McCall thrilled as in-form Sarries storm toward a home semi-final April 13, 2014 SARACENS director of rugby Mark McCall feels his side are storming toward sealing home advantage in the Aviva Premiership Rugby play-offs after seeing off Northampton Saints 28-24 yesterday. A late burst from Saints threatened to derail Sarries’ perfect day as Luther Burrell and George North dotted down in the final 10 minutes. However, David Strettle, [...]
London Report: Osborne’s speech sinks insurers and gambling groups March 19, 2014 BRITAIN’S top shares fell yesterday as major insurance stocks suffered a sell-off after changes announced in the Budget threatened their profits. George Osborne also dealt a blow to gambling companies such after he announced a new tax on certain betting machines. The drop in insurers’ shares took the most points off the blue-chip FTSE 100 [...]
London Report: Corporates push up FTSE despite ECB and Russia March 6, 2014 BRITAIN’s top share index edged higher yesterday, buoyed by updates from Aviva and Aggreko, although lack of action by the European Central Bank (ECB) and uncertainty over Ukraine capped gains. Equities in London tracked Eurozone stocks lower, after ECB president Mario Draghi offered no new measures to boost lending in the region. Speculation that he [...]
Standard Life swoops for City fund firm Ignis March 24, 2014 STANDARD Life is on the verge of clinching a £400m deal to buy City funds group Ignis Asset Management, the latest tie-up in a wave of consolidations. The Scottish insurer, which runs £184bn through its Standard Life Investments brand, confirmed last night it was in exclusive talks with Ignis’ FTSE-listed owner Phoenix Group. The deal, [...]
London Report: UK marks five-year anniversary of low Bank interest rate March 2, 2014 WEDNESDAY marks the five-year anniversary of the Bank of England’s record low 0.5 per cent interest rate, a figure that Thursday’s rates decision is unlikely to change. In other economic news, February PMI reports for manufacturing, construction and services will be announced. The corporate calendar starts today with news from Amlin, Intertek, Keller Group, Senior [...]
What you need to know before the open March 28, 2014 European markets are expected higher this morning, with resources predicted to gain on growing confidence that China will act to increase stimuli to boost the economy. Weaker-than-expected economic data has prompted premier Li Keqiang to suggest authorities are ready to press on with infrastructure investment. That’ll mean a focus on miners, as the moves have [...]
London Report: Insurance firms start a deluge of UK earnings February 23, 2014 A BUMPER week for UK earnings kicks off today with results from Hiscox, one of the big home insurers reporting full-year figures. Figures from Hiscox, RSA and Direct Line could give more detailed estimates of losses for UK industry and themselves after recent flooding and storms. Aviva and L&G are also set to give end [...]
Smith all smiles as Exiles ease away day blues February 16, 2014 LONDON Irish director of rugby Brian Smith believes his side’s 23-20 victory at London Wasps was even better than last week’s triumph at Saracens as the Exiles recorded back-to-back away wins in Aviva Premiership Rugby for the first time since 2010. Smith’s side picked up where they left off at Allianz Park, scoring two early [...]
Sarries must end last-four hoodoo March 6, 2014 SARACENS prop Petrus du Plessis admits he is desperate for his team’s semi-final hoodoo to end as they travel to Franklin’s Gardens for another fierce encounter with bitter rivals Northampton Saints tomorrow. The last of Saracens’ three semi-final defeats last term came against Saints in the Aviva Premiership, following losses to Toulon in the Heineken [...]
The pensions boss with the world’s hottest nextdoor neighbour March 24, 2014 Scottish Widows’ chief executive Toby Strauss talks adverts and Osborne’s annuities shake-up THE INSURANCE industry has been allowed to fly under the radar for a number of years, but things are about to change. George Osborne’s Budget, in which he announced a sweeping overhaul of the pensions industry, has annuities providers reaching for their calculators [...]