Insurers hit by climate change January 19, 2011 Insurers are struggling to assess the risks from climate change, industry officials say, with the floods in Australia and Brazil highlighting the potential losses from greater extremes of weather. Overall losses from weather-related natural catastrophes rose by a factor of three in the period 1980-2009, taking inflation into account, while insured losses from such events [...]
Xstrata and WPP ignore shareholder spring at their peril June 7, 2012 EVEN before the phrase “shareholder spring” was uttered, it was clear that investors were becoming unruly. More often than not it was strategy rather than executive remuneration that caused discontent. Much of the recent unrest, ostensibly about pay, is really about direction. Andrew Moss, the former Aviva boss, could have paid himself £1 last year [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS November 8, 2011 Cushman & Wakefield The property consultant has appointed business consulting real estate executive Neil McLocklin as a partner and head of its EMEA business consulting group, based in London. He joins from Capita Symonds, where he was director of consultancy and advisory services. In addition, Elizaveta Shaforostova will transfer to the London team from C&M’s [...]
WALL STREET WEEK AHEAD October 16, 2011 THE coming week is likely to be crucial for the direction of financial markets until year-end, with Eurozone stability at stake as well as the latest test of the one bright spot for investors, corporate earnings. In the case of the Eurozone, there is talk of a “binary” moment next weekend in which a European [...]
WALL STREET WEEK AHEAD October 16, 2011 THE coming week is likely to be crucial for the direction of financial markets until year-end, with Eurozone stability at stake as well as the latest test of the one bright spot for investors, corporate earnings. In the case of the Eurozone, there is talk of a “binary” moment next weekend in which a European [...]
Commodities may deliver the goods April 25, 2012 The market dynamics that have been driving the commodity markets for the last 18 months remain in place LAST year, the commodity markets were dominated by the seemingly irrepressible rise of gold – with $5,000 an ounce figures being bandied around as potential targets for the yellow metal. That was before margin calls and a [...]
Manufacturing body in call for carbon tax relief October 16, 2011 THE manufacturers’ organisation EEF has added its name to the growing list of bodies calling on the chancellor to introduce a package of tax reliefs for companies who are about to be hammered by the government’s £3.2bn stealth tax on carbon. In a set of demands ahead of George Osborne’s autumn statement next month, the [...]
Manufacturing body in call for carbon tax relief October 16, 2011 THE manufacturers’ organisation EEF has added its name to the growing list of bodies calling on the chancellor to introduce a package of tax reliefs for companies who are about to be hammered by the government’s £3.2bn stealth tax on carbon. In a set of demands ahead of George Osborne’s autumn statement next month, the [...]
Setting a match to the debate on petrol inflation November 14, 2011 INFLATION is now rising faster than wages, and Britain faces a cost-of-living crisis. Astronomical fuel prices are the number one issue in my constituency: they are creating a poverty trap, and are a major brake on economic growth. In real terms, adjusted for inflation, motoring fuel has never been this expensive – except for just [...]
Setting a match to the debate on petrol inflation November 14, 2011 INFLATION is now rising faster than wages, and Britain faces a cost-of-living crisis. Astronomical fuel prices are the number one issue in my constituency: they are creating a poverty trap, and are a major brake on economic growth. In real terms, adjusted for inflation, motoring fuel has never been this expensive – except for just [...]