The G20 must not let the post-crisis regulatory storm jeopardise global growth November 11, 2014 FOR ITS decisive and co-ordinated action to deal with the financial crisis, the G20 won a lot of credibility. But as it prepares for its latest summit in Brisbane this week, we now need this forum for governments and central banks from the 20 major economies to act decisively again, and adjust the direction of [...]
Gherkin bought by Safra Group: Meet the Brazilian-Lebanese billionaire behind the £700m deal November 10, 2014 The City's iconic Gherkin has been snapped up for more than £700m by the Safra Group, the investment giant controlled by Brazilian-Lebanese billionaire Joseph Safra. Safra, which last month won a $682m (£430m) takeover battle for banana group Chiquita, said yesterday it had agreed to buy the 590-foot tower at 30 St Mary’s [...]
Hester says RSA recovery is on track but premiums dip by £1bn November 6, 2014 Insurance firm RSA saw its shares decline by almost five per cent yesterday as it reported premiums of £5.68bn for the first nine months of 2014, down nine per cent from £6.74bn last year. The company said profit for the third quarter was “strong”, due to £198m gains from its disposals of Noraxis and its [...]
What is shadow banking? New lending leaves banks in the shade October 30, 2014 Shadow banking grew by $5 trillion (£3.1 trillion) last year to total $75 trillion of assets worldwide, as the alternative finance sector took over from banks as the main source of lending growth. By contrast the banking sector’s assets stayed flat, as the industry continued to deal with a legacy of bad loans and [...]
Chancellor struggling to rein in state borrowing October 21, 2014 THE GOVERNMENT borrowed £11.8bn in September – £1.6bn more than the same month last year. Chancellor George Osborne might have been hoping to offer one or two pre-election sweeteners in December’s Autumn Statement, but yesterday’s figures acted as a reminder of the limited fiscal leeway that he has at his disposal So far, this fiscal [...]
The City is back: Number of people working in London’s financial sector soars past its pre-crash peak October 20, 2014 More workers than ever are employed in finance and professional services in London, new figures from TheCityUK show today, confirming that the capital has bounced back from the credit crunch. The City was hit hard in the global financial crisis, with banks shedding tens of thousands of jobs and spending billions restructuring and rebuilding [...]
Global regulator sets out new shadow banking rules October 14, 2014 Multinational regulatory body the Financial Stability Board (FSB) has set out proposals to strengthen rules on short-term lending, affecting both banks and non-banks, as it moves to curb risks in shadow banking. The FSB, which coordinates regulation for the G20 and is headed by Bank of England governor Mark Carney, is concerned that increased [...]
Eurozone fears pull down FTSE to one-year low – London Report October 9, 2014 THE FTSE 100 yesterday hit its lowest level for a year after early gains fell away in a broad-based sell-off as investors became anxious about signs of serious weakening in the Eurozone economy. The blue-chip index, which hit 6,544 points in morning trading, due mainly to a rise in mining shares, ended the day down [...]
Arbitrarily criminalising banking is a reckless way to reform British finance October 8, 2014 THE RADICAL plan to prosecute bank bosses for reckless misconduct in the management of a bank is ringing alarm bells across the City, with a slew of top bankers now threatening to join the duo from HSBC in quitting the industry in protest. The political allure of the proposal is clear. Since the financial crash [...]
London leads jobs recovery as capital goes on hiring spree September 25, 2014 London's businesses are driving the UK’s recovery, with official figures yesterday showing the capital has consistently hired more staff across a diverse range of industries than any other part of Britain since the financial crisis struck. Despite the recession and slow recovery from the credit crunch, London firms found the resources to increase the [...]