Surge in women on bank boards after credit crisis September 16, 2013 BRITISH banks have almost doubled the proportion of women on their boards in the past six years, according to research out today from recruiter Astbury Marsden. Twenty per cent of board directors are now women across the top five biggest UK lenders, up from 12 per cent in 2007. That is the same level as [...]
Surge in women on bank boards after credit crisis September 15, 2013 BRITISH banks have almost doubled the proportion of women on their boards in the past six years, according to research out today from recruiter Astbury Marsden. Twenty per cent of board directors are now women across the top five biggest UK lenders, up from 12 per cent in 2007. That is the same level as [...]
Redrow signs £250m loan as it sets sights on further expansion September 11, 2013 REDROW announced yesterday it has agreed on a new and larger £250m loan with its banks, in a further sign of growing confidence in the housing market. The housebuilder said the four and a half year credit facility, which expires in March 2018, was £50m bigger than the existing facility it replaces, while costs were [...]
Banks’ UK focus pays off as the recovery begins September 11, 2013 THE RECOVERY in the UK and the slowdown in emerging markets mean banks focusing on Britain offer increasingly good value to investors, a top analyst said yesterday. Global economic trends are starting to feed through to individual firms, said JP Morgan’s Kian Abouhossein, marking a significant turnaround for a sector which has suffered in the [...]
Equistone gives more seed cash to Whitworths September 11, 2013 PRIVATE equity firm Equistone has taken a majority stake in snacks and baking products firm Whitworths, in a deal that values the company at £90m. Equistone said its cash injection will be used to develop new products and scout out possible acquisitions to expand the business further. Whitworths, founded in 1886, has been owned by [...]
London Report: Arm’s advance helps to steady FTSE 100 index September 11, 2013 BRITAIN’S blue-chip equity index ended flat yesterday as chip-maker Arm Holdings, boosted by the launch of Apple’s latest iPhone, helped offset profit-taking on DIY retailer Kingfisher after its results. Shares in Arm rose 4.8 per cent in volume one-and-a-half times its 90-day average a day after partner Apple unveiled a new smartphone using the Cambridge-based [...]
Business services firm of the year September 10, 2013 In an uncertain economy, companies that are willing to try something different – be that a new management team, an innovative business structure or a better use of technology – are the ones that tend to succeed. This category’s nominees live up to the best of these business services. ODGERS BERNDTSON Some of the biggest [...]
Euro stocks may be turning a corner September 10, 2013 But investors should not ignore the risks surrounding relatively cheap equities in European markets SEPTEMBER has historically been a volatile month for markets. According to BestInvest analysis of FTSE All Share Index monthly returns since 1986, it is the worst performer for equities, with four major crashes: 1992’s Black Wednesday, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, [...]
New scheme set to make bank switching easier September 10, 2013 Liam Ward-Proud looks at the accounts offered by the bigger challenger banks FROM Monday, the Payments Council’s new seven-day switch guarantee scheme is set to make moving your bank account easier. It will ensure that bank account changes are completed smoothly and within a week, with transferring direct debits and incoming payments now the responsibility [...]
London Report: BG slump and concerns over Syria hit FTSE September 9, 2013 BRITAIN’S top share index fell from three-week highs yesterday, with a warning of lower output from energy major BG and simmering concerns about Syria outweighing strong Chinese data. BG dropped 5.1 per cent – its biggest one-day fall in nearly a year – after saying delays at projects in Egypt and Norway would reduce its [...]