Upbeat US outlook lifts FTSE but Eurozone worries linger August 16, 2011 BRITAIN’S top shares ended a shade higher yesterday, notably banks, after a better than forecast report on industrial output in the United States and as Fitch confirmed that nation’s top credit rating with a stable outlook. The UK benchmark index ended up 7.05 points, or 0.1 per cent, at 5,357.63, having spent much of the [...]
Aviva sells off RAC to Carlyle for £1bn cash June 23, 2011 AVIVA is to sell its RAC roadside rescue business to private equity firm The Carlyle Group for £1bn, as the British group continues scaling back from non-core areas to focus on its insurance operations. The auction process was fiercely fought, with Carlyle battling rivals Clayton Dubilier & Rice and BC Partners to be the first [...]
FTSE dragged down by Eurozone and US debt worries July 18, 2011 Banking shares led the FTSE 100 down this morning as the eurozone crisis drained confidence from investors while fears over the US credit rating also cast a shadow. The Greek debt crisis deepened as Eurozone leaders continued to thrash out options to save the country’s economy. Officials proposed a range of schemes for Europe’s bailout [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS July 3, 2011 DTZ Catherine Vasseur, who joined the real estate adviser in January 2011, has been appointed as head of UK property management and a member of the UK executive committee. She will continue to focus on seven service delivery areas covering clients, staff engagement and the market perception of the business. Previous roles include president and [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS July 3, 2011 DTZ Catherine Vasseur, who joined the real estate adviser in January 2011, has been appointed as head of UK property management and a member of the UK executive committee. She will continue to focus on seven service delivery areas covering clients, staff engagement and the market perception of the business. Previous roles include president and [...]
Banks may benefit from EU easing of Basel rules May 26, 2011 BANKS with large insurance arms could sidestep the toughest elements of the new Basel III capital requirements, according to not-yet-released draft European Union legislation. The draft plans to roll Basel III out across the EU could let banks count more capital held within their insurance arms towards the quota they must hold, than institutions outside [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING July 21, 2011 FINANCIAL TIMES FSA FINES WILLIS ARM A RECORD £6.9M The UK arm of Willis, the number three global insurance broker, has been fined a record £6.9m by the City watchdog for anti-bribery and corruption failings related to commissions paid overseas. The fine is the largest meted out by the Financial Services Authority for failings in [...]
City AM interview Paul Fisher of the Bank of England February 23, 2012 Senior Bank of England official Paul Fisher was interviewed on Wednesday 22nd February 2012, by Allister Heath and Julian Harris from City A.M. The edited transcript is as follows: Paul, would you like to start with how you see the outlook at the moment? I think it continues to be a story where the outlook [...]
One country gets it on bank reforms June 28, 2011 BELIEVE IT or not but Denmark has emerged as Europe’s pioneering financial reformer. We need to learn from it. Fjordbank Mors, a small lender, has just been allowed to go bust; taxpayers are not having to shell out a penny and the world hasn’t come to an end. Senior bondholders at Fjordbank Mors are taking [...]
One country gets it on bank reforms June 27, 2011 BELIEVE IT or not but Denmark has emerged as Europe’s pioneering financial reformer. We need to learn from it. Fjordbank Mors, a small lender, has just been allowed to go bust; taxpayers are not having to shell out a penny and the world hasn’t come to an end. Senior bondholders at Fjordbank Mors are taking [...]