Lloyds plans to axe 5,000 further jobs November 10, 2009 ANOTHER 5,000 jobs will be lost at Lloyds Banking Group, bringing the total number of sackings to 12,500 since the credit crunch began. Lloyds employees were yesterday warned by banking experts that there could be up to 30,000 sackings before the Lloyds-HBOS merger is complete. Unions branded the cuts, which were announced on the same [...]
CITY MOVES WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS October 29, 2009 MarshThe insurance broker and risk adviser has hired Simon Curtis as chief operating officer of its UK operations, based in London. He succeeds Ian Clarke, who continues as a board member and a member of the firm’s international executive group. Curtis joins from Jardine Lloyd Thompson, which he joined in 2000 after its acquisition of [...]
Ex-FSA boss to grow deals at JC Flowers November 24, 2009 JC Flowers, the US private equity firm, has strengthened its ranks in the City and Europe by hiring former Financial Services Authority boss Callum McCarthy and veteran Australian banker David Morgan. London managing director Ravi Sinha will step down to make way for the high-profile recruits to the $11bn (£6.6bn) fund. JC Flowers was founded [...]
Bank jitters and commodity weakness hits London stocks December 17, 2009 Jitters in the financial sector prompted by tough new proposed regulations sent banks sliding yesterday while commodity stocks also retreated on weaker raw material prices, pulling the FTSE 100 down 1.9 per cent by close. The FTSE 100 closed down 102.65 points at 5,217.61, having closed 34.49 points, or 0.7 per cent, higher on Wednesday [...]
Commodities and banking stocks lead Santa Claus rally December 21, 2009 BRITAIN’S top share index closed sharply higher in thin pre-Christmas trading yesterday, buoyed by commodity stocks on firmer metals and crude prices and a rally in banking equities. The FTSE 100 index ended up 97.18 points, or 1.9 per cent, at 5,293.99, posting its biggest one-day percentage gain since 1 December, with trading volumes just [...]
WHAT’S THE OUTLOOK FOR BG GROUP AFTER THESE RESULTS? October 28, 2009 RONNIE CHOPRA FALCON SECURITIES “All the large integrated oil companies are struggling with production growth, and new discoveries are struggling to replace the existing assets. BG has a first-class portfolio of assets across the globe which would make an attractive fit for a predator. BG has outstanding growth prospects.” HENK POTTS BARCLAYS WEALTH “Despite the [...]
JPM Cazenove tie-up created a force to be reckoned with November 15, 2009 WHEN US investment bank JP Morgan struck a deal to buy out half of Cazenove back in November 2004, many in the City felt it would be the beginning of the end, with the Queen’s stockbroker losing its reputation as a consummately professional independent dealmaker. In fact, quite the opposite has proved the case; despite [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING November 17, 2009 FINANCIAL TIMES BARCLAYS RETAIL CHIEF WARNS NEW ENTRANTSThe new head of global retail banking at Barclays has joined the backlash of traditional bankers against the entry into banking of supermarkets and other consumer companies. Antony Jenkins said the new competitors may be under-estimating the difficulties of breaking into the market. APOLLO SETS SIGHTS ON NYSE [...]
Q & A September 16, 2009 Q.WHY HAS BARCLAYS SPUN OFF THESE ASSETS?A.According to Barclays finance director Chris Lucas, the sale will reduce the bank’s exposure to potential deterioration of the assets and give it access to “stable risk-adjusted returns for shareholders over time”. Q.DOES THE SALE REDUCE THE BANK’S RISK PROFILE?A.Not really. Although the bank will be less exposed to [...]
Quintain Estates joins rivals in property cash call frenzy November 5, 2009 PROPERTY developer Quintain Estates yesterday unveiled a fully underwritten £191.2m cash call to reduce its debt pile and fund construction projects. Quintain said the three-for-one rights issue of 390m shares would be priced at 49p – a 72 per cent discount to Wednesday’s closing price. The group said the net proceeds would be £183.5m after [...]