Brexit deal defeat triggers huge uncertainty: what next? January 16, 2019 | City Talk Sterling rose in vote aftermath from €1.115 to €1.128; FTSE 100 fell more than 40 points in early trading In event of no deal, Schroders forecasts 2019 UK recession Market expectations that soft Brexit is now more likely seem premature Azad Zangana, Senior European Economist & Strategist, says: As had been widely expected, parliament has [...]
DEBATE: Should universities switch to only offering places based on actual rather than predicted grades? January 16, 2019 Should universities switch to only offering places based on actual rather than predicted grades? Dr Graeme Atherton, director of the National Education Opportunities Network and co-author of the report “Post-qualification application: a student-centred model”, says YES. Going to university is the biggest decision that most young people face. They deserve a university admissions system that helps [...]
If any brand has the power to take on toxic masculinity, it’s Gillette January 16, 2019 As I write this, Gillette’s latest advertisement – We Believe: The Best Men Can Be – is kicking up a right old media storm. It’s fair to say that the campaign, which aims to address issues including bullying, violence, and sexual harassment, has provoked an extreme reaction. It’s been branded an “attack on masculinity” by [...]
Parent trap: the child benefits system has ended up punishing the very people it was designed to protect January 16, 2019 For high-flying parents who earn more than £50,000 a year, the child benefit system will seem ridiculous. You go through the effort of applying for the benefits (over the course of a year, this amounts to £1,000 for the first child, and £700 for each additional child), only for the money to be clawed back [...]
Reckitt Benckiser CEO announces plan to retire at the end of 2019 January 16, 2019 Reckitt Benckiser chief executive Rakesh Kapoor is set to retire at the end of 2019, the firm announced today, leading it to launch a formal search for its next boss. The maker of Nurofen and Clearasil said it is looking at both internal and external candidates to succeed Kapoor, as shares dropped by three per [...]
London fintech startup Jaja Finance picks up £5m with a boost from Celeres January 16, 2019 Credit card fintech startup Jaja Finance has today confirmed the final close of its £3.5m crowdfunding round, boosted by an additional £1.5m from Celeres Investments. The £5m intake adds to an earlier £4.4m raised in seed funding last year, backed by Blystad Group and Pollen Street Capital among others. More than 1,000 private investors took [...]
Shares in asset manager Ashmore fall amid ‘challenging’ emerging markets January 15, 2019 Assets under management at Ashmore Group edged upwards in the three months to 31 December against “challenging markets”, the asset manager said in a trading update today. The emerging markets specialist saw the value of its funds rise $300m (£235.2m) to an estimated $76.7bn. Read more: Top adviser joins firm aiming to ‘open up’ emerging markets The [...]
MPs fear FCA proposals on overdraft rules could end free banking January 15, 2019 The head of the UK’s financial watchdog told MPs this morning that he is “very alert” to the possibility that proposed rules to tackle charges for unplanned overdrafts could raise the cost of planned consumer borrowing. MPs raised concerns that changes to overdraft rules could negatively impact the availability of free banking as banks would [...]
Audit must reclaim its Victorian roots to win back public trust January 15, 2019 Today marks the first anniversary of the collapse of Carillion. It is also the first day that the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy select committee takes evidence in its inquiry into the audit market. Carillion’s downfall brought the role of audit in business and society into the spotlight, and was a watershed moment for the [...]
Aberdeen Standard Investments makes $13m investment in digital insurance company Singapore Life January 15, 2019 Asset management firm Aberdeen Standard Investments (ASI) has announced it will invest $13m (£10.1m) in digital insurance company Singapore Life. The minority equity investment will build on ASI’s existing strategic relationship with the company beyond the management of its fiduciary assets. Singapore Life is the first fully digital insurer in Singapore, and aims to become a [...]
