The Financial Conduct Authority launches consultation over plans to reform IPO process March 1, 2017 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has launched a consultation over plans to reform the initial public offering (IPO) process in the UK. The watchdog has voiced concerns that investors don't get enough information before new firms list on the stock market, posing risks. So it has drafted up proposals for investors to get independent research [...]
Battle lines drawn over London Stock Exchange mega-merger as neither company nor EU budges February 27, 2017 The City is holding its breath to see who will blink first in the battle between the European Commission and the London Stock Exchange (LSE), in the case of the latter's £21bn mega-merger with Deutsche Boerse. LSE published a statement late last night saying it now expects the EU to block the deal. The tie-up was [...]
Monitise losses narrow as fintech firm’s transformation plan shows results February 23, 2017 Monitise revealed this morning it had crept further out of the red during the last six months of the year. The figures The fintech firm's interim results revealed a loss before tax of £7.5m for the six months to the end of December, a 96 per cent improvement on the £210.5m loss it announced for [...]
British Gas owner Centrica returns to growth in 2016, but profit in its UK home arm drops February 23, 2017 British Gas owner Centrica today said it swung back to profit growth in 2016, but profit in its UK homes business dropped. The figures Britain's largest energy supplier said group operating profit rose four per cent to £1.52bn in the year to the end of December. However, operating profit for its UK home supplying business fell eight per [...]
Asset managers await City watchdog’s final industry report after closing comments on interim recommendations February 20, 2017 The City watchdog today closed the consultation on its interim asset management market study report and will release its final recommendations in the second quarter of this year. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published its interim report in November, criticising weak price competition, transparency issues, conflicts of interests and sustained profitability of asset management companies. Read [...]
Three tips to help women start investing February 20, 2017 Some women never start investing. My research uncovered three main reasons why many women “sit on the fence” when it comes to investing: Some women aren’t interested in investing and don’t understand why it is important. Some are perfectionists and feel they do not know enough to begin. They think the world of investing is [...]
Politicians must tread carefully on M&A intervention February 20, 2017 It is common in business and politics today to talk about "signals". Brexit is either a signal of our desire to cut ourselves off from the world, or a sign that we’re set to become a kind of expansionist high-seas merchant. From immigration to Donald Trump, foreign policy to international aid, perceptions are increasingly being [...]
Three tips to help women start investing February 20, 2017 Some women never start investing. My research uncovered three main reasons why many women “sit on the fence” when it comes to investing: Some women aren’t interested in investing and don’t understand why it is important. Some are perfectionists and feel they do not know enough to begin. They think the world of investing is [...]
A victory for Marine Le Pen in France could spell the end of the European Union February 17, 2017 As the Brexit Bill’s passage through Parliament in the coming weeks appears a foregone conclusion, the UK’s timeline for invoking Article 50 has become clearer – but what remains unclear is the extent to which Brexit is mobilising voters in other EU member states. Indeed, from an economic standpoint, the UK’s inconsequential post-referendum performance poses a [...]
A Punch in the face: The CMA opens its investigation into Heineken’s Punch Taverns takeover February 16, 2017 The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has opened an initial investigation into Heineken's £403m deal to snap up British pub operator Punch Taverns. The UK watchdog will consider whether the deal would reduce competition and choice for customers and whether it needs to launch an in-depth investigation into the takeover. The deadline for the decision is 24 April. Pub landlords [...]