Mortgage approvals hit seven-month high but caution lingers as year-on-year growth dips October 1, 2018 The number of mortgages being approved hit a seven-month high in August, suggesting a modest pick-up in buyers after the traditional summer slowdown. According to the latest Bank of England (BoE) statistics out today, mortgage approvals climbed to 66,440 last month, marking the highest level since January 2018. However, housing experts remained cautious on the [...]
How London can fend off the European hotspots vying for its fintech crown October 1, 2018 Flash back to the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote. “London has committed suicide as a leading fintech centre,” tweeted Traxpay, a German payments platform. Catchy advertising urged startups to “keep calm and move to Berlin”. Read more: Meet the startups in the Treasury-backed Tech Nation fintech accelerator Over two years later, and it’s French [...]
Startups: Would-be entrepreneurs put off by ‘complexity’ of starting own business October 1, 2018 Thousands of young people are being put off from setting up their own businesses, putting Britain's startup revolution at risk, a report has warned. The Great British Enterprise Opportunity report, by former Bank of England economist Steve Hughes, also called for digital education to be prioritised by the government to give people the necessary skills [...]
Firms risk being left behind in Libor benchmark transition warn bankers October 1, 2018 A lack of awareness of the urgent need to transition away from scandal-hit Libor interest rates means some firms risk not being ready before the benchmarks become defunct, according to a top banker working on the issue. There remains a significant amount of work to educate firms about the far-reaching implications of the shift from [...]
World Bank sells record-breaking £1.25bn bond using ‘Libor-killer’ benchmark September 27, 2018 The World Bank has sold a £1.25bn bond using Sonia, the Bank of England-backed interest rate benchmark designed to replace the scandal-battered Libor. The record-size sale, which arrived shortly after the alternative benchmark’s first use by a lender, marks its continued emergence as an alternative to Libor, the London Inter-bank Offered Rate, its tarnished forerunner. [...]
Debate: Are British high street banks a good opportunity for investors at the moment? September 26, 2018 Debate: Are British high street banks a good opportunity for investors at the moment? Yes – Richard Buxton is chief executive and a fund manager at Old Mutual Global Investors. As a long-term investor in UK banks, the most recent reporting season came as a welcome relief. The litany of conduct charges and regulatory [...]
UK mortgage approvals for new house purchases tumble despite growth in remortgaging September 26, 2018 The number of mortgages approved for house purchases was almost five per cent lower in August compared with the same time last year, providing fresh evidence of flat activity in London’s property market. Despite the fall in new mortgage approvals, remortgaging soared 9.2 per cent during the month, as a rising number of homeowners [...]
City Moves for 26 September 2018 – who’s switching jobs at Marsh, Profile Pensions and Gulf Keystone Petroleum? September 26, 2018 Today's City Moves cover insurance, pensions and energy. Take a look at these movers and shakers: Marsh Marsh, a global leader in insurance broking and innovative risk management solutions, has appointed Tom Colraine as a non-executive independent member of the board of directors of Marsh. During his career, Tom has held many senior roles in [...]
Patchy regulation prevents the world from reaping the full benefits of the markets September 25, 2018 Ten years ago today, the world woke to the news that yet another bank had collapsed. Washington Mutual was the latest casualty in what became the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Those events have cast a long shadow. Governments, businesses, and households have had to tackle the legacy of that crisis. As [...]
Strictly Come Dancing professionals make a PR misstep in potential pay row dispute September 24, 2018 Glitter balls, sequins, the foxtrot, and the rest… Daaarling! It is that time of the year again as Strictly Come Dancing waltzed back on to our screens on Saturday night. New celebs, new dancers, new routine – same old format. There will be Craig Revel Horwood looking unimpressed, break-ups, make-ups, tears, injuries, tantrums, and [...]