European stocks drop as UK and Spain falter January 25, 2011 EUROPEAN shares fell yesterday, as confidence in Britain was shaken by an unexpected drop in fourth-quarter UK growth figures and with Spanish banks down on concerns new capital requirement rules may not be tough enough. Britain’s economy unexpectedly shrank 0.5 per cent in the last three months of last year, the first quarterly drop since [...]
The insurance man turns to banking March 30, 2011 AFTER nine years at the helm of London’s insurance market Lloyd’s, its chairman Lord Levene is singularly unshockable even in the face of disasters on the unprecedented scale that struck Japan. The earthquake and tsunami which hit the northeastern coast of Japan on 10 March will cost insurers $20bn-30bn (£12.5bn-18.8bn), but Levene doesn’t think the [...]
The insurance man turns to banking March 30, 2011 AFTER nine years at the helm of London’s insurance market Lloyd’s, its chairman Lord Levene is singularly unshockable even in the face of disasters on the unprecedented scale that struck Japan. The earthquake and tsunami which hit the northeastern coast of Japan on 10 March will cost insurers $20bn-30bn (£12.5bn-18.8bn), but Levene doesn’t think the [...]
Property’s mixed prospects in 2011 January 26, 2011 PROPERTY price indices suggest house prices are falling again, but what are the prospects for home owners and property investors? UK house prices fell 0.9 per cent in the final three months of 2010 and were down 1.3 per cent between November and December, the Halifax index shows. Some analysts expect them to fall further, [...]
Property’s mixed prospects in 2011 January 26, 2011 PROPERTY price indices suggest house prices are falling again, but what are the prospects for home owners and property investors? UK house prices fell 0.9 per cent in the final three months of 2010 and were down 1.3 per cent between November and December, the Halifax index shows. Some analysts expect them to fall further, [...]
“Excellent” Christmas puts Marston’s ahead again January 28, 2011 Pub landlord Marston’s has delivered another warming trading update, beating sales and profit expectations in its three divisions. Marston’s, which owns and manages pubs and brews its own beer, said customers turned out to celebrate Christmas despite the snow and ice, with food sales the clear driver of its strong results. Like for like sales [...]
ETFs – what they are and how to use them February 3, 2011 THIS page usually deals with listed exchange-traded products (ETPs) in great depth. Last week, for example, we covered the ins and outs of leveraged exchange-traded funds (ETFs) – which offer all the exposure of an ordinary ETF, except doubled up. But while the UK market for ETFs has expanded dramatically over the last few years, [...]
Cheesegrater project gets the go-ahead December 22, 2010 BRITISH Land confirmed its deal with Oxford Properties to build the Cheesegrater skyscraper yesterday, bringing the £340m project closer to fruition after it was sidelined during the recession. British Land has kicked off the 50:50 joint venture by contributing the site on Leadenhall Street, worth £90m, and expects to spend a further £125m. The FTSE [...]
Cheesegrater project gets the go-ahead December 22, 2010 BRITISH Land confirmed its deal with Oxford Properties to build the Cheesegrater skyscraper yesterday, bringing the £340m project closer to fruition after it was sidelined during the recession. British Land has kicked off the 50:50 joint venture by contributing the site on Leadenhall Street, worth £90m, and expects to spend a further £125m. The FTSE [...]
British construction industry contracts in the final month of a prosperous year January 5, 2011 AFTER a booming middle of the year, the UK’s construction industry slightly contracted in the final month of 2010, it was revealed yesterday. Freezing weather conditions were blamed by many constructors for the decline, recorded by the purchasing managers’ index (PMI) compiled by Markit and the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply. The index fell [...]