UK private equity giant 3i sells stake in Barcelona-based funeral services company Memora | City A.M. July 18, 2017 UK private equity giant 3i Group has sold its stake in a Barcelona-based funeral services company. Memora, the biggest player in the Iberian market, has been snapped up by Canada’s Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. FTSE 100-listed 3i first invested in Memora, which has 115 parlours, 24 crematoriums, 13 cemeteries and 91 retail outlets, in 2008. [...]
International lending to China surges by $92bn as banks shrug off fears of a debt bubble July 19, 2017 Lending by international banks to China surged in the first quarter of the year, new data from an influential central bankers’ body shows, reflecting increasing confidence in the country despite fears of a debt bubble in the world’s second-largest economy. Cross-border bank assets lent to emerging economies grew by eight per cent year-on-year in the [...]
A short history of investing in gold – and what to expect for 2017 December 8, 2017 Gold is coveted by investors for its rarity. As a precious metal with limited supply, it is seen as a store of value when the real value of other assets, and currencies, can be manipulated. But fundamentally, its high worth is underpinned by its usefulness and attractiveness. Not only is it highly malleable but [...]
Questioning AI ethics doesn’t make you a gloomy Luddite November 29, 2017 Last month, Google-owned DeepMind introduced AlphaGo Zero, the latest evolution of AlphaGo, the first computer programme to defeat a world champion at the ancient Chinese game of Go. Speaking at Web Summit earlier this month, Kevin Bandy, chief digital officer at Cisco, told the audience that “there are more moves in this one game than [...]
UK current account deficit £18bn bigger in 2015 than previously thought says Office for National Statistics (ONS) August 21, 2017 The UK’s mammoth current account deficit was £18bn larger than previously thought in 2015, according to revisions to the national accounts released today by government statisticians. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) released the revisions today ahead of changes to how the national accounts are collated, which will be begin with revised national accounts figures [...]
The investment lesson from Nike’s humble start – and the ‘$35’ swoosh logo December 13, 2017 Most books about successful businesses or entrepreneur’s autobiographies follow a pattern. There will be stumbles along the way but there is almost always a sense of inevitability, the feeling that everything is going to turn out fine. Read Shoe Dog, however, and you will be continually amazed that, most days, entrepreneur Phil Knight was able [...]
We want our money back from the European Investment Bank October 31, 2017 The EU is trying to make it as hard as possible for the UK to leave the bloc. It has been well reported that the exit bill keeps going up and up, and that the rights of EU citizens living here will be subject to the jurisdiction of the European Courts of Justice. But at [...]
Power to the people: Meet the P2P lender that uses a centuries-old way of lending September 21, 2017 Think back to 2001 when the Foot and Mouth epidemic raged across the UK. The outbreak led to the culling of thousands of animals, not to mention the loss of billions of pounds. It certainly took its toll on agricultural, leisure and tourism sectors over the years, and many needed funds to revitalise their business. [...]
After financial crisis hit, retail banks are building up their reputations (to “average”): These are the UK’s most and least trusted lenders | City A.M. May 31, 2017 The reputation of UK retail banks is growing, with Nationwide, Virgin Money and Halifax leading the way. But Royal Bank of Scotland, TSB and HSBC are trailing others in the latest UK RepTrak ranking, compiled by the Reputation Institute. The figures, based on more than 35,000 UK customer ratings collected in the first quarter of [...]
From surviving to thriving: Why the mental health of your employees matters May 25, 2017 Following Mental Health Awareness Week earlier in May, my thoughts turned to this year’s theme: surviving or thriving. The theme marks a turning point in our approach, shifting from mental ill-health to exploring how we can cultivate emotional and mental resilience. Many people will experience difficulty in their lives. Across Europe, one in four people [...]