London Report: Chinese factory data pushes up miners on FTSE August 22, 2013 BRITAIN’S main equity index rose yesterday to recover from stinging losses in the previous session, as robust Chinese economic data lifted major mining stocks to allay worries about tighter US monetary policy. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index closed up by 0.9 per cent, or 56.03 points, at 6,446.87 points, marking its biggest one-day rise in [...]
Eurozone recovery accelerates with fastest output growth in over two years August 22, 2013 Eurozone August figures are looking good in August, as Markit's composite purchasing manager's index (PMI) jumps from 50.5 to 51.7. Economists had predicted a rise to 50.9. The euro rose against the dollar on the news. Manufacturing PMI came in at 51.1 from 50.3 (50.6 expected) and services outperformed estimates too, 51.0 returning to growth [...]
Before the open – 22/08 August 22, 2013 After the Federal Reserve's minutes failed to provide markets with any clarity, markets are expected to open lower this morning in Europe. That Fed update didn't give investors any clues, with Todd Schoenberger of LandColt Capital saying that "traders are angry and confused by today's release". Strong Chinese manufacturing is unlikely to provide enough of [...]
Regulator agrees redress of up to £1.3bn for mis-sold insurance products August 22, 2013 Regulator the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has reached an agreement with several firms to provide redress to consumers mis-sold Card Protection Plan's (CPP) Card Protection and Identity Protection policies. This follows the mis-selling of 23 million policies to seven million customers. Those customers will now receive a letter from CPP explaining the process with a [...]
Chinese manufacturing returns to growth amid slowdown fears August 22, 2013 Chinese manufacturing is growing again in August, according to a flash purchasing manager's index (PMI) release from HSBC. Rising from 47.7 to 50.1, Chinese order books are just managing to grow (any number above 50 implies growth in the sector), while defying economist estimates of a more modest improvement to 48.3. Despite this better data, [...]
Thomson Local bought out of administration August 22, 2013 DIRECTORY services brand Thomson Local was bought out of administration by two serial entrepreneurs yesterday. Thomson Local, which sends out 22m copies of its UK business directory and maintains several websites, appointed Grant Thornton as administrator on Wednesday, following several tough years. The Hampshire-based firm posted a net loss of £732,000 for 2011, down from [...]
City Moves for 22 August 2013 | Who’s switching jobs August 21, 2013 Squire Sanders The law firm has announced the appointment of Mark Thomas as a partner in its financial services practice group. Thomas specialises in structured finance and capital markets. He was most recently at Addleshaw Goddard, where he was head of structured finance. PwC The professional services firm has hired Charlie McMurdie as senior crime [...]
London Report: FTSE falls for third day in a row on taper fears August 21, 2013 THE UK benchmark equity index fell for the third straight day yesterday to six-week lows, with investors anxious over the prospect of a forthcoming scaling back of US monetary stimulus. The market also took a technical hit as a clutch of companies including bank HSBC and Intercontinental Hotels began trading without entitlement to their latest [...]
UK banks face another mis-selling scandal August 21, 2013 The Financial Conduct Authority is preparing to set out a compensation scheme for consumers who bought identity theft and credit card protection from York-based life assistance company CPP, Sky News was first to report. British banks will again be hit by a mis-selling scandal, which could see them lose up to £1.5bn. Around a dozen [...]
Exclusive: Banks in push to hire more arts graduates August 15, 2013 BRITAIN’S biggest banks are increasingly hiring humanities graduates at the expense of maths and economics students, City A.M. has learned. Demand for quantitative skills exploded in the boom years, but lenders now want a wider range of staff with an aptitude in areas like critical thinking. At Lloyds the proportion with finance degrees [...]