Dominique Strauss-Kahn, managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), could be sentenced to up to 25 years in prison if he is convicted of the most serious charge. Sixty-two-year-old Strauss-Khan was arrested at the weekend after being accused of sexually assaulting a hotel maid in New York. Mr Strauss-Kahn denies the charges and is [...]
It has been confirmed today that De La Rue, the banknote printer, has received a £750 million takeover offer from French company, Oberthur Technologies. De La Rue, which also prints passports for the Home Office, said the offer was “highly preliminary and opportunistic”. Speculation of an offer led to De La Rue’s shares soaring almost [...]
Outgoing chief executive of Lloyds Banking Group, Eric Daniels, is calling on the Government to allow the bank to keep HBOS. The controversial takeover, which occurred at the height of the financial crisis, could be scrapped if a Government investigation establishes it has damaged competition. Final recommendations with regard to the takeover will be known [...]
Lloyds Banking Group, which is 41% owned by the taxpayer, has today provided an upbeat statement as it continues its recovery from the global financial crisis. The bank, which had to be bailed out in autumn 2008, said it remains on track to deliver a “good financial performance” for 2010 as it continues with its [...]
Germany’s largest lender, Deutsche Bank, today announced a loss for the third quarter, owing to its take over of retail bank, Postbank. The bank reported a net loss of €1.2 billion (£1.05 billion), compared with a €1.39 billion profit in the same period last year. However, the figures still beat forecast of a €1.48 billion [...]
The group, Lloyds Action Now, has been holding protest meetings after the group claims their savings were wiped out following the Lloyds Banking Group’s merger with HBOS. Lloyds TSB’s controversial takeover of HBOS took place at the height of the financial crisis and the group was renamed Lloyds Banking Group. The shareholder group, which was [...]
Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) has today announced it will reduce headcount by 4,500 in its IT division - a move which has angered unions. The banking giant, which is 43% owned by the taxpayer, has now axed 20,000 jobs since the start of 2009, some of which were due to overlap following the bank’s takeover [...]
Germany’s largest bank, Deutsche Bank, today saw its shares fall after issuing a profit warning. The banking giant said its takeover of retail bank, Postbank, would lead to a €2.3 billion loss. Shares fell 8% to €41.12 on the news. In order to fund the takeover, the bank has launched a €10 billion (£8.1 billion) [...]
The chief executive of Lloyds Banking Group, Eric Daniels, has announced he will retire next year. The announcement follows other leadership changes in major banks earlier this month. Barclays’ chief executive, John Varley, will be departing next year and will be replaced by Bob Diamond, currently president of Barclays Plc. In addition HSBC chairman, Stephen [...]
Lloyds Banking Group, which is 41% owned by the Government, has today reported it returned to profit in the first six months of 2010, revealing profits of £1.6 billion, against a loss of £4 billion a year earlier. The rise in profits was primarily due to reduced writedowns with bad loans falling from £13.4 billion [...]
Brit Insurance has rejected a takeover bid of £10-a-share from US private equity firm, Apollo. Following the news, shares in Brit soared 20% after the company said the offer “significantly undervalues” the group. Brit, which became the England cricket team sponsor in January, saw its shares rise above the 900p mark on Friday, before falling [...]
The Treasury and Lloyds senior executives could be sued over the controversial takeover of HBOS, which took place at the height of the financial crisis. An investor group called Lloyds Action Now, which was established a year ago, claimed investors were lured into voting for the takeover, while not being provided with all the relevant [...]
British insurance giant Prudential has today said it has no plans for a renewed bid for AIA, the Asian arm of US company American International Group (AIG). The statement came after media reports today suggested that a fresh takeover deal was in the pipeline. Chad Tendler, Prudential’s Hong Kong-based spokesperson, told Reuters: “We remain highly [...]
British insurance giant Prudential has failed to renegotiate the price of its takeover of AIA, the Asian arm of US company American International Group (AIG). The deal now looks set to collapse after AIA snubbed the lower price tag of $30.375 billion. It emerged last week that the Pru, which is Britain’s second largest insurer, [...]
Bank of America (BoA) has today reported its first quarter earnings, rising 0.7% to $2.83 billion (£1.83 billion) from $2.81 billion a year ago, boosted by record sales and trading activity at its investment bank, as well as its acquisition of Merrill Lynch. However, the bank posted a $2.1 billion loss in its home mortgage [...]
