As M&A involving UK firms fell to 1987 lows in 2014, could politics harm prospects for 2015? March 3, 2015 James Fillingham is transactions services partner at PwC, says Yes In 2014, the Scottish referendum did give buyers and sellers pause for thought, but that was only part of the story. While M&A was down in the UK, we saw a massive, offsetting increase in IPO activity. We also saw much refinancing with plentiful, cheap [...]
It’s not all about the money for today’s graduates March 2, 2015 Salary is no longer the key to attracting graduates to a company, according to a new survey by Ernst and Young. The research finds that quality of training and development remains the most important factor for graduates, with salary and benefits dropping to fifth place in terms of importance. The people and the culture of [...]
UK manufacturing sector picking up steam March 2, 2015 The speed at which the UK’s manufacturing sector is expanding reached a seven-month high in January, new survey data show. The manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) – a survey of private sector firms – rose to a score of 54.1 in February from January’s 53.1, according to figures released yesterday. Any figure above 50 [...]
Election doubt puts renewable firms off the UK March 1, 2015 THE UK’s status as a top destination for renewable energy investors is under threat, according to a new study released today by Ernst and Young. The decline is largely due to a lack of clarity from politicians as to where renewables fit into the country’s energy mix. EY says that the upcoming election in May [...]
Ahead of the game February 25, 2015 Andy Baldwin explains why the UK is leading the way in crowdfunding in Europe – and what the future holds for an alternative source of finance on the cusp of the mainstream THE OVERALL growth rates for alternative finance in the UK and mainland Europe are making it increasingly clear that the industry cannot be [...]
City watchdog in investment banking probe: What will the FCA do and who’s involved? February 19, 2015 Big investment banks may be too dominant in some areas of the industry, limiting competition and hurting companies and consumers, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) warned yesterday. Prices are not always transparent enough to allow firms to compare banks effectively, the FCA said. The watchdog has received complaints that shares in major deals are allocated to [...]
City Moves for 18 February 2015 | Who’s switching jobs February 17, 2015 Crowdcube Dean Mayer and Stuart Nicol have been appointed head of Debt and growth director respectively by the crowdfunding platform. Mayer is co-founder of Fidelitas, a mini-bond and debt advisory firm, and brings 22 years’ experience. He has worked at Belvall Capital, Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, RBS and HSBC Private Equity. Nicol has worked at The [...]
Birmingham owners call in the receivers amid internal dispute February 17, 2015 BIRMINGHAM City chiefs have moved to appease fears for the future of the Championship club after their parent company Birmingham International Holdings Limited was placed into receivership yesterday. The Blues said they wanted “to reassure supporters and staff most emphatically that no winding up petition has been filed against the company (BIHL) and that it [...]
Land Securities buys Moorgate site for £16.5m ahead of Crossrail launch February 16, 2015 Land Securities has bought the leasehold of a 1.9 acre site near Liverpool Street for £16.5m, paving the way for a huge regeneration ahead of the launch of Crossrail. Land Securities took out a three-year option to buy 21 Moorfields in 2012. Its previous owners had collapsed in 2010 and EY had been acting as [...]
Reshoring could bring £15bn lift to UK economy February 15, 2015 BRINGING the manufacturing of goods back to the UK, or reshoring, could add £15.3bn of GDP to the economy by 2025 as the advantages of the developing world lessen. Over 315,000 new jobs could be created for the country as the labour, transport and regulatory costs of producing goods in places like China and Thailand [...]