Nomura Holdings back into the black for its first quarter of 2017 financial year July 28, 2016 Nomura Holdings has today surely sparked a little glee into the Japanese market by announcing a return to profit in its most recent quarter. The figures The Japanese brokerage firm reported that net income attributable to shareholders had grown to ¥46.8bn (£339.4m), swinging back into profit from the loss of ¥19.2bn in the quarter before but still down 32 [...]
From car refinancing to data tools: Five new alternative finance products making life easier for the retail investor July 28, 2016 The alternative finance market is becoming bigger – and more diverse. Last year, the lending sector was getting a feel for fundification, while the equity side was seeing shifts into specialised areas like biotech. This year, those changes are bedding in, and companies are coming up with increasing numbers of new models that offer more to the [...]
Auto-enrolment contribution rates are far too low says Webb July 27, 2016 Former pensions minister Steve Webb demanded that more needs to be done to encourage saving for retirement after the latest auto-enrolment data was released today. Four years after the Pension Regulator introduced the initiative, six million people – or 66 per cent of the working population – have now signed up for the workplace pension. But the concern is that [...]
Here are the key challenges the new pensions minister will face July 27, 2016 The recent reshuffle meant a whole host of new ministerial faces both at the Treasury and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). These new ministers will have a full agenda when it comes to pensions. At DWP, the new secretary of state is Damian Green, who will be responsible for controlling welfare spending and getting people back [...]
How to invest in a recession – staycations and drinking at home will become trendy again if there’s a downturn July 27, 2016 One month on from the Brexit vote and the UK economy seems in a precarious state. Economic activity is slowing, and economists have warned there’s a risk of a recession this year. The out vote has, in the International Monetary Fund’s words, put a spanner in the works. The value of the pound has fallen too, [...]
Investec’s wealth manager moves property funds to Thorpe Park and care homes July 26, 2016 Investec Wealth and Investment has turned its attention away from conventional property investment and towards GP surgeries, theme parks, hospitals, care homes and student accommodation. The wealth management and investment services division of Investec said on Tuesday morning that it had redeployed around 20 per cent of its real estate exposure – equating to £200m – from [...]
Profits and shares fall at hedge fund that’s about to lose its Man July 26, 2016 Hedge fund company Man Group today committed itself to the UK as it reported a large drop in profits for the first half of the year. The share price of Man, whose chief executive Manny Roman is leaving for Pimco later this year, dropped around three per cent to 119p on Tuesday morning after the interim results [...]
Watchdog warns more to be done on “persistent and potentially problematic” levels of credit card debt July 26, 2016 More needs to be done to tackle the UK's "potentially problematic" levels of credit card debt, the financial sector watchdog has warned today. A report by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) found that although competition in the credit card market generally works in the favour of consumers, there is little incentive for providers to help out those [...]
Biotech, robots, Fangs – what’s the hottest tech to invest in? July 26, 2016 The sudden craze for mobile game Pokémon Go has brought the spotlight back onto the potential for investors in technology. The game became the fastest-adopted in history following its release two weeks ago, and shares in co-owner Nintendo rose a massive 70 per cent. The share price has since been tempered with a 17 per cent [...]
No Regrexit among UK investors with FTSE 100 at 11-month high July 25, 2016 With the FTSE 100 trading at its highest level since the summer of 2015, retail investors have reported no regret over how they voted in the EU referendum. Unsurprisingly perhaps, a poll by the Share Centre has revealed 56 per cent of investors say they are happy with the result of the referendum – bang in [...]