Changing times: moving on from Mayfair March 17, 2011 PRICES of the Monopoly board favourite Mayfair, as well as other prime favourites, have rocketed to near 2007 levels (see graph below), leading to the emergence of alternative investment hotspots. Marylebone is being hailed as the new Mayfair, with residential favourites Pimlico, Hampstead and Fulham hot on its heels. Mayfair prices have been drastically pushed [...]
Middle East buyers to lift office gloom March 16, 2011 OFFICE investment in London fell markedly in the first three months of the year, though higher oil prices are expected to drive more sovereign wealth funds into real estate in the capital, according to Knight Frank research seen by City A.M. Office properties worth £1.6bn are due to change hands in the three months to [...]
Big Zeb to land another Champion for Murphy March 15, 2011 THERE is no better sight in racing than the best two mile chasers in the world running at full pelt around the unique contours of Prestbury Park. The sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase is a truly mouthwatering contest and many punters will be hoping Master Minded can replicate his astonishing performance in 2008. Then a [...]
Bonus row reignited as Barclays publishes pay March 7, 2011 BARCLAYS has revealed that it awarded its top five non-board executives total pay of £28m last year, with the heads of its investment bank Barclays Capital Jerry del Missier and Rich Ricci pocketing over £10m each. The bank also confirmed it will pay current chief executive Bob Diamond £6.5m in an all-share bonus in addition [...]
Industry dismayed by Mervyn King as Bank eyes new powers March 6, 2011 THE banking community has reacted with “dismay” to comments by Bank of England governor Mervyn King that the industry exploits gullible borrowers and has failed to learn the lessons of the credit crisis. “Mervyn King’s comments are extremely unhelpful,” a senior banker told City A.M. “The reaction of the business community is dismay. I don’t know [...]
Activist investors eye bumper 2011 as market improves March 6, 2011 THIS year has started well for activist investors, those outspoken stake-builders that push boards to buck up their strategy. 2011 has kicked off with a spate of high profile public exchanges between funds and their targets. Activists claimed their first major scalp last month when Sherborne Investors ousted City veteran Nick MacAndrew from the chair [...]
Lawyers on boards would benefit City March 1, 2011 THE corporate headlines last week focused on women being overlooked for board positions in FTSE companies. They’re not alone: other than as general counsel there’s a similar paucity of lawyers. Presumably female solicitors don’t have any chance at all. This is pretty curious given the many skills that lawyers can add, most notably a willingness [...]
Style, charm and quiet in Marylebone February 17, 2011 THE idea of owning a luxurious home in central London is the sort of thing lots of upwardly-mobile urbanites aspired to. But given the chance, where and what do you go for? One of central London’s primary characteristics is the sheer range of localities, architectures and atmospheres all crammed into it. Grand apartment in Knightsbridge? [...]
Pietersen thrilled at the opportunity to act as England’s emergency opener February 16, 2011 ENGLAND batsman Kevin Pietersen insists he is ready to embrace the role of emergency World Cup opener. Pietersen, who has played the vast majority of his 110 one-day internationals at No4, was promoted to the top of the order as England struggled to a narrow warm-up victory over Canada yesterday. The South African-born star made [...]
Three ways to maximise your borrowing potential February 16, 2011 IT’S bonus season, and some high-earning City workers are likely to take advantage of the promise of rising top-end prices to snap up exclusive pads – provided they can get the necessary finance. The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) estimated earlier this year that bonuses would amount to £7bn. The final figure is [...]