One in three homeowners disappointed with their progress up the housing ladder September 3, 2016 A third of homeowners are disappointed with their progress up the housing ladder, new research has found. Some 33 per cent expected to have advanced further than they currently have, according to a Lloyds Bank survey of around 1,000 homeowners. The figure increases among first-time buyers, 43 per cent of whom said they are lagging [...]
Mountain Warehouse takes a hike on IPO plans as half-year sales double October 14, 2016 Outdoors retailer Mountain Warehouse abandoned plans to float in London before the EU referendum, the group revealed today. Despite initial discussions showing there was strong investor interest, the company ditched the idea in the early summer. Its decision was confirmed as the better move, a source close to the company said, after the pro-Brexit referendum [...]
London businesses hardest hit in latest PMI figures as employment falls August 8, 2016 London businesses were harder hit after the EU referendum result than those in any other UK regions, a newly released index has revealed. The Lloyds Bank Regional Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) also found employment in the capital fell in July, ending a 38-month period of expansion. “The local economy felt a significant downturn following the EU [...]
City Moves for 8 August 2016 | Who’s switching jobs August 8, 2016 Currencies Direct Currencies Direct, a UK non-bank provider of foreign exchange and international payment services, has appointed Antony Jenkins, formerly CEO of Barclays, as the company's non-executive chairman. He will focus on further advancing Currencies Direct’s digital offering and expanding its existing international footprint, supporting the company’s strong growth potential. For three years, until July 2015, Antony led Barclays [...]
Why banks could actually prove a less stressful part of your portfolio January 13, 2017 Market consensus tells us the banking sector remains a risky place for investors to put their money. After all, the prevailing wisdom runs, banks are cyclical, poorly capitalised and in lousy shape for the next downturn, as and when it comes. Of course, as contrarian investors, we believe market consensus and prevailing wisdom primarily [...]
Why banks could actually prove a less stressful part of your portfolio January 13, 2017 Market consensus tells us the banking sector remains a risky place for investors to put their money. After all, the prevailing wisdom runs, banks are cyclical, poorly capitalised and in lousy shape for the next downturn, as and when it comes. Of course, as contrarian investors, we believe market consensus and prevailing wisdom primarily exist [...]
City Moves for 17 October 2016 | Who’s switching jobs October 17, 2016 Yorkshire Building Society Yorkshire Building Society has appointed Mike Regnier as chief executive. Mike, who joined the Society in 2014, is currently chief customer officer and executive director. Mike, who has 20 years’ corporate experience in consulting and retail financial services, was formerly products and marketing director at Lloyds Banking Group, where he was responsible for the [...]
The cost of private schooling is soaring – especially in London August 28, 2016 The total cost of private school education has soared to more than £150,000, according to new research. Research from Lloyds Bank has found that parents paid an average of £156,653 in fees for children who started reception in 2003 and left education in 2016, after year 13. In that time, parents have seen average annual fees rocket by 83 per [...]
City Moves for 13 October 2016 | Who’s switching jobs October 13, 2016 GLAS GLAS, the leading independent provider of finance administration services, has appointed Joe Knight to spearhead the expansion of the firm’s direct lending platform. Joe will have responsibility for business development and developing strategic relationships with GLAS’ existing direct lending client base. The move comes as funds increasingly replace banks in the lower to middle [...]
Olympic jump! Here’s how far house prices have gone up in the area near London’s Olympic Park August 5, 2016 With the Rio 2016 Olympic Games kicking off today, it seems like an appropriate time to reflect on the London Olympics – and how they affected house prices. Research from Lloyds Bank has shown that house prices near the Olympic Park have risen by 53 per cent since September 2012, up from an average of £286,638 [...]