Hammerson joins rights issue rush

Monday 09 Feb 2009

The number of companies raising money through rights issues continues to rise with property firm Hammerson seen as the first of many in the real estate sector to announce a cash-call.

Bank bonuses- Who's paying what

Monday 09 Feb 2009

Chancellor Alistair Darling has ordered an independent review into banking payouts and corporate governance after revelations that most of the banks rescued by the taxpayer last year will pay big bonuses to their executives.

Ex-RBS and HBOS bosses to face MPs grilling

Monday 09 Feb 2009

The men responsible for the collapses of Royal Bank of Scotland and HBOS are expected to express regret today for their role in bringing the banks they ran to their knees. Sir Fred Goodwin and Sir Tom McKillop, the former chief executive and chairman of RBS, will be joined by former HBOS bosses to explain to a Treasury Select Committee how it all went wrong.

Hammerson flags cash call

Sunday 08 Feb 2009

Real estate giant Hammerson has confirmed plans for a rights issue to raise over £600m and net about £584.2m to “substantially strengthen” the company's financial position.

Staying connected despite the downturn

Friday 06 Feb 2009

Recessions clearly alter the way we live our day-to-day lives, but one lifestyle trend the latest downturn is unlikely to curb is the rise of the internet.

Britain needs more than rate cuts

Friday 06 Feb 2009

The Bank of England’s monetary policy committee today cut rates by a widely expected 0.5% slashing the cost of borrowing to an all-time low of 1%.

Dividend Income in "Year Zero"

Friday 06 Feb 2009

• But beware dividend cuts (see updated table)

Barclays beats forecast and promises dividends this year

Friday 06 Feb 2009

Barclays posted profits for last year well above its own forecast made just last month and forecast a return to dividends "during the second half of 2009". Profit before tax was £6.08bn, down 14% on 2007, but well above its forecast of not less than £5.3bn. As expected Barclays took gross credit market losses and impairment charges of £8bn.

FSA wants short-selling rules expanded

Friday 06 Feb 2009

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has proposed that disclosure rules on short selling should be extended to cover all stocks, not just financial shares.

Friday 06 Feb 2009

Friday 06 Feb 2009

Friday 06 Feb 2009

Friday 06 Feb 2009

China growth slows to 9%

Friday 06 Feb 2009

The global economic outlook darkened Thursday as figures showed Chinese economic growth slowing to the single digit level.

US job losses worst since ‘74

Friday 06 Feb 2009

More US jobs were lost last month than at any time in the past 35 years, figures revealed this afternoon. Non-farm payrolls plunged by 598,000 in January, far more than the 535,000 economists were expecting and way above the 524,000 reported the month before. Manufacturing was hit hard, with payrolls down 207,000 versus predictions of a 145,000 slump

A dual approach - momentum and value

Thursday 05 Feb 2009

Over the years investors have looked at value investing and momentum investing as separate trading strategies. This is because value-oriented investors favour investments whose prices are lowest, relative to their intrinsic worth. Momentum investors, by contrast, favour those at, or near the top of the performance rankings, over the previous 6 to 12 months. However this may have been a mistake

Britain needs more than rate cuts

Thursday 05 Feb 2009

The Bank of England’s monetary policy committee today cut rates by a widely expected 0.5% slashing the cost of borrowing to an all-time low of 1%.

RBS axes seven in board clear-out

Thursday 05 Feb 2009

Royal Bank of Scotland has confirmed a new slim-line board, shunting several of the big names from the Fred Goodwin era out the door. New chairman Sir Philip Hampton hopes the retirement of seven non-executive directors today will consign key architects of the loss-making bank's acquisition-happy generation to history.

Interest rates set for new record low

Thursday 05 Feb 2009

With the UK economy officially in recession, most analysts believe the Bank of England has no option but to cut interest rates to a new record low at midday. Policymakers dropped another half point off borrowing costs last month, taking them to just 1.5%, their lowest since the central bank was established in 1694.

Compass profit "well ahead", currency benefit

Thursday 05 Feb 2009

Catering giant Compass Group said constant currency operating profit in the first three months of the year is running “well ahead” of the same period last year and cash flow conversion remains strong.