Funds to be hit by bonus rules June 30, 2010 Cash bonuses to be capped at 30 per cent Hedgies and investment firms fall into EU’s net Politicians say clamp down will end risk-taking HEDGE funds and asset managers will be caught in the tough crackdown on bankers’ bonuses put forward by European Union politicians and member states last night. In the harshest measures yet [...]
Barclays warns on deals June 30, 2010 BRITISH titan Barclays yesterday warned of a slowdown in investment banking activity in the past two months, suggesting wilting confidence in corporate boardrooms is impacting on dealmaking revenues. Barclays finance director Chris Lucas told an analyst conference investment banking market conditions in May and June were “softer” than those seen in the first quarter, when [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING June 30, 2010 FINANCIAL TIMES ARCELORMITTAL FINED €276M FOR PRICE-FIXING ArcelorMittal, the world’s biggest steel producer, has been fined €267.5m ($339m) for the part that its companies played in one of the most wide-ranging and long-running cartels to come to light in Europe. In all, 17 steel manufacturers were involved, and were given fines totalling €518.5m yesterday, with [...]
M4 money supply feels QE effect June 29, 2010 THE supply of money in the UK grew at its fastest rate since the fourth quarter of 2007 in the three months to May as the impact of the Bank of England’s quantitative easing policy starts to be felt, data issued by the central bank showed yesterday. The Bank reported that the three-month annualised growth [...]
Coalition told to save banks June 29, 2010 BREAKING up banks such as HSBC would be “an act of vandalism” which would profoundly damage Britain’s standing as an international financial hub, an influential industry magazine warns today. Institutions with strong overseas operations would move abroad, while those who remained would be severely weakened, according to The Banker. The journal, which published its index [...]
FTSE drags with not a single riser June 29, 2010 BRITAIN’S top share index hit a near 10-month closing low yesterday, led down by mining stocks and banks, as risk appetite was hurt by renewed concerns over the strength of global recovery and Europe’s debt problems. The FTSE 100 closed down 157.46 points, or 3.1 per cent, at 4,914.22, its lowest close since 4 ?September [...]
Inefficient FX markets offer an opportunity June 29, 2010 THE currency market is the most liquid in the world. Turnover tops $3.1 trillion a day, which dwarves both the equity and bond markets. Given the ubiquity of currency trading, it’s easy to assume that the FX markets would be efficient. But that is not the case. American Century Investments, an investment management firm, believes [...]
A perfect storm threatens law firms June 29, 2010 IF any lawyers thought that the effects of the downturn on law firms are over, then they would have got a rude shock last week when Halliwells announced that it was going into administration. It was a clear sign that law firms have to change if they want to survive. While many have bumbled along [...]
Aldermore to deliver profit June 28, 2010 ALDERMORE, Britain’s first private equity-backed bank, expects to turn a profit this year, less than 18 months after it began lending to small businesses and entrepreneurs. The institution, which is owned by buyout house AnaCap and investment bank Morgan Stanley, is eyeing a small gain after its commercial mortgages, asset finance and invoice finance arms [...]
Barclays to expand in Eurozone June 27, 2010 Barclays is this week set to announce plans for faster expansion in Spain, Portugal and Italy, taking advantage of local competitors weak position. Antony Jenkins, head of the group’s retail banking operations, is expected to outline the plans for expansion to investors this week. Barclays already has a network in Spain and Italy. During the [...]