Last December may seem an odd time to set up an investment trust based on continental European property assets. There were looming uncertainties, such as the Brexit vote, and there are still elections pending in Holland and France that could change the shape of the eurozone completely. The history of earlier funds invested in European […]
The Co-operative Bank could lose its name if its parent group’s stake falls so low that consumers are being misled. The potential intervention by the Financial Conduct Authority was laid out in the 2013 prospectus for the bank’s restructuring but was little noticed at the time. However, it could come back to haunt the loss-making […]
Residents and businesses in small towns are pulling out the stops to keep threatened branches open As Adam Smith said — and Margaret Thatcher, the daughter of a grocer, was proud to repeat — Britain is a nation of shopkeepers. While the five biggest supermarket chains — Tesco, Co-op, Sainsbury’s, Aldi and Lidl — have […]
Central Bank board members expressed concern that loosening mortgage lending rules could lead to an increase in house prices and warned that the regulator is under-resourced, new documents show. In a November meeting, committee members expressed reservations over proposals to change the rules which were introduced to curb excessive lending and protect the financial system […]
The Anglo-Dutch consumer goods giant Unilever lifted its dividend by 12 per cent as it reported better-than-expected quarterly sales and moved to bounce back from a surprise takeover approach by Kraft Heinz. Unilever quickly responded to the failed approach from its American rival by unveiling sweeping changes earlier this month, including higher shareholder payouts, in […]
Consumers ‘exploited and abused’ on energy bills The government has given its clearest warning yet that it is preparing to cap energy prices, vowing to take “very decisive” action to address the “flagrant mistreatment” of millions of households on expensive tariffs. Shares in both Centrica and SSE, the biggest household energy suppliers, fell by more […]
Household finances are in their worst state since the summer of 2014, according to a closely watched survey. The latest data show a “sharp and accelerated squeeze” in financial wellbeing in the average British household, as families report the biggest reduction in cash available for them to spend since August 2014. Consumers are starting to […]
Some companies block work emails while staff are away or monitor internet use, but they must tell workers first In today’s “always-on” society, even taking a holiday — and then returning to work afterwards — can be a stressful experience. The widespread use of smartphones and notepads, which can be linked to work email accounts, […]
A government inquiry is to consider whether a ‘fatherhood penalty’ exists. Levelling this playing field could help women to progress at work Giving fathers a fairer deal at work when it comes to employers allowing them to spend more time at home with their children could help to close the gender pay gap. Under the […]
Small businesses that claim they were mistreated by Royal Bank of Scotland’s turnaround division have abandoned plans to wait for the regulator to establish a compensation scheme and will launch a £1bn legal action against the bank this year. The move is the latest salvo from the RBS GRG Litigation group (RGL) which has criticised […]