What the other papers say this morning – 16 September 2013 September 15, 2013 FINANCIAL TIMES Diamond calls for bank shake-up Bob Diamond – the former head of Barclays who tried to buy Lehman Brothers before its collapse five years ago – has joined a chorus of criticism over the lack of progress in ending banks’ “too big to fail” status. Citing “insufficient” progress in ways to safely wind [...]
Analyst of the year September 15, 2013 The role of the analyst has become increasingly important at such an uncertain time in the economy, when everyone is looking for guidance. This category’s nominees all stand out for their impressive foresight in their respective sectors and their revered reputations in the industry. Here is our pick of the analysts truly at the top [...]
Bottom Line: Prospectus is not enough to seal the deal September 12, 2013 FOR potential investors in Royal Mail, the next few weeks will provide plenty of time to get stuck into the lengthy prospectus for the float, and to try to decide whether the government has made an investment case worth taking a chance on. Initially, their heads may be turned by the dividend. The government has [...]
Verizon borrows $49,000,000,000 in just one day September 11, 2013 TELECOMS giant Verizon borrowed a record $49bn (£31bn) from the bond markets yesterday – an astonishing sum that is larger than the economies of more than 90 countries. The debt deal, which was so large that it took even Wall Street by surprise, will be used to finance the company’s $130bn purchase of Vodafone’s [...]
Real estate jobs boom a worry – but labour market rebalancing September 11, 2013 IT is the fact of the day: those who work in real estate accounted for 23.05 per cent of the net jobs growth in the UK over the past year. In fact, 13 per cent of the 562,000 total jobs that now exist in “real estate activities” – which include a range of jobs, from [...]
Redrow signs £250m loan as it sets sights on further expansion September 11, 2013 REDROW announced yesterday it has agreed on a new and larger £250m loan with its banks, in a further sign of growing confidence in the housing market. The housebuilder said the four and a half year credit facility, which expires in March 2018, was £50m bigger than the existing facility it replaces, while costs were [...]
Cable and bank boss voice fears on Help to Buy September 11, 2013 BUSINESS secretary Vince Cable and Barclays’ Anthony Jenkins mauled the Treasury’s Help to Buy scheme yesterday, adding to fears about the risk of a new housing bubble. Cable said: “We should certainly think about how it should come into effect, indeed whether it should come into effect in the light of changing market [...]
Equistone gives more seed cash to Whitworths September 11, 2013 PRIVATE equity firm Equistone has taken a majority stake in snacks and baking products firm Whitworths, in a deal that values the company at £90m. Equistone said its cash injection will be used to develop new products and scout out possible acquisitions to expand the business further. Whitworths, founded in 1886, has been owned by [...]
What the other papers say this morning – 11 September 2013 September 10, 2013 FINANCIAL TIMES Barclays face Saudi damages claim A prominent Saudi businessmen has taken legal action against a US law firm in a preliminary step toward suing Barclays for what he says are damages of potentially as much as $10bn. Mr Jaber and his company allege that Barclays conducted “corrupt activities” in Saudi Arabia that ultimately [...]
New scheme set to make bank switching easier September 10, 2013 Liam Ward-Proud looks at the accounts offered by the bigger challenger banks FROM Monday, the Payments Council’s new seven-day switch guarantee scheme is set to make moving your bank account easier. It will ensure that bank account changes are completed smoothly and within a week, with transferring direct debits and incoming payments now the responsibility [...]