How small firms are increasingly turning away from traditional lenders for funding August 11, 2016 Small businesses are increasingly being drawn to direct lending platforms, a new report has suggested. The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) report, commissioned by peer-to-peer (P2P) lender Funding Circle, found that direct lending to businesses at the beginning of 2016 was up 50 per cent year on year. Read more: Financing students: How [...]
The Loch Ness Monster of investments? Trade body says there is no evidence of hidden fund fees August 9, 2016 The investment managers’ trade body has published a report questioning the existence of hidden fees lurking in funds. The Investment Association today condemned “hidden-fees hysteria”. The IA research, carried out by Fitz Partners and published today, found that equity fund returns are 0.71 per cent above index returns each year, looking at data from between [...]
Meggitt share price leaps on news of second major investor increasing stake August 8, 2016 Activist investor Elliott Management increased its position in Meggitt this morning driving up the share price of the struggling engineer nearly nine per cent. Elliott is the second major investor in Meggitt shares over the last few days. Norges Bank took a three per cent stake on Friday and Elliott, who had already built up a considerable interest [...]
Superstar investor Neil Woodford accepts trust results will “disappoint” investors August 4, 2016 Neil Woodford has said he understands why some investors in Woodford Patient Capital Trust will be “disappointed” with its performance. The trust today reported that its net assets had fallen to £717.9m in the first half of 2016, down from £814.9m a year ago. Launched in April last year, Woodford raised a record £800m for [...]
Here’s how Philip Hammond can reassure small businesses and investors alike August 4, 2016 Philip Hammond was quick to rule out a post-Brexit Budget after being installed as the new chancellor. Number 11’s latest resident, who will wait instead until the Autumn Statement, has also stated that he will support the City, and wider business, as the UK exits the EU. The challenge, Hammond has observed, is to send “signals [...]
Fund manager warns investors UK dividends “likely to fall” August 3, 2016 The managers of the £655m Evenlode Income Fund have warned that UK dividends are "likely to fall over the next year or two". Hugh Yarrow and Ben Peters said that the referendum vote could make it more difficult for UK domestic sectors – such as banks, commercial properties, construction, house builders and retailers – to sustain [...]
How to help your kids handle money August 3, 2016 Getting the younger generation engaged with money matters is more crucial than ever. The lot of today’s young is radically different to their parent’s, and being financially literate is an increasingly important life skill. “Teaching proper money management is possibly one of the best gifts you can give your children. It could save them untold stress [...]
M&G in the dog house as a massive £10.7bn of investor cash is left in serially underperforming funds August 2, 2016 Leading investment group M&G is in the dog house as a new report reveals it's holding a massive £10.7bn of investors’ cash in serially underperforming funds. UK savers have left a massive £18bn of cash in funds which are failing to deliver – and M&G is responsible for 60 per cent of it. The findings come [...]
Brexodus: Retail investors took £3.5bn out of funds in referendum month, “eclipsing” financial crisis outflows August 2, 2016 Retail investors fled investment funds at a “quite extraordinary” rate in the EU referendum month, new figures show. The Investment Association’s figures for June, published today, show £3.5bn was taken out of funds, including £2.8bn from equity funds and £1.4bn from property funds. In the weeks after the referendum, trading on several property funds was suspended [...]
How startups seeking funding suffered from investor referendum jitters August 1, 2016 Startups and high-growth companies seeking investment suffered in the run-up to the EU referendum, a new study suggests. The Deal report from Beauhurst, which monitors equity fundraising secured by private companies in the UK, tracked 557 deals completed, and announced, in the first half of 2016 – down 22 per cent from the second half [...]