You’ve heard the Chancellor’s recent budget 2009 and it’s all looking a bit grey for the future. Income tax increases are projected and will be brought into effect in stages so that the Government can recoup some of the money it has ploughed into the economy. If you’re earning six figures, the news [...]

Posted: April 30th, 2009 under Corporate Finance, Employment/HR.
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Markets
London - The FTSE 100 is currently 55.22 points higher at 4,244.81. Barclays leads financials and the FTSE higher after positive comments from UBS. The brokerage raised its price target on the stock to 260p from 110p as well as its EPS estimates for 2009/10. Barclays are 9.1% higher while RBS jumps 9% and Lloyds gains 6.1%. Kazakhmys gains 6.85% after issuing its first quarter production report. Cadbury tops the fallers board, down 2.9%, after reporting relatively subdued sales growth. Hammerson slips 1.6% after its trading update met expectations.

Posted: April 30th, 2009 under Asset Management.
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The maximum limit on a week’s pay for the purpose of calculating redundancy payments is to increase from £350 to £380.  The Chancellor gave no indication when this change will take effect although it is likely to be from October 2009.
It is also not clear whether the increase will also apply to the basic award [...]

Posted: April 29th, 2009 under Employment/HR.
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Markets
London - The FTSE 100 is currently just 1.39 points higher at 4,097.79. British Airways leads the risers’ board after Citigroup said it sees a buying opportunity in European airlines amid swine flu fears. Shares in the company are currently 4.3% higher. Banks also make headway after HSBC recommended shares of Barclays (up 2.9%) and Lloyds Banking Group (up 4%). Miners are stronger after base metal prices rebounded in London. Kazakhmys gains 4% while Vedanta Resources adds 3.4%. On the downside a number of stocks have gone ex-dividend today, including Tesco (down 2.5%), G4S (down 1.4%) and GlaxoSmithKline (down 1.2%).

Posted: April 29th, 2009 under Asset Management.
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Markets
London - The FTSE 100 is currently 75.89 points lower at 4,091.12. Liberty International leads the decline after analysts said its plan to raise £500-600m via a placing and open offer will require a steep discount. JPMorgan have estimated an issue price of 275p - a 37% discount to Monday’s close. Centrica loses 3.6% after Morgan Stanley downgraded the stock to Underweight from Equalweight. WPP declines 4.8% after reporting first quarter results. British Airways continues to fall, down 3.2%, as the swine flu outbreak heightens.

Posted: April 28th, 2009 under Asset Management.
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