World’s largest brewer benefits from its exposure to the emerging markets August 11, 2011 IN years gone by, people used to respond to economic turmoil by hitting the bottle. If they’re drowning their sorrows this time round, they aren’t drinking beer brewed by Anheuser-Busch InBev, at least not in the West. In North America, volumes fell 1.4 per cent in the second quarter and they were off 4.3 per [...]
World’s largest brewer benefits from its exposure to the emerging markets August 11, 2011 IN years gone by, people used to respond to economic turmoil by hitting the bottle. If they’re drowning their sorrows this time round, they aren’t drinking beer brewed by Anheuser-Busch InBev, at least not in the West. In North America, volumes fell 1.4 per cent in the second quarter and they were off 4.3 per [...]
Riot and looting damage will cost UK well over £100m, insurers say August 9, 2011 RIOTS across London and other UK cities over the past four days caused “well over £100m” of damage to property and businesses, the insurance industry said yesterday. As residents and business owners across the capital and cities such as Birmingham, Leeds and Nottingham counted the cost of days of wrecking and looting, insurers raised their [...]
C&WW investors alerted July 4, 2011 Cable & Wireless Worldwide shareholders have been warned that the telecoms company’s corporate governance could cause further problems as the firm attempts to right itself following three profit warnings. The Association of British Insurers is thought to have told shareholders that it has concerns over top executives at C&WW standing to gain from the company’s [...]
theatre HIGHLIGHTS THIS AUTUMN eight of the best September 1, 2011 THE TEMPEST Theatre Royal, Haymarket Ralph Fiennes, soon to be starring in his own film version of Shakespeare’s play Coriolanus, takes on the iconic role of Prospero in this must-see production (see right). It’s the first major London staging of the Bard’s mysterious final play in years, and also happens to offer the prospect of [...]
Dilnot review urges role for finance industry July 4, 2011 A review proposing a radical overhaul of how UK elderly care is funded has called for the financial services industry to help people cover the costs of their contributions. Economist Andrew Dilnot has called for the current system of means testing, which forces people with more than £23,250 in assets to fund their care in [...]
ABI: Don’t ignore UK’s institutions September 15, 2010 THE NEW chairman of the ABI’s investment committee has warned regulators that an over-zealous approach to protecting the interests of retail shareholders in the wake of the financial crisis could come at the expense of institutional investors. In his first official speech in the role, Aviva Investors chief executive Alain Dromer expressed support for a [...]
Stretched insurers hit back at new EU stress test plans March 24, 2011 THE insurance industry voiced concern yesterday at European regulators’ plans to run a new series of “stress tests” on more than 200 companies across the region. The second round of tests to check how well-capitalised insurers are against different risks was launched by the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority on Tuesday. The new tests [...]
Insurers wage war on Europe April 4, 2011 EUROPE’S insurance industry issued a stark warning to EU lawmakers yesterday that draconian new regulation would have “dire consequences” if implemented in its current form. In an uncharacteristically outspoken protest, Europe’s four major industry bodies signed a joint letter to EU commissioner Michel Barnier objecting to onerous new capital requirements imposed by Brussels. The unprecedented [...]
ABI struggles to save UK insurers from US rules August 25, 2010 UK life insurers could be hit with tens of millions of pounds of costs if they are forced to comply with tough regulations on tax evasion being drafted by US authorities. Companies such as Aviva, Old Mutual and Prudential would be forced to report the tax details of their US account holders every year under [...]