Thames Water to avoid state bailout, the FTSE 100 at 7900 and an ITV bid: my predictions for UK plc in 2025 January 2, 2025 Predictions may generally be a mug’s game, but looking back at my forecasts for the business world in 2024, I seem to have fared better than usual. Klarna, the buy now pay later giant, opted for a New York listing; Dame Alison Rose made a comeback in a senior private equity role; Unilever announced that [...]
How fast will the Bank of England cut interest rates in 2025? December 31, 2024 The pace at which the Bank of England cuts interest rates in 2025 will be a major focus for financial markets in 2025, just like it was in 2024.
The purposeful CEO is dead: Long live the ‘corporate diplomat’ December 31, 2024 The era of green-centric grandstanding by CEOs might be over – welcome to the age of corporate diplomacy, writes Ali Lyon It had never been more essential, Blackrock’s Larry Fink wrote in the 2022 edition of his widely-read annual letter to CEOs, for bosses “to have a clear purpose”. “Putting your company’s purpose at the [...]
How Asian stock markets are dominating the UK on IPOs December 27, 2024 Asian stock markets continued to surge in popularity in 2024, outperforming the languishing UK market in IPOs. Throughout this year, Asia has dominated on stock exchange floats, with over 600 IPOs throughout the year, more than two thirds of the 867 floats globally in 2024, according to data from Globaldata. In comparison, the UK market [...]
Honda and Nissan unveil merger plans as talks continue December 23, 2024 Honda and Nissan have signed a deal to proceed with talks to unify under a joint holding company, it has been announced.
Mark Kleinman: Boots’ dealmaker tries to formulate new potion December 19, 2024 Mark Kleinman is Sky News’ City Editor and is the man who gets the Square Mile talking in his weekly City AM column. This week, he tackles buyouts at Boots, big bonuses at Natwest and Reeves’ China charm offensive Boots’ octogenarian dealmaker tries to formulate new potion If life begins at 80, then Stefano Pessina, the octogenarian pharmaceuticals [...]
Honda and Nissan merger talks spark UK job fears December 18, 2024 Experts say the UK's unfavourable tax environment and declining automotive sector put it at greater risk as the industry consolidates.
Ministers warned not to cave to ‘short-sighted’ carmakers on EV targets December 16, 2024 The government is currently considering relaxing new rules enforcing certain electric vehicle sales targets each year.
A requiem for UK equity capital markets December 14, 2024 London’s storied status as a global financial powerhouse is slipping away, and with every IPO that doesn’t materialise or company that decamps to the US, it becomes clearer that the City is in its death throes, says Owen Matthews As a former mid-cap ECM investment banker, I’ve watched with despair as the lights dim on [...]
Six Senses eco spa island in Krabey Cambodia: Health-luxe December 13, 2024 Krabey is a drop-in-the-ocean private island just a sneeze away from the Cambodian coastal city of Sihanoukville. With a large Chinese population and a pandemic-hit smatter of unfinished buildings, the city itself is pricey but with great food and markets But the real draw is discovering the tropical and unspoilt beaches and jungle flora and [...]