The Shard evacuated after reports of smoke in building’s basement June 5, 2014 London's iconic Shard skyscraper has been evacuated after reports of smoke. The London Fire Brigade says that firefighters have been investigating the reports of smoke in the basement of the building. Smoke without fire perhaps, as the fire brigade's statement says that "there is no suggestion at this stage that there is a fire". So [...]
Understanding the Treasury is now child’s play June 4, 2014 WHAT do you do when you need to clearly communicate dense fiscal research to the masses? Employ Lego, of course! Yesterday the Treasury published an article called “12 things that £1,400 UK Dividend could buy”, which illustrated each point with little yellow men. How very Buzzfeed – can we expect 12 cats that look like [...]
French attack on US fines could make them worse June 3, 2014 THE FRENCH government’s attempt to stop US regulators fining national champion BNP Paribas could make the situation worse for the bank, lawyers warned yesterday. BNP faces a fine of as much as $10bn (£6bn) for alleged sanction breaking, in breech of US laws. French finance minister Laurent Fabius yesterday said the potential fine was “not reasonable,” and [...]
Inside Track: For the first time since Lehman, CEOs are ready for deals May 29, 2014 Notwithstanding the fact that the US drugs group Pfizer was forced to walk away from its £69bn bid for Astrazeneca, takeover bids and deals, and even the sniff of them, are back. Yesterday morning, Man Group, the fund management company that has been haunted in recent years by the poor performance of its previously successful [...]
Football’s equaliser gets a good kicking May 22, 2014 FINANCIAL Fair play (FFP) has been big news of late. It’s splitting opinions across Europe and with this in mind City A.M. held a lively roundtable last night, bringing together some experts together to discuss the contentious topic. Despite what is sounds like, financial fair play doesn’t put the City in the limelight but instead, [...]
Handy business tips from Terra Firma’s top Guy May 20, 2014 GUY HANDS gave his first speech in London for five years at the Institute of Directors yesterday, as part of Private Equity International’s Operating Partners Forum. In case you missed it, here are our four gems of wisdom – inspired by the financier’s latest musings. 1. Don’t bother changing your suits “Over the last five [...]
Circassia cracks on with trials May 19, 2014 CIRCASSIA, the newly-listed allergy drugs company, said yesterday its clinical trials are progressing as planned. The firm expects results for two studies in the second half of the year and is pressing on with bringing its Cat-Spire treatment to market, it said in a trading update. Circassia raised more than £200m when it floated on [...]
The Peruvian Amazon: in search of the anaconda May 11, 2014 Steve Dinneen takes to the world’s second longest river to find its longest snake ON MY first morning on the Amazon the sun acted as a natural alarm clock, lighting up my room through gigantic floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the river. As I came to, blinking through the fug of the previous night’s pisco sours, pink [...]
Old Labour is back with new black and white ad May 7, 2014 NEW Labour RIP – Ed Miliband is so intent on turning the party back to old Labour values that even its election broadcasts are now in black and white. The party’s latest broadcast, released ahead of the looming local and European elections, is set around the government’s cabinet table. But class war seems to be [...]
Premier League: Sunderland make miracle escape May 7, 2014 SUNDERLAND 2 WEST BROMWICH ALBION 0 JUBILANT Sunderland manager Gus Poyet insists he now believes in miracles after his team clinched an extraordinary feat of Premier League escapology last night. First-half goals from Jack Colback and Fabio Borini downed West Brom and earned the Black Cats a fourth consecutive win, effectively relegating Norwich simultaneously. Less [...]