City faces a Brexit ‘nightmare’ unless a deal is done by Christmas, says new lord mayor November 11, 2018 The new lord mayor of London has said banks and insurers will face an "administrative nightmare" unless a Brexit deal is secured by Christmas. Former Barclays executive Peter Estlin told the Sunday Times that there was a "huge amount" of anxiety in the City despite recent suggestions that the Prime Minister was closing in on a [...]
Barclays economists predict orderly Brexit and boost to UK stock markets November 7, 2018 An orderly Brexit is on the cards and could ultimately make UK stocks “more investable” to global investors, Barclays analysts have predicted. The bank's European equity strategy division has predicted a Brexit deal will be agreed by the end of the year accompanied by a rebound in the pound. But it said the relative performance [...]
Made in Britain: The entrepreneur helping UK firms realise their exporting ambitions in Asia November 5, 2018 I am at the National Liberal Club in London. Everything about this place – from the smoking room to the 1915 portrait of Winston Churchill – screams old-world British at me. And there’s nothing coincidental about Siddharth Shankar’s choice of meeting place. Surrounded by empty chesterfield sofas, Shankar seems to be in his element – [...]
UK plcs produce record-breaking profits after revenue soars beyond £2 trillion mark November 5, 2018 Profits at the UK’s publicly listed companies jumped nearly 14 per cent in the third quarter of the year, pushing total profits over the last 12 months to a record £217.9bn. UK plc pre-tax profits rose from £143bn in the same measure a year earlier. The previous record was set in 2012. Revenues over the [...]
Barclays and Lloyds among the worst performers in EU bank stress test November 3, 2018 Barclays and Lloyds surprised markets yesterday after being named and shamed in the EU’s banking health check. The two British lenders were among the worst performers in the EU banking watchdog’s new report, which tested European banks and their ability to withstand a hypothetical market shock. While none of the 48 lenders fell below the [...]
Barclays appoints former Rothschild veteran Nigel Higgins as next chairman November 1, 2018 Barclays has confirmed that Rothschild deputy chairman Nigel Higgins has been lined up as the replacement to current group chairman John McFarlane, following a six month search process. The switch-over, which was revealed by Sky News earlier this evening, is scheduled to take place after the bank's annual general meeting in May 2019. However Higgins [...]
We must turn the page on the public perceptions of finance November 1, 2018 A company needs to stand for something more than making money. Sustainability matters more than profit. The mission should be a lasting contribution to society that finds a balance between all stakeholders. Those aren’t the words of a pious left-wing hand-wringer but of John McFarlane, chairman of Barclays, in an anthology of writing published this week [...]
City Moves for 31 October – who’s switching jobs at Mayer Brown, Meggitt and IOE&IT? October 30, 2018 Who’s switching jobs today? Mayer Brown Global law firm Mayer Brown announced that Ashley McDermott has joined the firm’s banking and finance practice in London as a partner. He will advise on a range of lending transactions, particularly those involving emerging markets. Ashley’s practice is focused on export, trade and multilateral financing, especially in the [...]
Serious Fraud Office chief steps back from Barclays case over conflicts October 28, 2018 The new director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) Lisa Osofsky has recused herself from the prosecution of four former Barclays bankers over potential conflicts of interest. The fraud office said she had delegated responsibility for the case to the SFO’s general counsel Alun Milford to “avoid any potential conflict” thrown up by previous private [...]
SFO loses bid to reinstate charges against Barclays over 2008 Qatar deal October 26, 2018 The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) lost its bid today to reinstate charges against Barclays over a Qatar loan it made at the height of the financial crisis. The High Court today ruled against the SFO's appeal of an earlier court ruling in favour of the bank. Barclays will now face no regulatory sanctions over the 2008 [...]