CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS January 23, 2012 Avoca Capital Avoca Capital, the European credit investment manager with €6bn assets under management, has strengthened its sales and marketing capabilities by appointing Rachel Black as head of capital raising for the credit hedge fund team, based in the London office. Black joins from Concerto Asset Management, where she was head of marketing and business [...]
Resource stocks lift FTSE as Eurozone closes in on Greece debt deal January 23, 2012 The FTSE 100 started in positive territory this morning — with hopes that Eurozone finance ministers can nail down a final agreement over the festering Greek debt pile on the rise. Banking shares across Europe were buoyed by renewed optimism that Greece can avert a default which would derail the bloc’s efforts to stabilize struggling [...]
Peacocks still searching for white knight January 22, 2012 PRIVATE EQUITY firms and buy-out groups are poised to make a bid for Peacocks, the discount clothing chain, which collapsed into administration last week. Its administrators KPMG will open the data room to Peacocks today, which will allow potential bidders to browse financial and other relevant data on the firm. KMPG expects to receive the [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS January 22, 2012 Kentz Corporation The FTSE 250 engineering group has announced that Christian Brown (pictured) will replace Hugh O’Donnell as chief executive on 1 February. Brown steps up from the role of group chief operating officer, while O’Donnell, who has led Kentz since 2000, will continue as an exclusive adviser to the group for the next three [...]
FTSE rally loses steam as energy stocks dip January 20, 2012 The FTSE 100 edged down this morning as energy and resource stocks pinned the market back after solid gains over the week. Greece and its private bondholders resumed debt swap talks today amid signs they are edging towards the deal needed to prevent a chaotic default by Athens. That helped to give financial stocks a [...]
Knight Capital’s earnings soar January 19, 2012 Knight Capital’s quarterly profit rose four-fold, it said yesterday, as the electronic trader earned more revenue from its market-making activities despite challenging market conditions. The firm’s shares jumped 10 per cent on the news that its fourth quarter earnings had soared to $40.2m, from $9.2m a year ago. Knight Capital, which is based in the [...]
From Kensington to Farringdon: why London’s prices are buoyant January 19, 2012 WHY ARE PROPERTY VALUES IN CENTRAL LONDON RISING FASTER THAN REST OF THE UK? Prices in Prime Central London are indeed out-performing the rest of the country. Over the last 12 months, average house prices across the UK have remained broadly stable, meanwhile in Prime Central London (PCL), prices rose by 12.1 per cent in [...]
Bank stocks up as Eurozone fears ease January 19, 2012 The FTSE 100 today opened with a strong performance in the banking sector with investor confidence being buoyed by efforts to bring the Eurozone back in line after months of damaging instability. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is seeking to raise up to $600bn (£388.8bn) which would help ease worries about funding in the Eurozone. [...]
Mulberry sees strong festive sales January 19, 2012 Luxury fashion company Mulberry Group expects 2012 financial year results to exceed its earlier forecast, led by strong Christmas and New Year sales, putting it firmly in the festive winners’ camp in the UK. The company, which designs, makes and sells leather goods and accessories, said retail sales for the 16 weeks to January 14 [...]
Charles Schwab meets forecasts January 18, 2012 CHARLES Schwab’s quarterly profit last night met analysts’ lowered expectations, amid a tough environment of shrinking interest rate margins and a pullback in trading by retail investors. The bank and brokerage, which has offices throughout the US and in London, earned $163m (£105m) in the fourth quarter, compared to $119m a year earlier. Asset management [...]