FSA raps knuckles of UK banks

28th Apr 2010 09:49

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has found evidence of what it terms 'unacceptable standards' in the way some British banks handle complaints, and has instructed five unnamed UK banks to make changes to their customer complaints procedures as a result. Two of the five banks face possible fine

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Standard Chartered buys Barclays' African custody arm

27th Apr 2010 14:40

Standard Chartered has agreed to buy Barclays' custody business in Africa for an undisclosed sum. The sale is expected to be completed in 2010, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary conditions. Barclays African custody business had gross assets of £1.9m and assets under custody of £3

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London open: Minimal gains posted

23rd Apr 2010 08:28

London's leading shares are showing slight gains as a late recovery on Wall Street boosts investor sentiment. Banks are amongst the early movers with RBS, Barclays and Lloyds all higher, while utilities such as Severnt Trent, National Grid and United Utilities are at the bottom end of the market.

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Wednesday paper round-up: IMF proposes two new global bank taxes

21st Apr 2010 06:33

The IMF is proposing a double-tax regime for banks that would fund future bailouts and penalise both the profits and pay of lenders. The proposal emerged in a leaked confidential document prepared for the G20 meeting of finance ministers to be held this week in Washington. The IMF wants two separat

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London open: Air travel woe dominates

19th Apr 2010 08:46

Travel problems continue to dominate the market with the UK flight ban extended to tomorrow at the earliest. More than 100,000 customers of TUI Travel due to return home yesterday were left stranded by the ongoing flight ban imposed after the eruption of the volcano in Iceland last week. Currently,

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Sunday newspaper round-up: Arriva, Goldman Sachs, Barclays

18th Apr 2010 14:11

Deutsche Bahn, Germany's state owned transport group, is getting ready to wheel out an agreed £1.6bn bid for Britain's bus and rail group, Arriva, according to the Sunday Times. City sources expect it to table an offer of between 750p and 775p a share, valuing Arriva at £1.6bn. Elsewhere in the t

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London close: Markets dive

16th Apr 2010 16:21

Along with other global markets, London's benchmark was sideswiped by news that Goldman Sachs has been charged with fraud on subprime mortgages by the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Stocks nosedived around 70 points in the final hour of trading as the news emerged. The banking sector had be

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FTSE 100 movers: Banks push Footsie up

16th Apr 2010 10:07

London's leading shares have moved into the blue thanks to good performance from the banking sector. Royal Bank of Scotland is leading after broker BofA Merrill Lynch said the bank could benefit from the economic recovery. Merrill raised its 12-month price target for the shares to 65p from 45p. Llo

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London close: Footsie at 22-month high

15th Apr 2010 17:12

The afternoon saw many leading shares consolidate or extend the morning's gains, solidifying the Footsie's position above 5800. Banks led the advance after better than expected results from US investment bank JP Morgan yesterday. Barclays received a boost from Execution Noble, which raised its targ

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London afternoon: Brokers boost banks

15th Apr 2010 14:25

Footsie is keeping its head above 5800, climbing a bit further over the lunch time session despite expectations of a soft start on Wall Street. After better than expected results from US investment bank JP Morgan yesterday investors are keen on UK banks such as Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland and

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Sector movers: Uniq pension plans hard to digest

15th Apr 2010 12:28

Uniq is leading the food sector producer sector lower. The company, whose customers include Marks & Spencer, posted a pre-tax loss of £18.5m for the year, compared with £100,000 the previous year, on revenues that edged up to £287.2m from £286.7m. But what has really concerned investors is a prop

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London midday: Flat Footsie

15th Apr 2010 11:50

Leading shares remain mixed , with laggards among FTSE 100 constituents now marginally outnumbering leaders. Experian is the worst performing blue-chip. The credit checking firm saw revenues from continuing operations rise for the six months to March but revenues at its UK operations fell in the pe

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FTSE 100 movers: Banks keep Footsie up

15th Apr 2010 11:45

London's leading shares are just above flat as good gains from banks are being offset by weak defensives. Investors are keen on the likes of Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland and HSBC Holdings but defensives are proving a drag. Reckitt Benckiser, Unilever are lower while G4S, Centrica and Thomas Coo

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London open: Modest gains

15th Apr 2010 08:43

London's benchmark index has kicked off with modest gains with banks proving popular early on. Investors are keen on the likes of Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland and HSBC Holdings But they seem unsure about Rio Tinto, which released a first quarter update. The group said its operation continued

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London pre-open: Shares to rise

15th Apr 2010 07:33

London's leading shares are poised to begin with good gains, with traders eyeing a 22 point rise in opening deals. McBride, which makes personal care products for supermarkets to sell under their own label, has appointed an executive from the food and household goods giant Unilever as its new chief

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