Sunday newspaper round-up: FCA, bank competition, Glaxo
30th Mar 2014 16:53
Big insurance companies want Martin Wheatley, Chief Executive of the Financial Conduct Authority, to resign after the watchdog sent their shares into freefall by making a misleading announcement about an industry probe, the Sunday Times said. The Association of British Insurers is expected to write
Read moreLondon close: Stocks end higher after choppy session
28th Mar 2014 16:59
- FTSE ends session up 27.26 at 6,615.58 - Insurance slide, miners climb - UK Q4 current account deficit bigger than expected techMARK 2,762.30 -0.03% FTSE 100 6,615.58 +0.41% FTSE 250 16,181.71 -0.13% The week ended on a positive note for UK stocks as they tracked gains seen Stateside and a posit
Read moreSector movers: Insurance stocks whacked by FCA investigation
28th Mar 2014 14:42
Insurance stocks were reeling on Friday ahead of a Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) investigation into billions of pounds worth of policies dating back four decades on concerns that customers were being exploited. The FCA, which will formally announce the probe on Monday, is focusing on products t
Read moreLondon midday: Markets erase gains as insurance stocks tank
28th Mar 2014 12:02
- Insurers drop sharply on FCA investigation reports - Miners edge higher - Chinese Premier hints at more stimulus techMARK 2,767.34 +0.16% FTSE 100 6,590.41 +0.03% FTSE 250 16,181.96 -0.12% The FTSE 100 was trading more or less flat by Friday lunchtime after erasing earlier gains as heavy losses
Read moreFCA to launch investigation into insurance policies
28th Mar 2014 09:05
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is reportedly set to announce it will check 30m insurance policies worth 150bn pounds over concerns customers were exploited. The regulator will next week say it is looking at pensions, endowments, investment bonds and life insurance policies sold in the UK sol
Read moreLondon open: Miners rise on Chinese stimulus hopes, insurers drop
28th Mar 2014 08:34
- Miners rise on Chinese stimulus hopes - Li Keqiang hints at possible easing - Insurers fall on FCA investigation techMARK 2,779.04 +0.58% FTSE 100 6,621.74 +0.51% FTSE 250 16,239.90 +0.23% UK stocks were making decent gains on Friday morning after a positive session in Asia overnight as comments
Read moreLondon pre-open: Stocks expected to move higher early on
28th Mar 2014 07:35
A positive start is expected for UK stocks this morning, led by gains seen in Asia overnight and recovering after yesterday's session which saw both miners and banks drag the main index lower. City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open around 18 points higher than yesterday's close of 6,588.32.
Read moreAviva sells US equity business River Road
28th Mar 2014 07:09
Aviva has agreed to sell US equity management business River Road to Affiliated Managers Group. River Road was bought by Aviva's subsidiary Aviva Investors in 2009. Group Chief Strategy and Development Officer of Aviva Jason Windsor said the disposal is in line with the company's strategy of simpli
Read moreLondon midday: Insurance stocks push markets higher, but banks fall
26th Mar 2014 11:42
- FTSE 100 at highest since March 11th - Insurers provide a lift, Standard Life and Phoenix in focus - Lloyds drops after government sale, RBS downgraded - ECB, PBoC stimulus hopes and US data drive gains techMARK 2,787.86 +0.51% FTSE 100 6,630.79 +0.39% FTSE 250 16,273.83 +0.75% UK stocks were at
Read moreAviva narrows focus in Turkey with disposal
25th Mar 2014 07:41
Insurance group Aviva has sold its Turkish unit Aviva Sigorta to a private equity consortium led by EMF Capital Partners. Aviva said it is part of its strategy to "narrow the group's focus on businesses where it has a leadership position and can generate attractive returns". The sale, which is sub
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: Life insurers, energy companies, supermarkets
23rd Mar 2014 15:45
The chief executives of some of Britain's biggest life insurers have asked regulators to intervene after the Chancellor's announcement of dramatic changes to the pensions market, the Sunday Telegraph said. The insurance bosses have contacted the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulat
Read moreFriday tips round-up: Ophir Energy, Insurance sector
21st Mar 2014 07:18
Ophir Energy's remaining 20 per cent Tanzania stake is being valued at half of what the other 20 per cent was hived off for towards the end of last year. In fact, it is owed and should soon receive 1.25bn dollars from Pavilion Energy for the stake which it acquired. That comes on top of another 667m
Read moreLondon midday: UK stocks at six-week low after hawkish comments from Yellen
20th Mar 2014 12:01
- Yellen comments rattle markets on tightening fears - FOMC tapers asset purchases by another 10bn dollars/month - Next impresses with full-year results - Changes in Budget continuing to affect stocks techMARK 2,788.04 -1.09% FTSE 100 6,500.19 -1.11% FTSE 250 16,174.99 -1.00% UK stocks dropped sha
Read moreLondon open: Stocks drop after hawkish comments from Yellen
20th Mar 2014 08:21
- Yellen says rate hike could come six months after QE ends - Fed continues to taper by 10bn dollars a month - Next impresses with full-year results techMARK 2,804.74 -0.50% FTSE 100 6,546.18 -0.41% FTSE 250 16,267.89 -0.43% UK stocks fell on Thursday morning, following a sell-off on US and Asian
Read moreOsborne unveils radical changes to UK pensions
19th Mar 2014 15:55
Shares of Hargreaves Lansdown are at the top of the leaderboard, after the Chancellor today announced that savers will soon benefit from a new breed of tax-free ISAs. From July 1st 2014 investors will be able to put up to £15,000 pounds worth of stocks or bonds into what have been denominated as Ne
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