The ministry of justice to stamp out “bogus” whiplash claims, while insurers promise to pass on savings November 17, 2016 Insurers and motorist groups celebrated government plans to get tough on bogus whiplash claims. Motor insurers have clamoured about the inflationary impact of whiplash claims over recent years. They have said that despite a generally soft insurance market, motor premiums have soared because of spiralling personal injury claims. Read more: Here's one more way the cost of motoring is [...]
LV quits the annuity market: experts say it was inevitable November 16, 2016 LV is the next big insurance name to flee the enhanced annuity market with immediate effect. With annuity rates plummeting as the lower-for-longer interest rate environment persists, the announcement follows the earlier news that the insurer was reviewing its annuity operations. Read more: Binning the government's annuity initiative: Here's what the experts think “The writing was on the wall," [...]
Aviva warns that current saving levels are not sufficient November 15, 2016 Britons need to be saving a whopping six times more than the minimum levels introduced by the government, according to the UK’s largest general insurer. Aviva said that the British public should be setting aside 12.5 per cent of their salary to save for old age. This compares with the current minimum requirement of two per cent under [...]
City Moves for 15 November 2016 | Who’s switching jobs November 15, 2016 Harrods Bank Harrods Bank has appointed Mark Stephens as its new chief executive officer. Mark joins Harrods Bank following seven years at Aldermore Bank, most recently in the role of deputy chief executive and group commercial director. Mark will be responsible for the overall leadership and direction of the bank as it enters an exciting [...]
Meet the 18 companies joining the FCA’s regulatory sandbox November 7, 2016 The UK's foward-thinking financial regulator has chosen 18 companies to participate in its so-called regulatory sandbox, where they will be able to test out new technologies without breaching rules. Launched over the summer, the sandbox is designed to foster fintech innovation while remaining under the supervisory eye of the City watchdog, the Financial Conduct Authority. Read more: [...]
BT investor calls for talks over Openreach arm November 6, 2016 A major BT shareholder, Aviva Investors, has called for the telecoms giant to open discussions about a possible sale of its infrastructure arm Openreach. BT has been fighting for control of its network division for the past 18 months, following repeated calls from its rivals that Openreach should be split out of the group. Aviva is [...]
City Moves for 4 November 2016 | Who’s switching jobs November 4, 2016 Hastings Group Hastings Group has appointed Teresa Robson-Capps and Alison Burns as non-executive directors with immediate effect. Teresa is currently a non-executive director and member of the audit committee for Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank Group and is chairman of the ACS Group. She was previously a non-executive director for National Australia Bank; Europe/Clydesdale Bank. Teresa brings significant [...]
Theresa May’s industrial strategy isn’t about picking winners – but taking control of Britain’s economic destiny post-Brexit November 1, 2016 Purists likely shuddered at Theresa May’s commitment to a “proper, modern industrial strategy” as she reshaped the Business Department in July. Three decades of free market orthodoxy have convinced many business folk that a fully-fledged plan for industry represents a throwback to the 1970s, a decade when sickly British Leyland came to symbolise all that [...]
Investors want to better understand why executives are paid what they are paid October 31, 2016 An influential investment management trade body has written to the bosses of Britain's largest companies to urge "greater simplicity and flexibility of pay structures". The Investment Association (IA), which represents companies that manage over £5.7 trillion of assets, wrote to the chief executives of the FTSE 350 to set out what shareholders want from company boards [...]
Spooking investors: Why this earnings season is like Halloween October 24, 2016 Trick or treat! When you think about it, corporate earnings season is similar to that children’s favourite, Halloween. Expectations usually run high, but you never know if the door you are knocking on will yield a delicious surprise or be a complete let-down, as the sweets are either from last year or there’s none left. [...]