DEBATE: Should we subsidise farmers for providing ‘public goods’, like protecting the environment? January 8, 2018 Should we subsidise farmers for providing ‘public goods’, like protecting the environment? Warwick Lightfoot, director of economics at Policy Exchange and lead author of Farming Tomorrow, says YES. Brexit presents a big opportunity to improve the way we support farming and put the consumer at the heart of food policy. The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy [...]
Intercontinental Exchange, Deutsche Borse and the London Metal Exchange granted last-minute reprieve from Mifid II futures rules January 3, 2018 The largest regulatory shake-up in a generation finally hit markets across Europe yesterday, but got off to a more turbulent start than European authorities expected. The UK’s finanial regulator and its German counterpart began the day by allowing three of the world’s largest exchange groups to delay the implementation of new rules, designed to boost [...]
The unprofitable reality of tobacco stocks December 28, 2017 Chestnuts may be roasting on an open fire – at least on the speakers of every shop we have visited since October – but here our focus is smoke. More precisely we will be considering its continuing disappearance as more and more people quit cigarettes – and what this could mean for tobacco companies and [...]
Open Banking: Here’s what fintech startups think of delays after HSBC, Barclays and more given deadline extension from CMA December 20, 2017 Entrepreneurs at fintech startups have been left little surprised after more than half of the UK’s banks revealed they would miss a deadline for Open Banking – but how they implement it is of more concern. Nine banks have been forced to make their data open to third parties – many of them fintech startups [...]
Five UK banks given Open Banking deadline extension by CMA December 19, 2017 Five UK banks have been given more time by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to comply with Open Banking regulations. Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), HSBC, Santander and Bank of Ireland appealed to the CMA for a delay to the January deadline. Open Banking is a new digital standard that aims to give [...]
Why is Pakistan struggling to find its feet as a successful emerging market? December 18, 2017 The key dilemmas facing Pakistan’s equity market — a small investor base, few new listings on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), and shrinking turnover — are tied to the lack of trust among investors and issuers as well as unnecessary compliance and tax burdens. It will take greater professionalism among the intermediaries and the rationalization [...]
Rupert Murdoch denies a “retreat” as Disney confirms buyout of 21st Century Fox assets for $52bn December 14, 2017 Rupert Murdoch denied today that his family was “retreating” as his media empire was broken up by a $52bn (£39bn) sale of 21st Century Fox assets to Disney. “I know a lot of you are wondering, why have the Murdochs come to such a momentous decision?” the recently married 86-year-old said on a call with [...]
Which bank has the best current account? FCA to force banks to publish data on current account services December 12, 2017 High street banks will be forced to publish more information on their current account services to help customers to compare providers more easily under new rules outlined by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The new rules will force all providers of personal or business current accounts to publish standardised data on their products. From August [...]
Digital challenger Starling to hit profit in 2019 says founder Anne Boden as European expansion takes crucial step December 12, 2017 Digital-only challenger bank Starling will “definitely” be in profit by the end of 2019, its chief executive told City A.M., as it announced a major step in its plans for European expansion. Anne Boden, who started work on the bank in 2014, said Starling will be “breaking even in about two years’ time” as it [...]
Could these European stock market sectors offer the most value in 2018? December 11, 2017 This European stock market outlook is taken from a series of Schroders investment outlooks for 2018. Go to Insights for the full selection. Our central view is that inflation will pick up over the medium term and therefore a value skew is likely to be appropriate for investors in European equities. By value, we mean [...]