PERSONAL FINANCE NEWS September 9, 2010 RETIREMENT ADVICE MOST SOUGHT Almost half of all consumers seeking independent financial advice last month sought assistance with retirement planning, the professional advice website unbiased.co.uk said this week. Retirement planning has remained on an upward trend since May this year. Consumers are also increasingly looking for specialist guidance on investment and savings. Karen Barrett, chief [...]
Q&A September 9, 2010 Q.I have a business idea. Do I need market research? A.Ideas are great but good businesses are built on finding a niche – and banks will expect to see why your idea is viable. Travers Clarke-Walker, product and marketing director for Barclays Business, says: “doing market research is a good way for a business to [...]
Barclays dismisses bank break-up threat September 8, 2010 BARCLAYS executives have privately dismissed the idea that UK banks will be forced to break up their retail and investment banking operations, even though the government’s independent banking commission still has a year left to deliberate its options. Those close to the bank said yesterday that Barclays would not have appointed its investment banking chief [...]
BP and energy peers propel the FTSE while banks drag September 8, 2010 EENERGY stocks led by BP pushed Britain’s top shares higher yesterday, outpacing falls in banks that were weighed down by European recovery concerns. The FTSE 100 closed up 21.92 points, or 0.4 per cent, at 5,429.74, after breaking a seven-session winning streak to close down 0.6 per cent on Tuesday at 5,407.82. Meanwhile the FTSE [...]
RETAIL BROKER OF THE YEAR | THE SHORTLIST September 8, 2010 WITHOUT brokers like the ones on our list, money would sit in bank accounts gathering dust. They are the soul of the UK’s investment strategy. At the moment, when people are looking for stability, they are more vital than ever. Innovative, forward-looking and offering great personal service, these five are stars. Don’t miss the City [...]
Cable says Diamond appointment shows risks in banking sector September 8, 2010 Business minister Vince Cable said Bob Diamond’s rise to the top post at Barclays bank highlights the task the government faces in trying to make the banking sector safer. “We are worried about this combination of the casinos and the traditional banking,” Cable, a Liberal Democrat in the Conservative-led coalition administration, told BBC radio. Cable [...]
Exodus fears as banks reshuffle September 7, 2010 A SHAKE-UP at the helm of two of the UK’s largest banks is fuelling fears that the country could lose its top banking institutions overseas due to an over-zealous approach to regulation of the industry. Barclays yesterday shocked the markets by appointing Barclays Capital boss Bob Diamond to run the business. Current chief executive John [...]
Diamond is the right man for the job September 7, 2010 GOOD on Barclays for promoting Bob Diamond, head of the bank’s investment banking unit, to be the firm’s overall chief executive. He is the best man for the job, proving himself again with the successful integration of Lehman’s US operations. Yet given Diamond’s demonisation in the broadcast media and popular press, not least by the [...]
Diamond crowned as Barclays’ new chief September 7, 2010 CITY insiders voiced concern over the future of Barclays’ retail banking operation yesterday after the group confirmed Bob Diamond would replace John Varley as chief executive. Diamond, who has won renown aggressively building the Barclays Capital investment bank, will take over from Varley next March. Varley will stay on for six months as an adviser [...]
Barclays’ Agius to take helm at BBA September 7, 2010 BARCLAYS chairman Marcus Agius yesterday announced he would step up to chair the British Bankers’ Association after HSBC chairman Stephen Green resigned to take up a new appointment as UK minister for trade and investment. Agius, a former Lazard investment banker, has chaired Barclays since the beginning of 2007. He has maintained a lower profile [...]