My year-ahead predictions: Divergence will be a crucial theme December 16, 2014 For the most part, 2014 has been volatile for global financial markets, with several key markets likely to record losses for the year. In the context of a recovering world economy, it has been disappointing. We predict more of the same next year, with the US and UK economies doing well, and emerging markets and [...]
Belgian unions strike over pension reforms December 15, 2014 Belgian unions grounded all flights, halted all trains and closed hundreds of factories and offices in a nationwide strike yesterday in protest over the government’s planned pension reforms and budget cuts. In Brussels, police held back striking workers who rioted outside the offices of Flemish separatist party N-VA, one of the four parties in the [...]
Dream debut as Lending Club valuation soars after IPO in boost to British crowdfunding December 11, 2014 Lending Club’s valuation soared to more than $8bn yesterday as shares rocketed as much as 60 per cent on their first day of trading. The world’s biggest peer-to-peer lender floated in New York, and could kick-start a new tech boom – with British crowdfunding firms getting a big boost from the intense investor interest. [...]
Pensioners get help to find best annuity deals December 11, 2014 PENSIONERS are failing to shop around for the best annuities deal and so are missing out on income in their retirement, the City watchdog found in a report published yesterday. Annuities themselves could offer good value to consumers, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said, as long as they sought out a good deal. To rectify this [...]
It pays to think global – but diversification is no free lunch December 9, 2014 WE ALL know the logic – don’t put all your eggs in one basket, because diversification is the key to success. But so many investors still fall at this hurdle when it comes to investing globally. The first point to remember is that, when you’re invested in just one market or group of territories, you’re [...]
Canadian pension fund Ivanhoe Cambridge buys Deloitte’s London HQ Stonecutter Court for £112m December 8, 2014 Canada's second-largest pension fund has bought Deloitte’s City offices from Hines Global Reit for £112m as it looks to step up its exposure to the London office property market. Ivanhoe Cambridge, the real estate arm of Canada’s Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec, said yesterday it has bought Stonecutter Court near Holborn. [...]
Sky offloads online betting business Sky Bet for £800m to private equity firm CVC Capital December 4, 2014 Sky has sold off the majority of its online betting business Sky Bet to private equity firm CVC Capital for £800m to concentrate on its new Europe-wide TV business. The deal will net Sky £600m in cash and a further deferred £120m, giving CVC Capital an 80 per cent stake in the business. Sky has [...]
Crowdfunding website Indiegogo offers investors insurance in case projects fail December 3, 2014 Crowdfunding website Indiegogo will trial an insurance option for its users, in case the projects they invest money in fail to materialise. It's currently being tested on one project, a wearable band that helps manage stress called Olive. Potential investors can pay the $15 (£10) "optional insurance" fee in addition to the $129 required backing, as reported by TechCrunch. The [...]
My 2020 vision for wealth management: A glimpse into the future December 2, 2014 IT’S THE year 2020. You take a pill at birth that remains permanently in your stomach, continuously measuring your health and intellectual acumen. As part of your education and nurturing as a child, you must select between scarce resources: playing and learning. These selections feed into measurements of risk and reward, and instinct versus due [...]
Sir Clive Sinclair is crowdfunding a new ZX Spectrum computer December 2, 2014 If you were around in the 1980s, you will know how truly immense this news is. Sir Clive Sinclair is crowdfunding to create a new ZX Spectrum. For those who don't, Sinclair was behind the Spectrum range – one of the first mainstream home computers in the UK, which rivalled the likes of the [...]