Bond investors and sustainability: is it all greenwash? March 29, 2021 With issuance of green, social and sustainability bonds expected to hit a record $650 billion this year, Schroders’ Head of Sustainable Credit Saida Eggerstedt tackles the topic of greenwashing. “We are in a boom era for borrowing linked to sustainability criteria,” according to Saida Eggerstedt, Schroders’ Head of Sustainable Credit. In 2020, the global issuance [...]
Markets A.M. – Attention shifts to credit data with UK-EU vaccine row set to continue March 29, 2021 US markets once again finished a rather choppy week on a high, with the S&P500 setting another new record, and both the Nasdaq and Russell 200 also posting strong gains in the last hour of trading, in a broad-based uplift across the board. In a week that saw optimism and pessimism in equal measure, stock [...]
Are US stimulus cheques really going into Bitcoin? March 26, 2021 Persistent reports keep suggesting that Americans are keen to plough their $1,400 stimulus cheques into Bitcoin - but is that really the case?
Rishi Sunak cuts red tape on inheritance tax for Treasury’s ‘tax day’ March 23, 2021 Rishi Sunak will cut red tape involved with UK inheritance tax and tighten tax rules for second property owners as the Treasury today released a series of consultations and reports in what Whitehall is calling “tax day”. The measures will see the government reduce paperwork and other red tape required for people with smaller estates [...]
Covid-19, a year on: The Corporation and the State March 22, 2021 In this series, City A.M. looks back at the last year of the pandemic and Covid restrictions and takes stock of its impact on industries and issues at the heart of British society. Read more: Read the full Covid-19, a year on series here. The state and the market have long been locked in a cautious dance. [...]
Treasury mulls slashing higher-rate tax relief on pensions contributions March 20, 2021 The Treasury is reportedly considering huge cuts to tax relief on pensions contributions amid the spiralling cost of measures brought in during the pandemic. On 23 March, which has been dubbed “tax day”, the Treasury will announce new consultations on proposed taxation reforms, which could include reforms to pension tax. When people pay into their [...]
Exclusive: ‘EU will remain our key trading partner’, says London’s Deputy Mayor for business March 19, 2021 Last week it was announced that the rapid rollout of Covid-19 vaccines has led to business confidence hitting its highest levels in three years. The increase has been driven by the success of the vaccine rollout, especially in the UK, which has left firms more confident that restrictions will soon be lifted. Despite the increased confidence, UK’s [...]
How can investors access the UK’s industrial recovery? March 17, 2021 The UK has barely begun to edge out of its third Covid-19 lockdown but economic activity in some sectors is already racing ahead. While consumer-facing services businesses still await a return to “normal”, the industrial manufacturing and construction parts of the economy are recovering strongly. We can see signs of this in the CIPS/Markit manufacturing [...]
Savills to pay dividend as UK residential unit makes ‘extraordinary’ recovery March 11, 2021 Savills has reinstated its dividend this morning as it reported that its UK residential agency division performed strongly last year, despite an overall drop in profit. The estate agent chain, which last year suspended its dividend due to the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic, said shareholders will pocket a 17p per share payout. Profit [...]
Should you look at Irish whiskey as an investment? March 5, 2021 With St Patrick’s Day on the not-too-distant horizon, thoughts inevitably turn to iconic festivities to be enjoyed. For many this involves toasting a taoscán of Irish whiskey. The day and drink are synonymous with each other. But this year maybe you should think about investing instead of drinking your whiskey? The Irish end their toasts [...]