The future of the FTSE 100: What next? The quarterly reshuffle has changed the complexion of the leading index September 23, 2015 The Bloodbath continued yesterday as mining shares plummeted further and the FTSE dipped below 6,000 points. Glencore, whose shares fell by 10.63 per cent yesterday, only graduated to the elite index in 2011, but the commodities supercycle has come to a juddering halt, depressing the internationally exposed FTSE. This week also saw one [...]
FTSE 100 index drops below 6,000 mark as share prices in Anglo American, Shell and pharmaceuticals fall February 18, 2016 The FTSE 100 index traded lower in afternoon trading as investors continue to look to Brussels, where Prime Minister David Cameron hopes to make a deal with the rest of the European Council on his draft reforms. The UK's blue chip index traded 0.84 per cent down at 5,979 points. "Worried British investors have half an eye [...]
Deal spree to provide relief to the City with Shire on verge of tie-up with Baxalta January 11, 2016 A string of mega deals is set to provide welcome relief to the City after a rocky start to the year saw £85bn wiped off the value of the UK’s biggest firms in the first trading week of 2016. London-listed pharmaceutical giant Shire is on the verge of inking a £22bn deal with US rival Baxalta, [...]
RICS: Housing demand jumps as buy-to-let investors go on a mad dash to buy properties January 21, 2016 Demand for property in the UK hit a three-month high in December, as prospective buy-to-let investors rushed to beat the impending rise in stamp duty. Figures by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) showed the balance of new buyer inquiries rose to plus 16 in December, from plus seven in November. In November, chancellor [...]
Architect Sir Terry Farrell and Labour councillors hit out at plans for Irvine Sellar’s Paddington Shard January 12, 2016 Farrell called it "too piecemeal and too optimistic" (Source: Sellar Property Group) A storm is brewing over Irvine Sellar’s plans to build a so-called second Shard in Paddington. Westminster Labour councillors have urged the council to reject the planning application submitted in November, saying the that proposals have been “rushed” and miss out crucial information such [...]
Premier Oil shares suspended pending an announcement January 13, 2016 Shares in Premier Oil were halted for trade today, after the oil and gas explorer asked for a suspension pending the announcement of a potential acquisition. Premier oil could be about to join a smattering of consolidation activity that's taken place in the wake of Royal Dutch Shell's mega-deal with smaller rival BG, spurred on by low oil prices [...]
UK house prices: The most expensive streets in Britain are concentrated in Kensington and Chelsea – but each region has million-pound addresses (apart from Wales) December 11, 2015 Property price growth might be slowing in London, but when it comes to the top of the pile there is one borough within the capital that is still dominating. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea continues to reign as being home to the largest number of Britain's most expensive streets to buy a property on – in [...]
John ‘Mac the Knife’ McFarlane raises fears with investors that egos will rule the roost at Barclays July 29, 2015 Is there a bank director with a thicker hide than John McFarlane? The tone of yesterday’s interim results from Barclays, which comfortably beat City forecasts, would more ordinarily be accompanied by the praise of a chairman for their chief executive. Instead, the newly installed executive chairman, McFarlane, struggled to find reasons for burying him. The [...]
UK and London house prices: Where to buy a new build house for the most space? Surprisingly, London December 2, 2015 A new build home may come with all the mod cons, shiny new floors, and fewer problems than a quaint Victorian pad – but buyers are likely to be sacrificing space. Architects have criticised the "rabbit-hutch" homes being built across the country, after new research found most are too small to live in for the average family. Buyers outside the capital are missing out on [...]
Fintech start-up acquirer Silver Falcon to float on London Stock Market November 9, 2015 Silver Falcon, a shell investment company that is aiming to acquire fintech start-ups is today floating on the London Stock Market. The newly formed company is aiming to take advantage of London’s booming fintech startup scene, that in September City AM reported had seen record investment so far in 2015 of £357m. The directors of Silver [...]