magazine archive
magazine archive
Big News
Is the market at peak bearishness on emerging markets?
Thursday 20 Sep 2018Emerging markets have been having a tough time this year as a stronger dollar and weakened investor sentiment have hit performance. The accompanying chart, based on the latest Bank of America Merrill Lynch fund manager survey, shows the extent to which fund managers are bearish on emerging markets...
Rail infrastructure services group Readypower set to unveil IPO plans
Thursday 20 Sep 2018Rail specialist Readypower is preparing to float on London’s Main Market and may interest investors looking for a different way to play the infrastructure sector. Established in 1992 and currently owned by private equity firm Primary Capital Partners, Readypower has two divisions. The rail services...
Investors braced for potential dilutive equity fundraise from Sirius Minerals
Thursday 13 Sep 2018Investors are very worried about the price at which Sirius Minerals ( SXX ) could issue new shares to address a funding shortfall for its polyhalite mine development in Yorkshire. Nearly a fifth of the company’s market value has been wiped off in the past week after the FTSE 250 miner updated on...
Will Unilever exit the FTSE 100?
Thursday 13 Sep 2018Consumer goods giant and current FTSE 100 constituent Unilever ( ULVR ) is poised for a crucial shareholder vote on moving its headquarters to the Netherlands. On 11 September the company published the full details of a plan to scrap its dual UK-Dutch stock market listing and make the move to...
Second worst September start for US tech stocks in 10 years
Thursday 13 Sep 2018As we write the US technology-heavy Nasdaq index is enduring its second worst September start since 2008. Only 2011 had a worse showing. A decade ago makes for a notable point of comparison given that on 15 September 2008 investment bank Lehman Brothers collapsed. With more than $639bn worth of its...
Are UK markets finally ready to shed their Brexit discount?
Thursday 13 Sep 2018A third quarter 2018 survey shows 21% of institutions are thinking about increasing stakes in UK assets, up from 13% in the second quarter, according to State Street. The equivalent figure was 16% for the third quarter of 2017, suggesting investors in increasing numbers are willing to bat back...
Share price decline implies Debenhams is at death’s door
Thursday 13 Sep 2018Ailing department store Debenhams’ ( DEB ) shares plunged to fresh lows on media reports it had called in accountant KPMG to consider its options, as the chill wind blowing through the high street threatens to claim another victim. The fear is the decision to bring in KPMG is a prelude to a company...
Is this the beginning of the end for Whitbread?
Thursday 13 Sep 2018Speculation has been brewing over what will happen to Whitbread ( WTB ) following the agreed sale of Costa Coffee to Coca-Cola for £3.9bn. Coca-Cola is buying Costa to develop the coffee chain and make cold-brew and ready-to-drink coffee products under a strong global brand. Canaccord Genuity...
P2P platform Funding Circle prepares to float
Thursday 06 Sep 2018Peer-to-peer lender Funding Circle intends to list on the London Stock Exchange. It is hoping to raise £300m as it targets a £1.7bn valuation, but how safe are these platforms as investments? Neil Faulkner, managing director of peer-to-peer lender 4thWay, notes some fund managers have already got...
Bye bye big six as SSE gets competition watchdog go-ahead for Npower deal
Thursday 06 Sep 2018UK energy supplier SSE ( SSE ) has been given the provisional go-ahead for its proposed tie-up with Npower by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the UK's competition watchdog. Analysts speculate that the tie-up could be a big plus for the SSE investment story at a tricky time for the...