US food giant, Kraft, has been criticised by a group of MPs today after the company pledged to keep open Cadbury’s Somerdale factory in Keynsham, but later decided to close the site following its takeover of the British confectioner. Kraft, which made several hostile bids for Cadbury before shareholders finally agreed to a deal, initially [...]
Britain’s largest mutually-owned retailer, the Co-operative Group, has today posted “record sales and profits” for the 2009 year after its acquisition of Somerfield and its merger with the Britannia building society. The group said underlying operating profits before significant items soared 20% to £473 million over the year, while revenue was £13.7 billion. Meanwhile, the [...]
Marc Firestone, vice-president of US food giant, Kraft, has today appeared before MPs on the Business Select Committee and has apologised for the firm’s pledge to keep open Cadbury’s Keynsham factory. Mr Firestone was questioned by MP’s over the company’s takeover of Cadbury. Kraft completed its takeover of the 186-year-old iconic British confectioner on 2 [...]
Marc Firestone, vice-president of US food giant, Kraft, will appear before MPs on the Business Select Committee today. Mr Firestone will be questioned by MP’s over the company’s takeover of Cadbury. Kraft completed its takeover of the 186-year-old iconic British confectioner on 2 February after a five-month battle. Earlier this month, the US food giant [...]
European equities markets were higher Wednesday as investors speculated that China might buy European bonds even though China’s premier said that nations with debt problems should not expect to be rescued. The FTSE 100 was up 1.02 percent to 5,227.02 in London, while the FTSE 250 added 0.97 percent to 10,107.9. Clothing retailer Next (LSE: [...]
Britons duped into buying “shoe-box” homes
Britons are being duped into buying new homes that are too small to live in comfortably, with house builders and estate agents demonstrating a distinct “lack of transparency” over floor space. According to research from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), thousands of brand new homes are failing to provide the space families need, [...]
UK unemployment up to 2.51 million
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed UK unemployment rose sharply in the three months to July – the biggest rise in almost two years. The ONS said unemployment rose by 80,000 in the three month period to 2.51 million – far higher than the 70,000 expected by economists. The latest figures take [...]
John Lewis reports challenging trading environment
The John Lewis Partnership, which is regarded as a barometer of British retailing, has reported a marginal increase in sales and said trading conditions are “extremely challenging”. The renowned employee-owned chain, which owns the Waitrose supermarket chain, said sales rose 1% on a like-for-like basis in the six month period to 30 July. However, across [...]
European equities markets were higher Tuesday as banks came back from big declines on Monday, helped by a statement from Societe Generale’s (Euronext: GLE) CEO that his bank is healthy. The FTSE 100 was up 0.87 percent to 5,174.25 in London, while the FTSE 250 added 0.27 percent to 10,011, with banks the best performers [...]
Rics: Housing market remains in the doldrums
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) has today reported that the UK housing market remained weak in August with house prices falling further. According to the Institution, homeowners remain reluctant to put their properties up for sale, while buyers continue to struggle to secure a mortgage and remain uncertain about the economic climate. The [...]
CML: Mortgage lending edges higher in July
The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has reported the number of loans for house purchase rose in July. According to the Council, there were 48,400 loans advanced for house purchase in the month – up by 1,000 from June’s figure but almost 7,000 lower when compared with July 2010. Commenting on today’s figures, Paul Smee, [...]
UK inflation edges higher in August
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) today announced Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) rose to annual rate of 4.5% last month from July’s rate of 4.4%. However, the figure was in line with analysts’ expectations. Higher inflation continues to be led by rising food costs but the main reason behind last month’s rise was a 5.1% [...]
Fresnillo down on silver prices
European equities markets were lower Monday on the possibility that Greece could default soon and on speculation that Moody’s Investors Service could cut its rating on several big banks with holdings tied to Greece. The FTSE 100 was down 1.63 percent to 5,129.62 in London, while the FTSE 250 dropped 1.65 percent to 9,983.75 as [...]
IFS warns of tough times for UK households
A report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has warned that households will be squeezed for the next decade as they suffer from the harsh spending cuts introduced by the Government. It said households are suffering one of the worst attacks on their finances since the Second World War and that the impact of [...]
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