Markets slip as Italy debt crisis deepens November 9, 2011 Dramatic political changes at two of the Eurozone’s crisis-ridden economies initially boosted world stocks but markets went into reverse as it became clear that Italy’s debt woes were escalating. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said late yesterday that he would step down after parliament passes budget reforms. Greece, meanwhile, was working create a consensus government [...]
CITY VIEWS: WILL MARKS & SPENCER STILL BE A MAINSTAY OF THE HIGH STREET IN 20 YEARS ? November 8, 2011 ANDREW BALLIE | KENEXA “Yes. The brand is strong and there is such loyalty among its customers. It defines retailing for the middle class – it even defines the food they eat” DAVID PHILLIPS | LLOYD’S OF LONDON “In 20 years, shopping will be done online and in out-of-town centres. If M&S can keep up [...]
CITY VIEWS: WILL RETAILERS SEE LOWER SALES THIS CHRISTMAS? November 7, 2011 PAUL CLAYTON | JRP UNDERWRITING “There must be a lot of pressure on people this Christmas, but personally this won’t affect what I buy. There is no doubt the retail industry is suffering, though.” PETER GODFREY | LLOYD’S OF LONDON “People will always try to find spare cash over Christmas, but with the state the [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS November 7, 2011 RFC Group John Harrison, who retired as a managing director of Numis Securities last month, has been named as chairman of Ambrian Partners, subject to completion of RFC’s acquisition of 100 per cent of Ambrian’s share capital. Harrison joined Numis in 1994 following a career at Lloyd’s of London. Since 2003, he has led the [...]
Markets hit by Eurozone contagion fears November 7, 2011 Banks were the weakest link on the FTSE 100 this morning as the move towards a coalition government in Greece failed to impress wary investors. Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, who attempted to call a referendum on a crucial European Union bailout plan, will stand down when the new government takes over. Eurozone ministers meet [...]
LLOYD BLANKFEIN GETS HIS JUST DESSERTS FROM BUSINESS ELITE November 6, 2011 THERE WAS only one sour note at the Goldman Sachs and Financial Times Business Book of the Year awards – the Roquefort-flavoured ice-cream, which went down about as well as sovereign debt exposure at MF Global. “I’m not sure about this,” said Jonathan Taylor from HM Treasury as he laid down his spoon with a [...]
Coop to make second-round bid for Lloyds branches November 4, 2011 The Co-operative Group will make a second-round bid next week for the 632 Lloyds Bank branches being sold as part of its bailout deal, the Manchester-based bank has confirmed. The Coop, which also owns former building society Britannia, joins new high street bank NBNK in the second-round race to buy the Lloyds assets in an [...]
FTSE weak as investors eye G20 November 3, 2011 The FTSE 100 tracked falls in Asia as leaders of the world’s biggest economies gathered in France for a G20 summit set to be dominated by the threat of Greece falling out of the Eurozone. The leaders of France and Germany, angered at Greece’s shock move to call a referendum on its latest bail-out plan [...]
DO YOU FIND YOU ARE SHOPPING MORE ONLINE? November 2, 2011 MARK JAY | MARSH “Yes, because it is convenient and easy. You can browse for better deals and find the exact products you are looking for.” ALAN WALSH | LLOYD’S OF LONDON “I didn’t two years ago – I still don’t now. But my wife does now more than she used to. She says you [...]
Markets hit by MF Global bankruptcy October 31, 2011 MARKETS plunged in London and New York yesterday as MF Global, the $41bn brokerage, became the first big American casualty of the European sovereign debt crisis. MF Global Holdings filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US following the collapse of a last-minute deal to sell off assets. It became the eighth-largest bankruptcy in [...]