United Kingdom
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Sunday, 23 November 2008
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| View All Articles About 'Bank' |
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| 261. |
Bankers say Europe's bull market not over yet
Investment bankers, riding high after a record year in Europe, see few signs yet that 2007 will mark the turn in the bull market in stocks, bonds and M&A that has earned them record breaking revenues in 2006.
20 Dec 2006 |
| 262. |
Rising price pressures fuel rate hike bets
Inflation is at a multi year high and workers expect no let up in price pressures, so investors are betting the Bank of England may have to hike interest rates again to head off inflationary wage deals.
18 Dec 2006 |
| 263. |
Misys says health unit problems continue
Health and insurance software firm Misys said on Friday that problems had continued at its healthcare division while its banking business had made progress in the first half of the year.
15 Dec 2006 |
| 264. |
Barclays in talks for stake in India's DCB: paper
Bank Barclays is in talks with India's private sector Development Credit Bank (DCB) to buy less than 5 percent stake as part of its portfolio investment, The Economic Times reported on Friday.
15 Dec 2006 |
| 266. |
Inflation expectations rise in Nov
Expectations of future inflation have risen to match their highest level since comparable records began more than six years ago, a survey published by the Bank of England showed on Thursday.
14 Dec 2006 |
| 268. |
Turkey's Oyak says no deal for bank
Turkish conglomerate Oyak Group has not yet reached a deal to sell its medium sized lender Oyakbank, it said on Tuesday after a newspaper reported London listed Standard Chartered had clinched a deal.
12 Dec 2006 |
| 269. |
Bank holds rates steady at 5 percent
The Bank of England kept interest rates unchanged on Thursday and economists are divided over whether two hikes in borrowing costs in the past four months have done enough to curb inflation.
Economists polled by Reuters last week had unanimously forecast the bank would leave rates at 5 percent and market reaction was minimal.
The outlook, however, is less clear and much will depend on the level of wage settlements in the crucial New Year pay round.
"Today's decision was no surprise but people should not be fooled into thinking interest rates have definitely peaked," said Graeme Leach, chief economist at the Institute of Directors. "It is still a 50:50 call as to whether interest rates go up again in the New Year."
The economy has given out mixed signals in recent weeks. The housing market and services sector continue to accelerate but manufacturing activity and consumer spending appear to be slowing.
Annual house price inflation hit a 20-month high in November, according to Halifax data, while the country's services sector grew at its fastest pace last month in almost three years.
RETAIL GLOOM
Manufacturers and retailers, however, look to be having a tougher time. Data on Wednesday showed industrial output contracted in October for the first time in over a year and anecdotal evidence suggests consumers are tightening the purse strings.
Shares in Woolworths fell sharply this week when it became the first high street store to warn on Christmas profits and the British Retail Consortium said the value of sales grew last month at the slowest annual rate since March.
The pound's rise to a six-year high in trade-weighted terms has also entered the monetary policy debate, by dampening import price inflation and making exports more expensive.
"There is clear weakness in manufacturing and a murky outlook for retail sales which may make the Bank think twice before raising rates again," said Brian Hilliard, chief economist at Societe Generale. "The exchange rate is also a factor and yet to be reflected in the data."
The Bank remains upbeat on the growth outlook and predicts the economy will expand 3 percent next year. Nevertheless recent comments from the bank's rate-setters have highlighted growing divisions on the policy committee.
Deputy Governor Rachel Lomax, who joined David Blanchflower in opposing last month's rate rise, said lower oil prices and a stronger pound have improved the inflation outlook. Fellow committee members Charles Bean and John Gieve, however, have highlighted upside risks to the inflation outlook.
07 Dec 2006 |
| 270. |
Barclays climbs on bid talk
Shares in Barclays rose more than 3 percent in heavy volume on Thursday as traders cited talk of Spanish or U.S. interest in Britain's third biggest bank.
07 Dec 2006 |
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