Artemis: Investing for income March 23, 2018 On Britain’s railways, a double yellow light is an instruction to exercise “preliminary caution”. On seeing it, a train driver should continue to move forward but be prepared to begin slowing at the next signal; there may be an obstruction ahead. These are the conditions under which investors seeking income currently operate. Financial assets in [...]
GKN launches scathing attack on “novice” Melrose March 21, 2018 Engineering giant GKN today attempted to put the record straight by taking apart a string of claims by hostile suitor Melrose. In a statement entitled “Rebutting Melrose’s misleading statements”, the FTSE 100 firm covered its planned motor merger with Dana, strategy for its aerospace arm, research and development spend and pension plans. It also aimed [...]
An investment to hold when volatility strikes? March 7, 2018 Funds in the Targeted Absolute Return sector aim to produce positive returns in a variety of market conditions through using sophisticated investment techniques such as short selling (profiting when prices fall). They generally aim to make modest yet consistent gains with smoother performance than traditional funds; admirable objectives that resonate with many investors, but there [...]
City law firm Rosenblatt mulling a London IPO March 6, 2018 City law firm Rosenblatt is understood to be contemplating an IPO on the London Stock Exchange. The commercial firm had a reported revenue of £16m in 2017 and advises clients on areas such as corporate, disputes and finance. It was founded in 1986 by current senior partner Ian Rosenblatt who received an OBE for services [...]
Challenger bank Paragon boosts mortgage lending despite crackdown on buy-to-let loans January 23, 2018 Mortgage specialist Paragon has pulled a rabbit out of the hat once more, as it has boosted mortgage lending by 84 per cent year-on-year despite a government crackdown in its core buy-to-let market. The challenger bank increased its buy-to-let mortgage book by 85 per cent to £342.9m, battling through stricter underwriting rules introduced by the [...]
Ford, Vauxhall, Honda among car giants to issue stark warning over hard Brexi November 14, 2017 Some of the world’s biggest car-makers have warned that a hard Brexit would put significant pressure on their UK operations, urging the government to agree a standstill transitional period amid fears that time is running out. Ahead of an industry hearing before the Business, Innovation, Enterprise and Skills (Beis) committee this afternoon, MPs have published [...]
Sabre insurance reveals plans for £213m float with boss saying: “It’s not all young drivers in hot hatches” November 13, 2017 Quirky British car insurer Sabre today announced plans to raise £213m from a London stock market listing. The move will enable private equity firm BC Partners to realise part of its investment into the Dorking-based firm. BC, which paid £240m in 2013 for the firm, will retain a “significant stake” in Sabre post-float. Sabre specialises [...]
Direct Line share price wobbles after revealing technology revamp impairment November 7, 2017 Direct Line shares wobbled this morning after revealing a technology systems overhaul was not going to plan. The FTSE 100 insurer, which was spun-off from Royal Bank of Scotland in 2012, is spending up to £100m each year on revamping its legacy systems and developing new technology to improve the “customer journey”. But the value [...]
The Little Big Short: Subprime car loans could be fuelling the next financial crash July 11, 2017 Lenders are forgetting the lessons of the past. Those are the words of Mark Carney on the rapid growth of the car finance industry. It’s a decade since the financial crisis brought institutions around the world to their knees, triggered by a meltdown in subprime mortgages. Yet here we are again – the only [...]
Queen’s speech: Here’s the full text, featuring a flurry of Brexit bills June 21, 2017 The much-anticipated Queen's speech for 2017 has been delivered, outlining Theresa May's plans and her pledge to win "the trust and confidence" of the British people. Below is the full text of the speech. The Queen's speech 2017 My Lords and Members of the House of Commons. My government’s priority is to secure the best [...]