The Uniwheel is the British-made alternative to last year’s cheap, exploding hoverboard toys January 21, 2016 The last time I attempted to ride a hoverboard, the device turned on me. The supposedly self-balancing bastard hurled my innocent body to the ground and shattered my left elbow before zooming off, filling the air with triumphant bleeps and bloops as it made good its escape. If this was the first punch thrown in [...]
British Land posts upbeat third quarter as London mayor Boris Johnson approves Norton Folgate plans January 19, 2016 Customers flocking to British Land’s shopping centres and ongoing demand for its offices helped the landlord deliver a strong performance in the third quarter, as the group also revealed that plans for a controversial Shoreditch scheme had been approved. The FTSE 100 property giant said retail footfall rose by two per cent over the Christmas quarter, with Meadowhall [...]
HSBC expansion curtailed by China slowdown January 18, 2016 London based HSBC has had its expansion plans throughout Asia dashed by slowing economic growth in China and increased market volatility throughout the region, according to Moody's Investors Service. The bank, which is still considering whether to move its headquarters to Hong Kong or possibly the US, pulled in around 60 per cent of pre-tax [...]
From retail mania and the Tube strike to oil prices and the Chinese economy: Here’s what got us talking this week January 15, 2016 We all got invited to a very special birthday party, while someone else got an early birthday present. Meanwhile, the details of Boris Johnson's Iraq antics were leaked. Oh no, BoJo. Here's what got us talking this week 1) Ground control to major Tim The world mourned as we digested the news that David Bowie had died [...]
City Moves for 15 January 2016 | Who’s switching jobs January 15, 2016 LendInvest Online lender for short-term property finance LendInvest has appointed Ruth Pearson as its first in-house legal counsel. Ruth joins LendInvest from Simmons & Simmons where she was a managing associate in the banking team. She joined Simmons & Simmons as a trainee in 2007 and qualified in 2009. During her eight years in private [...]
Sainsbury’s bid for Argos might solve some of Mike Coupe’s problems – but the deal poses significant challenges for landlords January 14, 2016 In a presentation to investors this week, Sainsbury’s outlined its strategy behind acquiring Home Retail Group. Sainsbury’s did caution that the deal would be a “strategically compelling opportunity, and if done at the right price financially compelling”. The 22-page presentation was used to set out the case and try and ease investors concerns. Home Retail Group reported that [...]
London mayoral election 2016: Conservative mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith vows to give startups retail space in London Underground stations January 14, 2016 Conservative mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith has said that he will use public land to house startup businesses in the capital, vowing to repurpose Transport for London (TfL) Underground stations to provide discounted space to smaller firms. Goldsmith said today that he will parcel off shop space in TfL’s Underground stations and offer it to retail [...]
CMC confirms it will float on the London stock market earlier than expected in February 2016 and hopes to raise more than £240m, despite market swings January 13, 2016 Spread-betting company CMC Markets today confirmed it was proceeding with plans to float on the London stock market. The long-awaited announcement followed weeks of speculation in the City that financier and former Conservative treasurer Peter Cruddas was looking to take his company public with help from Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, who have been advising CMC on the [...]
Shareholders expect banking giant HSBC to keep its headquarters in London January 12, 2016 Major investors in HSBC think the bank is more likely to remain headquartered in London following changes to the political and regulatory landscape since the bank announced a review nine months ago. Richard Buxton, chief executive of HSBC shareholder Old Mutual Global Investors, told City A.M.: “I do think the mood music changed materially after the [...]
Architect Sir Terry Farrell and Labour councillors hit out at plans for Irvine Sellar’s Paddington Shard January 12, 2016 Farrell called it "too piecemeal and too optimistic" (Source: Sellar Property Group) A storm is brewing over Irvine Sellar’s plans to build a so-called second Shard in Paddington. Westminster Labour councillors have urged the council to reject the planning application submitted in November, saying the that proposals have been “rushed” and miss out crucial information such [...]