General Motors moves Asian headquarters to Singapore November 13, 2013 General Motors (GM) has announced it it will be moving its international headquarters from Shanghai to Singapore in 2014. The move comes in the wake of of the company's decision to separate its Chinese operations from its international business. Singapore proved an attractive prospect, owing to its proximity to markets outside China. The city-state boasts [...]
Chinese bank issues the UK’s first-ever renminbi bonds in London November 12, 2013 CHINA’S first offshore debt sale in the UK went ahead yesterday, with the government-owned Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) issuing bonds to the value of 2bn renminbi (£206.3m). The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Standard Chartered and JP Morgan managed the sale of the bank’s debt securities. An RBS spokesperson told City A.M. [...]
Cameron will delay the Autumn Statement to lead visit to China November 12, 2013 PRIME Minister David Cameron has announced a major trade visit to China, pushing back the timing of the chancellor’s Autumn Statement. Speaking at the annual Lord Mayor’s banquet last night, Cameron said that he would be leading an official visit to China, accompanied by UK business chiefs early next month. Though he did not confirm [...]
London Report: BT and Shire lift FTSE as markets remain bullish November 11, 2013 BRITAIN’S FTSE 100 rose yesterday, boosted by signs of a strengthening global economy and major deals for pharma group Shire and telecoms group BT. Shire rose to an all-time high after beating competitors to buy ViroPharma, in a $4.2bn deal implying a 64 per cent premium to the stock price of the US rare diseases [...]
What the other papers say this morning – 08 November 2013 November 7, 2013 FINANCIAL TIMES Currencies probe shifts to the US A global probe into alleged manipulation of the multibillion-dollar currencies market has widened its focus to include the US, with Barclays putting three New York-based traders on leave. They included foreign exchange spot traders Russell Katz and Jerry Urwin, two of these people said. Mr Katz and [...]
JQW planning £140m London public offering November 4, 2013 CHINESE e-commerce operator JQW has announced its intention to raise up to £15m in a flotation on London’s Alternative Investment Market (Aim) next month. JQW provides small and medium-sized Chinese business an online platform to advertise their products to other businesses. The company is hoping to use the funds raised to expand its business to [...]
The lawyer who has built his career breaking down barriers November 3, 2013 Stephen Kon, the new co-deputy chairman of King & Wood Mallesons, tells Elizabeth Fournier how years at the forefront of European law have left him ready to take on China LAST Friday, Stephen Kon joined a new law firm, one with a very, very long name. Overnight, the senior partner of London-based SJ Berwin (SJB) [...]
China sees stable manufacturing growth but underlying conditions are weak November 1, 2013 The Chinese manufacturing sector improved at the beginning at the beginning of the fourth quarter, so suggests the latest PMI surveys released on Friday. However breaking down into the figures, London-based consultancy, Capital Economics suggests that China is due for slower growth while small firms struggle. The government's policy of reducing the availability of credit [...]
What you need to know before the open – 01/11 November 1, 2013 US markets rounded off October markedly higher, despite yesterday's negative finish. Data from Europe does continue to worsen, thought, with anticipation of a potential European Central Bank rate cut next week pushing the euro down. Chinese manufacturing PMI, coming in overnight, has eased worries over a softness in recent Chinese economic activity. On the official [...]
Letters to the Editor – 01/11 – Regional growth, National security, Best of Twitter October 31, 2013 Regional growth [Re: Why the rest of the UK is failing to keep up with London’s explosive growth, Wednesday] Paul Ormerod is spot on – rigid pay structures outside of London have surely played a role in decreasing competitiveness in the rest of the country. National wage rates in the public sector don’t help. There’s [...]