Fintech founders choose their favourite business books August 8, 2016 Stuck for what to read this summer and want to use the time improving your business acumen? City A.M. has asked five of London’s leading fintech founders what they’d recommend. Hiroki Takeuchi, co-founder of GoCardless, the online direct debit provider Five dysfunctions of teams, by Patrick Lencioni I love books that introduce me to [...]
This bank has already passed on the interest rate cut to some of its mortgage customers August 5, 2016 There had been concern banks would take a while to pass yesterday's cut in interest rates on to customers – but it seems those fears were unfounded, after one major lender said it was cutting the rate of standard variable rate mortgages by 0.25 per cent. NatWest – which is owned by RBS – said [...]
Bank rate cut: Property investment crowned winner while savers lose out August 5, 2016 The Bank of England launched a massive stimulus package yesterday in a bid to save Britain from recession. The Bank’s monetary policy committee (MPC) voted unanimously to slash interest rates to an all-time low of 0.25 per cent. Take a look at the winners and losers of the rate cut: WINNER: Property investment The cut to interest rates is [...]
India’s largest mortgage lender issues world’s first “Masala bond” in London August 1, 2016 The world's first ever "masala" bond has been issued in London today, in what chancellor Philip Hammond described as a major win for the UK economy in the aftermath of the EU referendum. India's largest mortgage provider, Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC), became the first Indian company to list corporate rupee-denominated debt outside of India, with the [...]
Mortgage approvals in the UK fell to a year low in June July 29, 2016 Mortgage approvals in the UK fell to their lowest point since May 2015 in the period leading up to the country's referendum on EU membership. According to the Bank of England, 64,766 mortgages were approved in June – down from the 66,722 approved in May. Read more: Everything you need to know about the UK's housing [...]
As it says it’s in a “strong position to withstand uncertainty”, is Lloyds right to be so bullish after Brexit? July 28, 2016 Laith Khalaf, senior analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, says Yes. It’s not a great time to be a bank, but the sector is in much better shape than it was going into the financial crisis. In particular Lloyds has simplified its structure to focus on key strengths in the UK retail and commercial banking market. There may [...]
Lloyds Banking Group to cull a further 3,000 jobs as lower for longer interest rates take their toll July 28, 2016 Lloyds Banking Group today revealed that it was slashing thousands of jobs and shutting down many branches, as ultra-low interest rates continue to play havoc on the sector's prospects. The bank announced an additional 3,000 role reductions and another 200 branch closures. These cuts will take place by the end of 2017 and are on top of [...]
Taylor Wimpey share price shoots up almost six per cent at the open as building firm says it has not been affected by Brexit July 27, 2016 Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey said today that last month's Brexit vote had not made any difference to its trading, as it reported increased revenue and profit for the six months to 3 July. The figures The company's revenue was up 9.1 per cent to £1.46bn, from £1.24bn in the first half of last year. Operating profit rose [...]
Sir Philip Green ran BHS like a medieval fiefdom: Now his reputation hangs by a thread July 25, 2016 Our new Prime Minister has promised to get “tough on irresponsible behaviour in big business”. The report today of our joint Select Committee on the collapse of BHS offers a case study of what can go wrong at a company almost 90 years old and why she is right that government must react. After over [...]
This graph shows the changing landscape of the UK mortgage market July 22, 2016 This graph depicts how dramatically the UK mortgage market has changed over the last decade. The chart, created by Statista from ONS data, lays bare how the 25-year mortgage has declined in the last 10 years. Read more: Housing market was buoyed by mortgage momentum on eve of EU referendum In 2006, 25-year mortgages commanded a 42.2 per cent [...]