Nomura in bid talks with Collins Stewart August 8, 2008 Cash-rich Japanese bank Nomura is believed to be in talks with small cap stockbroker Collins Stewart, while Australian bank Macquarie and Israeli multi-national Delek Capital, a subsidiary of Israeli conglomerate Delek, are also understood to have shown an interest in acquiring the broker. Collins Stewart said on Wednesday that it had received a preliminary approach, [...]
Brain-drain? It’s nothing but a blip September 10, 2008 Lots of City workers are heading for Dubai at the moment, but don’t worry: London will lure them back soon, says Max Orbach We all know somebody who has re-located to Dubai, Singapore or even Moscow in the last few months, as the British economy has wobbled, house-prices have fallen and inflation has risen. While [...]
Blackberry on the up despite Apple iPhone August 12, 2008 The BlackBerry has cornered 10 per cent of the American mobile phone market for the first time, a research firm said yesterday – despite concerns about its ability to give Apple’s iPhone 3G a run for its money. Strategy Analytics said that BlackBerry maker RIM had increased its share of both the consumer and corporate [...]
Turquoise to slash trading costs in price war with LSE August 6, 2008 Turquoise, the new trading platform, is planning sweeping price cuts ahead of its launch later this month as it prepares for a vicious price war with the London Stock Exchange (LSE), City A.M. can reveal. The counter-attack by Turquoise, run by a consortium of nine top City banks, follows the announcement by the LSE last [...]
Imperial surges as India and China launch rival bids August 5, 2008 China and India are going head to head in a bidding war to take over British oil and gas firm Imperial Energy, sending its shares shooting up by 8 per cent yesterday. China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation, the state-owned oil company commonly known as Sinopec, has approached Imperial with an offer in the region of [...]
Bischoff joins City talkshop July 14, 2008 Chancellor Alistair Darling is to chair a working group looking at competitiveness in Britain which will include Citigroup chairman Sir Win Bischoff. The group will meet once a month and will analyse matters affecting the London financial services industry such as the effects of the subprime mortgage meltdown in America which triggered the credit crunch, [...]
Imperial in fresh £1.2bn bid approach July 15, 2008 Imperial Energy, the Russia-focused oil company, has had a bid approach that could value the business at around £1.2bn. India’s state-controlled ONGC appeared to be the most likely bidder, although Imperial’s statement to the London Stock Exchange, confirming an approach had been made, did not identify the would-be bidder. Shares in Imperial, which earlier this [...]
Apprentice boss Sugar to quit Amstrad July 3, 2008 Sir Alan Sugar, the entrepreneur and star of the BBC reality TV show The Apprentice, has stepped down as chairman of Amstrad, the electronics firm he founded at the tender age of 21. Though Sir Alan, now 61, said the move had been “planned for a while”, the self-made multi-millionaire is adamant he is not [...]
UK industry is modern, high-tech and a good bet for savvy investors July 25, 2008 Funds and ETFs can help get you exposure to an area that promises to flourish, writes Phil Thornton Barely a day goes by without a new portent of doom and gloom for some part of the UK economy, whether for financials, retailers or housebuilding. But one sector may offer a glimmer of hope during a [...]
Avoid the equities wipe out by riding the fast-moving forex wave July 28, 2008 By spread betting currencies you can avoid the boom and bust bedevilling other markets, says Katie Hope Global currency trading has burst into popularity in recent times as investors try to profit from exchange rate fluctuations. The rapid moves of currency exchange rates are what attracts investors to the market. It’s fast-moving and exciting area. [...]