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Big News
Rathbones in merger talks
Thursday 24 Aug 2017Wealth manager Rathbone Brothers ( RAT ) is in talks with unlisted rival Smith & Williamson over a mooted £2bn merger. Following waves of consolidation in the asset management industry, the potential deal values Smith & Williamson at £600m and would be structured as a takeover by Rathbones...
The DIY Investor competition winners
Thursday 24 Aug 2017Two weeks ago we ran a competition offering five free copies of Andy Bell’s The DIY Investor book and we’re pleased to announce the winners who were picked at random from the large number of entries. Rachel Conway , Bristol Andrew Warren , Bromley Craig Russell , Rotherham Martine Storey ,...
Get ready for changes to FTSE 100 and 250
Thursday 24 Aug 2017Banking group Investec ( INVP ) looks primed to join the FTSE 100 at September’s index reshuffle, according to our calculations and assuming no major changes to market values over the next week. Investec is expected to replace Provident Financial ( PFG ) whose share price collapsed earlier this...
Clouds gather as autumn political risks loom
Thursday 24 Aug 2017The latest retail figures imply the economy is stalling even if it is not in full blown retreat and some observers are warning of political risks to come this autumn. First up at the end of August is the third round of negotiations over the UK exit from the European Union. These Brexit talks are...
Zinc trading at a 10-year high
Thursday 24 Aug 2017The price of zinc hit a new 10-year high of $3,180.50 per tonne on 21 August amid supply issues. Falling inventory levels, the closure of exhausted mines and production cutbacks have all contributed to the price movement. Zinc-related stocks on the London stock market include Griffin Mining ( GFM:...
Standard Life Aberdeen looks set to bring returns
Thursday 24 Aug 2017The FTSE 100 is now home to second largest asset manager in Europe behind France’s Amundi, Standard Life Aberdeen ( SLA ) . The combination of Standard Life and Aberdeen Asset Management is worth around £12bn. There is typically some fallout when mergers of this size take place, the loss of David...
Big trouble for big ticket retailers
Thursday 17 Aug 2017Falling real wages, faltering consumer confidence and imported inflation are now having a big impact on appetite for big purchases. British shoppers are tightening their belts, meaning the near-term outlook for purveyors of furniture, white goods and even motor cars is increasingly uncertain...
Menzies and DX deal off
Thursday 17 Aug 2017Logistics and aircraft services company John Menzies ( MNZS ) is pulling out of deal to sell its distribution business to AIM-quoted DX ( DX.:AIM ) . The companies had been working on the transaction for six months and according to John Geddes, corporate affairs director at Menzies, there was ‘...
Mears reassures after Grenfell-related delays
Thursday 17 Aug 2017Housing contractor Mears (MERS) is being hit with delays to its contracts following the Grenfell Tower tragedy in June. This has brought expected revenue for 2017 down to £800m from £830m while analysts at Liberum have revised the company’s order book down to £2.8bn from £3.1bn. The company’s chief...
Dividend potential flagged at Clarkson
Thursday 17 Aug 2017Shipping services provider Clarkson ( CKN ) is planning to drive shareholder returns by investing in the business, despite difficult shipping and offshore markets but should have money left over to distribute to shareholders too. Clarkson is lining up spending across the group, particularly in its...