Rio Tinto share price falls as first half profits nearly halve August 3, 2016 Shares in Rio Tinto fell 0.70 per cent to 2,424.50p per share today, after the miner's first-half profit fell to its weakest in 12 years. The figures: Rio's underlying earnings tumbled 47 per cent year-on-year in the first half to $1.56bn, from $2.92bn. This beat analysts' forecasts of around $1.46bn. Its efforts to shrink net debt also exceeded expectations, falling [...]
Why I left the City to found a business – Investec Comment August 2, 2015 What makes a barrister, with a comfortable salary and a promising career, leave her job and risk everything by starting her own company? It’s a question – or a version of it – that many in the City with an entrepreneurial spirit will have asked themselves. I won’t pretend that it wasn’t a big decision [...]
Betting: Stablemates are the biggest danger to Minding’s Oaks bid June 2, 2016 A field of nine go to post for Friday’s Group One Investec Oaks at Epsom (4.30pm) and if the bookmakers are right about Minding the other eight shouldn’t even bother turning up. Aidan O’Brien’s filly is a best-priced 10/11 with Betway to claim victory on the Downs, but there are just too many negatives to [...]
Skipper Alastair Cook moves to defuse row over James Anderson’s omission from first Test against Pakistan July 21, 2016 Skipper Alastair Cook has played down the notion of friction in the England camp as the row over seamer James Anderson’s omission from the first Investec Test at Lord’s rumbles on. Anderson is set to return to England’s starting XI for the second Test at Emirates Old Trafford, which starts on Friday, as is all-rounder [...]
Scaling up: Overcoming the challenges – Investec Comment July 12, 2015 Business growth takes many forms, but some companies have the capacity to achieve truly remarkable rates of expansion. They are scaling up: increasing revenues at a rate of over 20 per cent annually for more than a couple of years. This phenomenon is not exclusive to fast-growing markets or sectors. It may be that [...]
This is at least the second coolest UK deal agreed since the Brexit vote July 19, 2016 Melrose’s $2.8bn deal for US air conditioning company Nortek is at risk of losing its status as the UK’s coolest post-Brexit vote deal. NFT Distribution, a UK chilled logistics business that delivers yoghurts and sandwiches to supermarkets, has announced the acquisition of another temperature-controlled logistics business, NR Evans. The deal values the business at more [...]
Investec Comment: Managing your foreign exchange risk July 19, 2015 In the first three months of 2015, the value of the euro fell 10 per cent against sterling. Since a stronger pound makes UK exports relatively less competitive in other markets, for a company doing business in the Eurozone, such a sizeable move could have had a significant impact on their profitability. Plenty of firms [...]
City Moves for 4 August 2016 | Who’s switching jobs August 4, 2016 Colliers International Colliers International has appointed Patricia Walsh as its new head of property management accounts following the retirement of Steve Tutton after 12 years of service. Patricia joins Colliers from Lee Baron where for the last seven years she has held the position of director of finance. Prior to that she held positions at Cushman and [...]
Pakistan have the edge but should be very wary of gritty England and their new ball August 3, 2016 The pendulum is swinging Pakistan’s way. The tourists have the edge after day one of the third Investec Test at Edgbaston but the clash is well set. If England bowl well with the new ball tomorrow morning it will be very hard work for the tourists. There is no doubt, however, that Pakistan will be the [...]
Next’s share price is riding high after its trading update – but analysts’ reactions are a mixed bag August 3, 2016 The markets have responded positively to Next's second quarter update this morning, after the company announced sales were up 1.8 per cent so far this year – but analysts' reactions have been mixed. Augustin Eden, a research analyst at Accendo Markets said investors "shrugged off a disappointing trading update" as Next's share price rose after the [...]