INVESTMENT BANK PROFITS BOUNCE BACK June 30, 2009 THE WORLD’S best investment banks have clocked up bumper second quarter profits, reaping the benefits of a renewed focus on trading and capital markets underwriting, as well as the implosion of many rivals. While many institutions – such as RBS and Citigroup – are still finding conditions tough, a group of six is emerging as [...]
Shrinking economy shakes market but Wolseley grows June 30, 2009 WEAKER than expected consumer confidence figures in the US drove some shares lower yesterday, with banks, miners and food retailers leading the fallers. The FTSE 100 shed one per cent, or 44.82 points, to close at 4,249.21. But the index is up 8.2 per cent on the quarter, the best such performance since the final [...]
Relationships before business June 29, 2009 Maintaining face-to-face relationships remains of vital importance to businesses in the face of the recession, according to the findings of a report for Barclays Commercial Business Travel. The survey found 75 per cent of business people expect to travel more, or the same amount, this year compared with 2008. And 50 per cent said they [...]
Oils and banks lift the large caps but defensives slide June 29, 2009 THE FTSE 100 gained 1.3 per cent yesterday, boosted by strength in oil majors and banks, and reflecting early gains on Wall Street. The index closed 53.02 points higher at 4,294.03, recovering most of last week’s 1.5 per cent decline. “What is most impressive about today’s rally is the breadth of the buying. Most sectors [...]
BEST OF THE BROKERS June 28, 2009 KESAJP Morgan analysts believe that Kesa offers investors a restructuring story with the potential to deliver around 100 per cent earnings per share growth over two years. The broker views the firm’s continued investment in new markets as a positive, especially as it has been achieved with a capex reduction. It remains “overweight” on the [...]
CITY MOVES WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS June 28, 2009 Securities and Investment InstituteAlan Fleming, an associate at investment management firm JM Finn, has been elected president of the Yorkshire branch of the Securities and Investment Institute (SII). Fleming, 53, joined JM Finn in 2003 and continues to be involved with the management of client portfolios after 25 years in the investment management industry. He [...]
Barclays’ Lehman deal probed June 25, 2009 A US bankruptcy judge has ruled that Lehman Brothers Holdings has the right to investigate the details of the sale of its broker-dealer unit to Barclays, to determine whether the UK bank got “too good of a deal”. Barclays snapped up the brokerage last year after Lehman filed for bankruptcy, but the company’s lawyers now [...]
Stalemate for mining giants Xstrata and Anglo American June 25, 2009 A TIE-UP between Xtrata and Anglo American “remains unattractive for Anglo shareholders,” sources familiar with the talks said yesterday, a day after Xstrata published details of the merger in a bid to convince shareholders of the merits of the deal. “The Anglo board has firmly rebuffed Xstrata’s proposal,” one industry expert added. Xstrata upped the [...]
THE LONDON REPORT June 25, 2009 THE FTSE 100 dropped 0.6 per cent yesterday, led by banks after a trading update from Standard Chartered failed to excite investors while commodity stocks were also under pressure. The index closed down 27.41 points at 4,252.57, after gaining 1.2 pe rcent in the previous session. Banks shaved most points off the index after Asia-focused [...]
CITY MOVES WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS June 24, 2009 Close BrothersThe financial services group has appointed Sven Guckelberger as a managing director to its corporate finance advisory arm, Close Brothers Corporate Finance, which has recently been sold to Daiwa Securities SMBC Europe. Guckelberger will join the restructuring and debt advisory group. Fenchurch The investment banking boutique has hired Julian Avery as a senior adviser, [...]