JP Morgan beats market expectations for first quarter sending shares surging April 12, 2019 US investment bank JP Morgan beat expectations in its first quarter results today, sending shares up four per cent. The bank, the largest in the US by assets, delivered record revenue and profit figures, boosted by higher interest rates. Revenue in the quarter to 31 March rose 4.7 per cent to $29.85bn (£22.84bn), up from [...]
Death of the High Street? Why we’re still backing UK retail April 9, 2019 Following some dire headlines you might rightly wonder why the share prices of UK retailers have recorded double-digit gains this year (see graphic, below). Surely the relentlessly downbeat mood music from the mainstream media (and pessimism among analysts) is confirmation that the UK consumer is in full retreat, and consumer-exposed sectors are in deep trouble? [...]
European investment banking fees plunge in bleak first quarter as M&A hits six-year low April 4, 2019 European investment banking fees have plunged 25 per cent to $4.9bn (£3.75bn) as the first quarter of the year looks set to be even bleaker than originally feared. The value of M&A deal involving any European companies also fell 64 per cent to $183m the lowest in six years, according to a review from Refinitiv. Read [...]
14 years of returns: history’s lesson for investors March 29, 2019 The temptation among investors is to stick to what you know. That is no bad thing. It is a strategy championed by successful investment pioneers such as Warren Buffett, a famous devotee of stocks. It can work, when the market is rising and you have picked the right asset. However, it’s also important for investors [...]
Countdown to Brexit: three market indicators to watch March 22, 2019 The UK is due to leave the European Union (EU) on 29 March 2019. With politicians still struggling to agree the terms of withdrawal, investors in assets linked to the UK economy could be in for an uncertain time. UK investments have already underperformed their global peers since Britain voted to leave the EU, in [...]
The Brexit unknown: how the votes moved markets – and what next March 15, 2019 British politics has faced a turbulent week: three nights of Brexit votes, a Spring Statement and a downgrade to economic growth. Market prices have swung on each twist as investors attempt to digest a constantly shifting set of possible outcomes. The single constant factor is uncertainty. With the scheduled exit date of 29 March looming, [...]
European M&A value hits six-year low driven by fall in UK deals March 8, 2019 European merger and acquisition values have hit a six-year low in 2019 so far driven by Brexit-related uncertainty among foreign investors. M&A deals in Europe have reached $81.1bn in the year to date, down 60 per cent on the previous year to levels not seen since 2013, according to analysis from Refinitiv. Read more: M&A [...]
Travis Perkins’ share price rallies despite moving into the red amid ‘challenging’ market February 26, 2019 Travis Perkins shares rallied on beaten analyst expectations even as the company posted a loss for the first time in years for 2018 against a “challenging” market backdrop. The figures The builders’ merchant grew revenues 4.8 per cent to £6.7bn last year, with like-for-like revenue growth up 4.9 per cent – faster than 2017. Read more: [...]
Acquisitive Barrick Gold flexes muscles again with $18bn hostile bid for Newmont February 25, 2019 Two global gold miners could merge this year to form what would undisputedly be the world’s largest producer of the precious metal, amid increased consolidation in the sector. Giant Barrick Gold has launched a hostile bid to buy rival Newmont for a share-only deal valued at around $18bn (£14bn). Read more: Shareholders at Randgold Resources back [...]
City of London Corporation appoints Refinitiv executive Nick Collier as Brussels managing director February 14, 2019 The City of London Corporation has appointed a senior boss at financial data firm Refinitiv as managing director for its Brussels office. Nick Collier, the global head of government relations at Refinitiv, will take on the role from March, the same month that the UK is set to leave the EU. The City of London Corporation said [...]