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In Europe 8th March 2012

UK property industry fears Chancellor will scare away super-rich buyers

LONDON | The British Property Federation issued a warning Thursday to Chancellor George Osborne ahead of possible Treasury action to close a stamp duty loophole through with foreign fortunes would be avoiding tax. The bill, according to official calculations, amounts to £1 billion, but UK’s property sector said that Osborne “must tread carefully with ‘super-rich’ stamp duty reform” and “tread lightly with any anti-avoidance intervention.” The BPF admitted there is a the…

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Markets 6th March 2012

UK investment industry looks on the raising-dividend side

LONDON | 58pc of  the Association of Investment Companies or AIC members in the UK growth and income sector have been able to raise dividends for at least each of the last 10 years. AIC published Tuesday the results of its latest research and reminded investors of its associated firms’ main track record, which described as ‘impressive’. In the longer term, though, only 46pc of uk growth and income sector have been…

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Spanish economy 5th March 2012

Spain is right to abandon a suicidal 4.4% deficit target

By Juan Pedro Marín Arrese, in Madrid | Mervyn King sharply pointed out that banks are global in life but turn national in dying. The opposite can be applied to deficit targets. When you enjoy a comfortable budgetary position, you are able to fix them at your own wish. Brussels may get the sulks if you go beyond certain limits and fall into excessive overruns. But it can do very little…

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Markets 29th February 2012

Transparency, British sustainable investment body asks on LTRO2-Day

LONDON | On the day the European Central Bank lent 800 euro zone banks €529.532 billion via its second 3-year long-term refinancing operation, hopes that credit to the private sector will increase were high. The central bank’s aim Wednesday was to restore capital flows in the region and clear the way for confidence to make a comeback to the wider economy. The UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association UKSIF chose…

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In Europe 29th February 2012

No UK veto for a depressed European trend in house prices

LONDON | Here is something the British prime minister David Cameron cannot veto: the domino-effect in the house market. Residential property in the United Kingdom saw overall prices fall by 1pc in 2011. This relatively flat reading places the UK on a similar footing to several other European neighbours, as just core EMU Germany and France, and Switzerland and Norway posted rises of 5pc or more. The latest RICS European…

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World economy 27th February 2012

Billions of sterling pounds under the mattress

LONDON | The second estimate of GDP growth in the fourth quarter of 2011 confirmed the forecast of a contraction of 0.2pc, according to the latest UK Statistical Bulletin. However, the breakdown showed positive contributions from household expenditure (following four consecutive quarterly falls) and from net trade, with negative contributions from inventories and business investment. The British government said this presents a more positive picture of the expenditure side of the economy…

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In Europe 24th February 2012

Did UK banks forget how to do retail?

LONDON | The largest European retail bank, the Spanish Banco Santander, announced Friday the appointment of 18 new business managers for its UK branches. Santander UK has pledged to have 500 local business managers based in business communities across Britain by the end of next year. This might be the way to go if British high street entities are to befriend again their customers. Santander’s own research, according to the group, showed…

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In Europe 23rd February 2012

British financial mutuals’ last laugh

LONDON | The UK’s trade body of financial mutuals AFM is not happy. The organisation this week launched a frontal attack against taxpayer-aided listed banks and their directors’ bonuses. Who could blame them? After all, in the City race, mutual insurers, friendly societies and others have lost most ground: for instance, the sector’s insurance services today represent around 6% of the British market, while their share stood at over 50% just 15…

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In Europe 21st February 2012

An alternative to austerity, 12 EU countries demand

The letter that the heads of government of twelve EU countries, including Spain’s Mariano Rajoy, sent to Brussels presented an eight point programme to promote economic growth in the European Union. It was addressed to the president of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy and that of the Commission, Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, yet was not signed by either Germany or France, the two main economies of the euro zone…

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Companies 20th February 2012

Abertis, ACS do not fear the UK

By Julia Pastor, in Madrid | In spite of the many difficulties that Spanish construction companies find in the UK, these firms remain undeterred and keep on defending their assets in Great Britain, as well as fighting to obtain new contracts in the country. This is the case of Abertis Infraestructuras, which will bring to court Luton Borough Council in a €360-million compensation claim if the local authority forced it to…