Profits crash again as ‘frail’ McCarthy & Stone outlines plan to cut costs November 13, 2018 Profits collapsed at retirement housebuilder McCarthy & Stone today as it posted its full year results. Profit before tax fell 37 per cent year on year to £58.1m, down from £92.1m in 2017, as the housebuilder blamed a rise in building costs, rising operating costs, as well as extra marketing to promote its latest homes. [...]
Aberdeen Standard overhauls Asia small companies fund November 12, 2018 Aberdeen Standard has overhauled the structure and branding of its £486m Asian Smaller Companies Trust. Hugh Young has been appointed as the fund manager of the renamed Aberdeen Standard Asia Focus and Charlotte Black and Deborah Guthrie will join the board. The dividend policy will remain the same, the firm said, and the number of holdings in [...]
Venture capital investor Beringea leads $10.5m funding round for online platform Festicket November 12, 2018 Online booking platform Festicket has raised $10.5m (£8m) from a series d funding round led by transatlantic venture capital firm Beringea. Other partners in the round include mobility and travel specialist InMotion Ventures, Channel 4’s commercial growth fund, Lepe Partners, U-Start and former Spinnin’ Records chief executive Eelko Van Kooten. Beringea's investment director Eyal Malinger will join the [...]
Watch out for Brexit scammers, says UK financial regulator November 8, 2018 Scammers might seek to take advantage of uncertainty around Brexit to trick unsuspecting Brits, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) warned today. The regulatory said consumers should beware of unexpected calls, emails and text messages, and told consumers never to hand over their debit card pins. The warning came as part of a notice advising consumers [...]
3i Infrastructure ‘delighted’ as investment portfolio delivers £157m return November 8, 2018 British infrastructure investment fund 3i today hailed a rise in net asset value per share today as its portfolio delivered a return of £157m. The figures The fund's total return rose to £157m for the six months to September, up from £121m for the same period last year. This represents a 9.3 per cent return on its opening [...]
The government is finally turning its attention to the housing crisis, but what’s missing? November 8, 2018 There's no question that the housing market is in need of drastic reform. So it was welcome news last week when the chancellor announced that the government was turning its attention to reforming the supply side of the market through a £500m Housing Infrastructure Fund and British Business Bank guarantees for SME house builders. In broader terms, there seems to [...]
Game Digital narrows losses as it chases high margins with e-sports venture November 8, 2018 Game Digital narrowed its losses but still saw sales fall in its full year results published today. The figures Revenue came in flat ar £782.3m in the year to the end of July, while the video game retailer made a loss before tax of £7.4m, 26 per cent better than 2017's £10m, as the retailer bumped up cash [...]
How emerging markets have changed over the past 20 years November 8, 2018 | City Talk The transformation of emerging markets has been remarkable. The countries and companies that dominated 20 years ago have changed dramatically, influenced by the major geopolitical, economic and demographic changes that have taken place over this time. Navigating these changes can be complex, but these developments underline the importance of taking a flexible, active approach and [...]
In a rare move, HMRC is refunding some parents who were liable for the child benefit charge – here’s what you need to know November 8, 2018 It is unusual for HMRC to admit that it has been too heavy-handed, so last week came as a welcome surprise to many parents who have been hit with fines in relation to child benefits. If you are responsible for bringing up a child under 16 (or under 20 if they are in education), you [...]
Asset managers call for greater transparency in the bond market November 6, 2018 Asset management firms have called for increased clarity in the bond market, saying that the poor availability of data is undermining transparency in the sector, according to the industry body. Investment Association members have called for the industry to improve the availability of data by developing an electronic system which would provide real time data [...]