Aer Lingus sets out terms of €1.4bn IAG offer June 19, 2015 A takeover of Aer Lingus by International Airlines Group (IAG) – the parent company of British Airways – came one step closer this morning, after the Irish airline published the full terms of IAG's offer for the group and called an extraordinary general meeting. The deal has been sparked by Ryanair, which has been told [...]
London space race takes off: City firms scramble for offices as demand hits highest level since 2000 June 18, 2015 Demand for office space in the capital has boomed to levels not seen in 15 years, new figures show, as companies, spurred on by the improving economic environment and stability following the General Election, pick up their search for space. The amount of space under offer in central London leapt by 25 per cent [...]
China’s equity markets have rocketed: Bubble waiting to burst or the market unleashing its true potential? June 18, 2015 China's equity markets have rocketed – is this a bubble waiting to burst or the market unleashing its true potential? China is a world of contradiction for investors. With its billion-strong population and the second-largest economy in the world, it should have been a marvellous place for investment. Not so. The giant economy [...]
Breaking new ground: Why the investment trust is offering unique – and growing – opportunities June 18, 2015 Investment trusts have been around since the 1860s, but a perception of obscurity and limited choice has meant that they have not been as well-regarded as their open-ended counterparts. In recent years, however, their popularity has been on the up. Indeed, in 2014, investment trust assets hit a record high of £122bn, with purchases by [...]
Britain’s still great: Opportunities abound from the Northern Powerhouse to infrastructure revamp June 18, 2015 EUROPE REFERENDUM To the relief of many, the UK election turned out to be a simple affair. But while we avoided protracted wrangling over the make-up of the government, the key risk facing the UK now is the referendum on European Union membership. It is due to be held before 2017 – but some business [...]
The importance of income: Regular dividends will make a massive difference to your portfolio June 18, 2015 Most new investors build a portfolio in the hope of capital growth. You put money into shares, the price rises, and you sell out with a handsome profit. But investing in assets which make regular payments can make a real difference to the overall performance of your portfolio, and some of the world's most successful [...]
Malmaison and Hotel Du Vin sold to Singaporeans June 17, 2015 Boutique hotel chains Hotel du Vin and Malmaison have been sold by their private equity owners to Singapore-based property group Frasers Hospitality for £363.4m. The hotel duo, which has 29 sites across the UK and is formally known as MHDV Holdings, has been sold by US group KSL Capital Partners, which bought the chain in [...]
Berkeley says interest rates hike could ease London house price rises June 17, 2015 Housebuilding giant Berkeley Group Holdings said yesterday that the prospect of an interest rate hike may help ease the pressure on London’s rising house prices, which have been fuelled by a lack of available homes in the capital. Data from the Office of National Statistic yesterday showed that wages have risen at their fastest [...]
Oxford Street property deals set to reach £1bn by end of this year June 17, 2015 The revamp of the eastern end of Oxford Street and the imminent arrival of Crossrail has sparked a flurry of property deals this year, with investors flocking to get a slice of London’s busiest shopping street. According to CBRE, seven record-breaking transactions totalling £645m have taken place since January, of which five were undertaken off-market. [...]
City Moves for 18 June 2015 | Who’s switching jobs June 17, 2015 BNP Paribas Investment Partners The asset management firm has appointed Matt Joyce as a portfolio manager within its multi asset solutions group. He joins from Schroders Investment Management, where he was a multi asset analyst and fund manager. Joyce has 12 years’ investment experience, and has also worked as an analyst and fund manager at [...]