global markets struggle with trade war fears April 6, 2018 The FTSE closed in the red today, as fears of a trade war continued to take their toll on markets around the world and US jobs data disappointed. The FTSE 100 index was down over 15 points at 7,183.64, coming off a low of 7,163.11 earlier in the day. Data on UK productivity this morning [...]
Land Rover will build just 999 of its new Range Rover SV Coupe and even a £240,000 price tag isn’t stopping people queuing up to buy it March 22, 2018 The Range Rover SV Coupe, revealed at this year’s Geneva International Motor Show, is billed as the fastest and most exclusive car ever launched by the Solihull firm. With prices starting from £240,000, it’s certainly the most expensive. Developed by the company’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) bespoke division, just 999 will be made, each using [...]
London’s financial system needs to be better prepared ahead of Brexit March 21, 2018 The UK’s biggest challenge for our negotiations as we leave the European Union is to ensure that our economy is intact and properly prepared for the future. The City of London has an important role to play in helping to create a sustainable economy and the Brexit decision certainly presents some serious challenges. A solution [...]
Provident Financial moved into the crosshairs of activist giant Elliott Advisors March 13, 2018 Elliott Advisors, the world’s biggest activist hedge fund, has quietly built up a major stake in troubled doorstep lender Provident Financial. Fresh from sparring with the likes of mining giant BHP Billiton and Dulux-owner Akzo Nobel, Elliott owns a 4.01 per cent stake in the Bradford-based sub-prime lender, according to filings made by Provident in [...]
Last Week in the City: Trump threatens trade war March 2, 2018 This week US President Donald Trump threatened a trade war, a number of famous high street names, including Toys R Us and Maplin, got into serious trading trouble and upbeat assessments of the US economy from central bankers helped the US dollar to rally, reversing its recent trend. The FTSE 100 fell 0.2 per cent [...]
Commodity outlook in the Year of the Dog February 23, 2018 We are now in the Chinese Year of the Dog. With China being the main driver of commodity markets – and Britain’s blue chip miners enjoying a long bull run – what is the outlook for commodities for the rest of the year? China’s seemingly insatiable desire for commodities will slow. The country is seeking [...]
Don’t listen to the naysayers: The City is Brexit-proof and will remain the world’s financial hub February 5, 2018 The City of London is in a strong position to maintain its status as the world’s financial capital. Many of the City’s strengths are deeply embedded and therefore “Brexit-proof”. Moreover, London is in pole position to become the centre of global fintech. But we cannot be complacent. The international environment is competitive. The biggest challenge [...]
The FTSE 100 closed at a record high topping 7,600 December 21, 2017 There was plenty of Christmas cheer in the City today as Britain’s blue-chip index rose to an all-time high. The FTSE 100 rose above 7,600 points for the first time, closing up 1.1 per cent at 7,603.98. “The FTSE 100 has rallied strongly today moving above its previous record peak set back in June to [...]
Oil and commodities prices: Mining firms drag the FTSE down as commodity prices drop November 15, 2017 Commodity prices tumbled this morning, dragging miners and oil firms down and causing Britain’s blue-chip index to dip. Metals including copper, nickel, zinc and aluminium came under pressure as concerns mounted over weaker economic data in China. Chinese industrial production fell to 6.2 per cent in October, missing estimates of 6.3 per cent growth and [...]