August 2015 TfL Tube strike update: Action could cost London retailers and restaurants millions as footfall tipped to fall 10 per cent August 5, 2015 Shops, restaurants and bars in London are bracing themselves for a sharp drop in footfall and bookings as a result of the Tube strike, which starts at 6:30pm tonight and will run throughout Thursday. The British Council of Shopping Centres (BCSC) said that on the day of the last strike on 9 July, London shopping [...]
Quindell faces criminal investigation by Serious Fraud Office August 5, 2015 The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has launched a criminal investigation into the Aim-listed tech company Quindell. Quindell said in a market update that it was informed of the probe this afternoon and the SFO is investigating its business and accounting practices. The investigation comes after the troubled company reported £238m annual losses and restated previous [...]
Quindell shares expected to resume trading tomorrow it reports £238m loss reported and restates previous year’s results amid FCA investigation August 5, 2015 Quindell shares are expected to resume trading tomorrow after more than a month of suspension from Aim, as it reported annual losses of £238m in the latest chapter in a tumultuous saga which has spurred a second investigation by a City regulator. An investigation by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has forced the company to restate [...]
Collective myopia has gripped markets: It’s time to rediscover long-term capital August 3, 2015 “The world would be a better place if businesses stopped thinking so much about short-term results and focused more on the long term,” wrote Adi Ignatius, editor of the Harvard Business Review, in January 2014. The same is sometimes said of asset managers and the investors they serve. A longer-term approach to investment can lead [...]
Britain’s global influence will fade if it turns itself into an Atlantic Singapore July 27, 2015 President Obama’s carefully chosen words last week are a reminder of what is at stake in the forthcoming referendum on Britain’s place in Europe. Known to be a cautious and contemplative leader, the President spoke directly to the British people with a very clear message: the UK’s membership of the European Union “gives us much [...]
Best of the Brokers for 20 July 2015 July 19, 2015 To appear in Best of the Brokers, email your research to notes@cityam.com DIXONS CARPHONE Numis reiterated its “add” rating on the retailer, noting that the group posted strong underlying profit growth during 2015, “a period of significant corporate change” as the broker described it. Numis added that the merger process continues to run smoothly and [...]
Greece makes further euro integration unavoidable – with big risks for the UK July 13, 2015 After months of wrangling, Eurozone leaders and the Greek government finally seem to have reached an agreement on a third bailout deal. EU politicians and the markets may breathe a sigh of relief at the prospect of some short-term stability being restored. But even if this new deal manages to stave off Grexit in the [...]
China’s stock market crash: Liberalisation cannot be fully controlled July 12, 2015 Visiting China last week to discuss finance with regulators, officials and industry people in Beijing and Shanghai was a timely reminder of the country’s economic vitality. All the facts confirm this – China is the world’s second largest economy (probably the largest on a purchasing power parity basis), and it is growing at twice the [...]
Watchdog will open new RSA Ireland inquiry July 7, 2015 INSURER RSA is facing an external investigation over financial irregularities in its Irish business, which were uncovered in 2013. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) announced yesterday that it has decided to investigate the conduct of certain individuals at RSA Ireland. An RSA spokesperson said: “This is not an investigation into RSA. The FRC’s remit is [...]
Greek crisis: ECB maintains emergency funding for Greek banks and imposes bigger haircut on Greek bank collateral July 6, 2015 The European Central Bank (ECB) has imposed a bigger haircut on Greek banks making it harder for them to receive the emergency funding they need to stay afloat. The governing council's move means Greek banks will have to cough up more assets in exchange for Emergency Liquidity Assistance (ELA), however a source told Reuters that the [...]