What does the chancellor’s budget mean for you? December 5, 2013 Catherine Gannon, 51Managing director of law firm GannonThe business is performing extremely well but that is thanks to investments: profits are up but the cost of living has increased, making Catherine feel less well off. She lives with two children, aged 11 and 13, in her own home and holds investment properties. She doesn’t have [...]
It’s a tough job but someone has got to do it December 1, 2013 The new boss of recruiter SThree tells Marion Dakers how his diverse business is navigating through the economic recovery AS THE festive party season rolls around again, staff at SThree will be looking forward to the office get-together more than most. Over the last few years, the white-collar recruiter has used its annual bash in [...]
Finance is inevitably complex but its regulators can stop chasing their tails November 27, 2013 FINANCIAL regulation becomes ever more onerous, as it chases its own tail. More and more, regulation mandates “best advice”, codes of ethics, legal punishment for directors if businesses go bust, mandatory offering of simple products, fines for companies if financial products decline in value instead of rise, and caps on charges and interest rates. This [...]
Best of the Brokers for 27 November 2013 November 26, 2013 To appear in Best of the Brokers, email your research to notes@cityam.com HALFORDS UBS has a “buy” recommendation on the bike and car parts retailer and has raised its price target to 530p from 435p. The broker said that Halfords is beginning to improve its specialist credentials but the majority of the turnaround plan is [...]
Comparison sites probed over claims of poor insurance coverage November 24, 2013 PRICE comparison websites could be failing to sell customers insurance that meets their needs, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) warned yesterday, launching a probe into the way the sites operate. The City watchdog is concerned that rankings of products by price on the sites may fail to explain to customers the details of the products [...]
What the other papers say this morning – 22 November 2013 November 21, 2013 FINANCIAL TIMES Independence could lose sterling Scotland will be forced to quit the sterling currency union if it votes for independence next year, a cabinet minister has said, in the starkest warning yet for Scottish voters to remain in the UK. Speaking to the Financial Times days before the Scottish government releases its vision for [...]
Esure adds policies as price war rumbles on November 13, 2013 INSURANCE group Esure yesterday said it has gained customers amid a car insurance price war and that is on track to hit full-year forecasts. The firm behind the Sheilas’ Wheels and Esure brands said gross written premiums were up 4.8 per cent in the year to date to £427m, though the pace slowed to 1.7 [...]
Admiral turnover reduced by weaker UK market November 11, 2013 Car insurance specialist Admiral Group has announce a seven per cent decline in turnover this morning to £528m in the third quarter to September. The firm remains on track to meet its expectations this year, with international car insurance turnover up 26 per cent on the same period last year. (Release) UK Car insurance turnover [...]
LV= expects motor insurance prices to rise in the new year October 28, 2013 INSURER LV= yesterday said it expects the cost of motor insurance to rise next year because new laws designed to reduce spurious claims have not had the desired effect. Mike Rogers, chief executive of the mutual, said some rivals had “over anticipated” the impact of the rules and cut car insurance premiums too much. “Looking towards [...]
US steps back from the brink October 16, 2013 Last-minute Senate deal allows America’s debt to keep growing REPUBLICAN politicians last night closed in on a last minute deal with their Democratic counterparts to extend the US debt limit and end the ongoing government shutdown in the world’s largest economy. The agreement was reached just hours before the country was due to hit the maximum $16.7 [...]