New volatility products help investors to hedge April 28, 2010 EUROPE’s sovereign debt crisis has gained momentum this week after Greece’s debt was downgraded to junk status. Similar to the financial shock in 2008, this has rocked global stock indices and volatility has spiked higher in recent days. Volatility indices, such as the Vix in the US and VSTOXX in Europe, measure the “fear” in [...]
Rich List shows huge swing back to wealth April 25, 2010 THE RICHEST people in the country saw an astonishing reversal in fortunes this year as their collective wealth rocketed more than £77bn. The annual Rich List compiled by the Sunday Times shows the super-wealthy managed to more than claw back losses made during the dark depths of the global recession. The wealth of the 1,000 [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING April 21, 2010 FINANCIAL TIMES FIAT TO SPIN OFF NON-CAR DIVISIONS Fiat is to demerge its non-automotive divisions from its core carmaking business in a watershed moment for the 111-year-old Italian industrial group. The spin-off will see Fiat’s Iveco trucks, Case New Holland farming and construction equipment, and industrial and marine engines divisions split off from its Fiat, [...]
Our panel: surge in support for Nick Clegg is here to stay April 21, 2010 THERE has been a significant increase in support for the Liberal Democrats on our panel of City workers. The City A.M./PHI Panel, which has been specially recruited with PoliticsHome.com to represent a cross-section of London’s financial and business community, were asked if they were likely to vote Lib Dem. Almost a third of panellists said [...]
Know how to value your ETF April 21, 2010 WHEN placing a trade, investors understandably concentrate on making the decision that will yield the most profitable returns. But it is just as important for traders to understand how they are investing as well as what they are investing in. This is particularly relevant for investors using exchange-traded funds (ETFs) – knowing how an ETF [...]
Primark and recovery boost AB Food outlook April 20, 2010 PRIMARK owner Associated British Foods said the global recovery was underway, prompting it to predict a “very good” rise in annual earnings after beating forecasts with half-year profits up 20 per cent. The London-based food and retail group reported strong momentum in many of its businesses around the world and even Britain showed signs of [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING April 18, 2010 THE SUNDAYS The Sunday Telegraph BARCAP TO RAID ECM BANKERS Barclays Capital, the investment banking arm of barclays bank, is creating a bold plan to catapult its equity capital markets (ECM) business into a global top-three player in under five years. The ambitious strategy just 18 months after its $1.85bn (£1.2bn) acquisition of Lehman Brothers’ [...]
London retail boost fuelled by Easter lift April 18, 2010 RETAILERS in central London saw an almost ten per cent rise in sales last month – fuelled by a booming Easter. The figures, based on a comparison with March last year, showed that the weak pound and an increase in Chinese visitors over the holiday helped to keep tills ringing, with a 9.9 per cent [...]
British Land closes £29m West End offices deal April 16, 2010 BRITISH Land has sealed a £29m deal for a West End development site. The 93,000 square-foot property in Baker Street was bought from Irish developer McAleer & Rushe. It will be developed as a mixed office and retail scheme which has already been given planning permission. The company said it was confident that the market [...]
LIB DEMS SET TO RIDE CREST OF BEER WAVE April 15, 2010 A WELCOME pre-election boost for Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, from the most unusual of quarters – the traditionally right-leaning environs of the City. It’s just 20 days before polling day and Clegg’s policies haven’t exactly met with rapt enthusiasm from the Square Mile, what with proposals to slap a “mansion tax” on homes worth [...]