Barclays, HSBC, JP Morgan back Wealthiher initiative to help women with wealth March 8, 2019 Some of the City’s biggest firms and major international banks have thrown their weight behind an initiative to help women grow and protect their wealth. Read more: Women-led startups win under 10 per cent of VC funding Wealthiher will showcase the rise in women’s wealth, and highlight the different needs that wealthy women have. The [...]
Aviva share price falls as it warns of ‘muted’ 2019 March 7, 2019 Aviva's shares were down five per cent this morning after it warned of a "muted" outlook for 2019 despite reporting rising profits for 2018 today. New boss Maurice Tulloch, appointed earlier this week, said the results showed the insurer’s “strong foundations”. The figures Profit before tax rose to £2.13bn in 2018 from £2bn in 2017 while group operating profit [...]
Retirement villages extend life expectancy for women March 7, 2019 Retirement villages can boost the longevity of women by as much as five years compared to the general population, according to a new Cass Business School report. Analysing 100 years’ worth of residents’ records from the Whiteley Homes Trust, a retirement village in Surrey which opened in 1917 to provide housing and support for people [...]
Aon drops plans to pursue Willis Towers Watson merger March 6, 2019 AON has scrapped plans to strike a merger deal with rival broker Willis Towers Watson, ending a day of fevered speculation over what could have resulted in the insurance sector’s largest ever tie-up. Just 24 hours after Aon first confirmed that it was in the early stages of weighing up an all-stock offer for Irish-based Willis [...]
Legal and General shares fall in wake of record £10bn annuities sales March 6, 2019 Legal and General shares fell four per cent this morning as the insurance group reported record sales of annuities in its full-year results. But investors' confidence was knocked after analysts questioned whether the company could continue raising its dividend at the same time. The figures Profit after tax was down three per cent year-on-year for the [...]
Five fintech trends to watch in 2019 March 6, 2019 There’s no shortage of stories on how tech breakthroughs will transform financial services, from changing the way we interact with our personal finances to threatening entire banking institutions with disruption. It can be difficult to predict exactly what this landscape will look like in the next few years, but most seem to agree that the [...]
Financial institutions beware – big tech is moving into banking March 6, 2019 Despite Brexit uncertainties and stock market collapses, British banks concluded their 2018 earnings season with improved performance. Profitability increased thanks to cost drives, while balance sheets strengthened through derisking assets. Banks’ ability to grow revenue, however, remains a perennial challenge. The quest to growth may be harder in the digital age. In a recent report [...]
Insurer Phoenix on the hunt for deals after strong results March 5, 2019 The boss of newly promoted FTSE 100 insurance company Phoenix said today he was keen to do further transactions following the £3bn purchase of Standard Life Assurance last year. Phoenix chief executive Clive Bannister said: “We are open for business and very keen to do our next transaction but they do tend to be quite [...]
Aon confirms interest in multi-billion tie-up with Willis Towers Watson March 5, 2019 Aon confirmed today it is weighing up a bid for Willis Towers Watson in what could be the insurance sector’s largest-ever merger. Willis Towers Watson’s shares had jumped to an all-time high after Bloomberg reported Aon was mulling a move for the Nasdaq-listed business. Aon later confirmed that it was in the early stages of [...]
New London skyscrapers set to break record in 2019 March 5, 2019 The number of skyscrapers being completed in the capital is set to smash records this year, with demand for housing space driving a surge in new towers joining London’s skyline. Construction on 76 tall buildings is expected to be finished during the course of 2019, marking a three-fold increase on the previous year. Read more: What the [...]