OECD cuts global growth forecast to 2.9 per cent as headwinds from emerging markets “greatly increase” November 9, 2015 The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has cut its global growth forecast for 2.9 per cent. The Paris-based think tank attributed a "sharp slowdown" in emerging markets, which it called "deeply concerning". "Headwinds [in emerging economies] have generally increased, reflecting weaker commodity prices, tighter credit conditions and lower potential output growth, with the risk [...]
UK house prices: London property prices to rise a third by 2019 as demand continues to outweigh supply November 9, 2015 London house prices will rise by almost a third between this year and 2019, new research has found, as demand in the capital continues to vastly outweigh supply. The CBRE Regional Development Land report forecast nine per cent growth this year, rising to 31 per cent by 2019. In the wider South East, prices will rise six [...]
It’s Equal Pay Day – but women still expect to earn 20 per cent less than men November 9, 2015 Happy Equal Pay Day – or not, as, thanks to the pay gap between male and female workers, women are now effectively working for free from today until the end of the year. A new survey by jobs website reed.co.uk has discover that women now expect to earn 20 per cent less than men, and [...]
Quindell to make a new start with name change to Watchstone Group – as it seeks shareholder approval for £414m capital return November 9, 2015 After 18 months of horror, insurance claims processor Quindell is after a new start: the company today said it was seeking shareholder approval to change its name to the decidedly austere-sounding Watchstone Group. Quindell announced the plans for its new identity in a statement this morning, although it didn't give shareholders much of an indication why. Perhaps it's something to [...]
The Gym Group fixes valuation at £250m with today’s IPO November 9, 2015 Pay-as-you-go fitness chain The Gym Group has set its IPO at 195p per share, giving the company a market cap of around £250m. This is lower than the original valuation, which had been expected to come in around £300m. The business will be issuing just over 64m shares to the main market, 50 per cent [...]
RW Baird chiefs on the respectful way they do business and their plans to expand in the City November 9, 2015 Think banking is all about “sharp elbows,” gruelling hours, and job-hopping ‘til you reach the top? Zealous midwesterners Paul Purcell and Steve Booth, who run wealth-management-cum-investment-bank outfit RW Baird, say that they offer a more respectful way of doing business. Their bank has long-term partners, a “no asshole policy”, and has ended deal-related incentives for [...]
UK companies raised over £20bn in a year through share and debt issues, reveals accountancy firm Moore Stephens November 9, 2015 UK companies fetched a net total of £20.3bn though share and debt issues in the year ended 30 September 2015, according to figures released today by accountancy firm Moore Stephens. The £20.3bn figure, which refers to the total amount levied through new share and debt issues less the amount repaid on share buybacks and debt, [...]
Britain needs to concentrate on high-growth markets instead of emerging economies – EY November 9, 2015 Britain should concentrate less on the emerging economies and more on high-growth markets if it wants to increase its share of global exports, a report by financial services company EY says today. Launched to coincide with United Kingdom Trade & Investment’s (UKTI) export week, EY Item Club’s analysis draws research undertaken over the past three [...]
Mining sector chips away at revenues in FTSE 350 companies, finds The Share Centre November 9, 2015 The UK’S FTSE 350 companies with year ends falling in the second quarter of 2015 have seen their collective revenue fall five per cent to £100.5bn compared to last year, thanks to poor performance in the mining industry, figures released today by The Share Centre have revealed. However, The Share Centre’s most recent Profit Watch [...]
CIPD: Strong supply of skilled staff will limit wage inflation November 9, 2015 Workers are unlikely to see much in the way of wage inflation over the next year, a report published today by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has found. The 1,037 HR professionals and employers surveyed for the CIPD’s latest Labour Market Outlook report revealed that they only intended to raise basic pay [...]