At the close: FTSE 100 closes flat on first trading day in November November 2, 2015 The first trading day of November saw the FTSE 100 close flat as the news that Visa Europe is to be bought by Visa US helped rally banking stocks. The FTSE 100 ended Monday's session 0.01 per cent up at 6,362 points. However, HSBC, which reported a jump in pre-tax profit to $6.1bn (£3.95bn) for the third quarter, [...]
England rugby exit hurts more than just the fans October 5, 2015 Sportsrisq director THE AUSTRALIANS have a saying: “When the flag drops, the bluff stops”, and despite England’s mid-week protestations, they were found wanting on Saturday night. From Twickenham to Twitter, aggrieved fans nationwide have aired their woes on every platform but the potential cost to business hasn’t gone unnoticed, with even the ITV pundits tentatively [...]
Quindell share price soars after it denies Nationwide Accident sale speculation November 20, 2014 Flailing insurance outsourcing firm Quindell saw its shares jump over 30 per cent yesterday as it denied rumours it was looking to sell its 25 per cent stake in Nationwide Accident Repair Services. Quindell, which provides claims processing technology to car insurers among other services, issued a statement in response to social media speculation that [...]
The Beatles’ John Lennon’s school detention slip up for sale September 24, 2015 There’s a divide amongst the City’s better known CEOs. First there’s the Cambridge mafia; those with old school ties, spotless school records and fine art collections. Then, of course, there’s the boys-done-good, who left school at 16 and worked their way up from the bottom. While you’re more likely to find the City’s university alumni [...]
Housing boom is nationwide September 16, 2014 HOUSE prices boomed at record rates across the UK in the year to July, according to official data released yesterday, despite separate and more recent figures showing growth rates levelling off. Prices rose 11.7 per cent in the year to July with London leading the way at 19.1 per cent. Prices paid by first-time buyers [...]
Nationwide House Price Index: House price growth slides to 11-month low in November November 28, 2014 House price growth slid to an 11-month low in November as the British housing market continued to cool, according figures released by Nationwide today. The Nationwide House Price Index showed house prices rose 8.5 per cent in the year to November, taking growth to an 11-month low. Price growth for the three months to September [...]
Bank chiefs to be given ethics quiz: Banking Standards Board kicks off cultural audit of UK’s lenders July 26, 2015 The City body tasked with restoring faith in the UK banking system is set to write to the chairmen of Britain’s biggest lenders, quizzing them on their firms’ ethics and culture – the first major initiative by the taskforce to bolster integrity in the sector. The Banking Standards Board (BSB), chaired by former telecoms regulator [...]
Should the BBA’s warning of a hotting up housing market concern policy-makers? July 26, 2015 Charlie Cadywould, a researcher at Demos, says Yes. Since 2010, housing policy has largely focused on demand-side measures, designed to give particularly first-time buyers a leg-up on the housing market. In reality, these policies may have only served to push up prices further. It is only through increasing supply that the escalating housing crisis plaguing [...]
Internet of Things: With great power comes great responsibility – we have to prepare our youngsters to fight cybercrime October 20, 2015 Among the myriad manifestations of modernity, nothing evokes a sense of sci-fi quite like the Internet of Things (IoT). In case any minds need refreshing, this is the phrase coined to describe everyday objects that can connect with the Internet, collecting and exchanging data without the need for human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction. The stuff that [...]
Punch Taverns set to sell 158 pubs to NewRiver Retail for £53.5m August 24, 2015 Pub group Punch Taverns, which has a portfolio of around 3,500 pubs nationwide, is set to sell 158 pubs for £53.5m to reduce its debt. NewRiver Retail is acquiring the pubs, having previously bought a portfolio of 202 pubs from rival Marston’s. Read more: Investors toast new pub boss sending Punch shares higher Punch Taverns [...]