Financial news

• Kuwait arrests U.K.-based national for sarcastic online postings

  31-03-2016 22:23
  
  (Reuters) - Kuwait's Interior Ministry has arrested a Kuwaiti man who had lived in Britain and charged him with publishing "offensive videos and sarcastic comments" about Gulf leaders on social media, the state news agency KUNA said on Thursday.
  
  Read more

• Cameron says state takeover not the answer in steel crisis

  31-03-2016 20:14
  
  LONDON/PORT TALBOT, Wales (Reuters) - - Prime Minister David Cameron said there was no guarantee a buyer could be found for Britain's biggest steel producer after Tata Steel announced it was pulling out, and a state takeover was not the answer.
  
  Read more

• Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid dies suddenly at 65

  31-03-2016 19:40
  
  LONDON (Reuters) - Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, whose fluid, futuristic designs were used in buildings across the world to widespread acclaim, has died of a heart attack at the age of 65, her company said on Thursday.
  
  Read more

• UK finance body says end of staff register puts consumers at risk

  31-03-2016 18:53
  
  LONDON (Reuters) - Scrapping a central register of a broad range of people working in Britain's financial sector puts consumer protection at risk, a UK finance accreditation body said on Thursday.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Savers lose interest as NS&I cuts rates, plus a look at shared ownership

  31-03-2016 18:17
  
  Also, banks will recognise your voice when you call them with a query and Pants to Poverty drops its ethical stanceHello and welcome to this week’s Money Talks – a roundup of the week’s biggest stories and some things you may have missed. Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• TV comedian Ronnie Corbett dies at 85

  31-03-2016 17:02
  
  LONDON (Reuters) - Ronnie Corbett, the bespectacled British comedian best known as the small half of the hit television double act "The Two Ronnies", has died surrounded by his family, his publicist said on Thursday. He was 85.
  
  Read more

• Ex-Bank of America Merrill Lynch Banker to Head UK Financial Investments - New York Times

  31-03-2016 16:33
  Ex-Bank of America Merrill Lynch Banker to Head UK Financial Investments
  New York Times
  LONDON — A former top banker at Bank of America Merrill Lynch will lead the entity overseeing the sale of the British government's stakes in the Lloyds Banking Group and the Royal Bank of Scotland. On Thursday, George Osborne, Britain's chancellor of ...en meer »
  

• DealBook|Ex-Bank of America Merrill Lynch Banker to Head UK Financial ... - New York Times

  31-03-2016 16:33
  DealBook|Ex-Bank of America Merrill Lynch Banker to Head UK Financial ...
  New York Times
  LONDON — A former top banker at Bank of America Merrill Lynch will lead the entity overseeing the sale of the British government's stakes in the Lloyds Banking Group and the Royal Bank of Scotland. On Thursday, George Osborne, Britain's chancellor of ...en meer »
  

• Advertisement

• Engie looking for partners in Nugen UK nuclear project

  31-03-2016 16:07
  
  PARIS (Reuters) - French gas and power group Engie is looking for other partners to invest in the Nugen project to build nuclear reactors in Britain, Engie director Philippe Pradel said.
  
  Read more

• British current account deficit balloons, EU campaigners clash

  31-03-2016 15:21
  
  LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's current account deficit has surged to a record high, underscoring a weak spot in an economy that is coming under sharper focus before a vote on whether to remain in the European Union.
  
  Read more

• Buy-to-let investors rush to complete before stamp duty rise

  31-03-2016 15:07
  
  Measure designed to put brake on runaway buy-to-let market with 3% surcharge on second homes takes effect from midnightBuy-to-let landlords, estate agents, mortgage lenders and solicitors firms are locked in a last-minute battle to complete property deals before a stamp duty rise that takes effect at midnight on Friday.Following changes announced by George Osborne in November last year, anyone buying a home that is not their main residence will have to pay a 3% stamp duty surcharge from Friday.
  
  Read more

• Britain's greenhouse gas emissions fell 3.3 percent in 2015 - government

  31-03-2016 14:18
  
  LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions fell by 3.3 percent in 2015, largely due to a decline in coal-fired power generation and marking the third straight yearly drop, preliminary government data showed on Thursday.
  
  Read more

• Spooked by politics, European funds cut equity holdings to near 4-yr low

  31-03-2016 13:09
  
  LONDON - European funds have cut their equity exposure to its lowest since July 2012, as doubt persisted about the effectiveness of central bank policy and political risks grew.
  
  Read more

• Global funds cut equity holdings to lowest in at least 5 years

  31-03-2016 13:03
  
  LONDON - Investors cut their holdings of stocks to the lowest in at least five years in March, despite a recovery in global equity markets, with euro zone and Japanese assets bearing the brunt as doubts grew about the effectiveness of central bank stimulus.
  
  Read more

• Stamp duty and second homes: what will I pay?

  31-03-2016 12:50
  
  From 1 April, stamp duty on second homes will be charged at a higher rate than on main residences. Here’s what you need to knowFrom 1 April 2016 anyone buying a second home for any reason will pay a higher rate of stamp duty than someone buying a property which will be their main home. What is stamp duty?Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• 'You're treated like a dinosaur because you don't tweet': what it's like being an older worker

  31-03-2016 12:36
  
  As part of our focus on the role of business in employing older people, we asked readers to share their experiences - here’s what they saidWe’re used to being told that it’s young people who are struggling to find employment and careers, but older people face their own challenges. Millions of workers in their 50s and over have been forced to postpone their retirement because of a lack of pension savings and high levels of debt, but are finding it hard to keep or find new work.
  
  Read more

• Small change for China's banks from bad debt fixes

  31-03-2016 12:28
  
  * Big China banks profit growth stalls, sector NPLs at 10-yr high
  
  Read more

• European shares led lower by telecom, bank stocks

  31-03-2016 12:28
  
  * TUI, Carnival rise after earning updates (ADVISORY- Reuters plans to replace intra-day European and UK stock market reports with a Live Markets blog on Eikon (see cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets for site in development). Adds details, updates prices)
  
  Read more

• UPDATE 1-S&P cuts China sovereign credit outlook to negative; maintains AA- rating

  31-03-2016 12:25
  
  SHANGHAI/HONG KONG, March 31 (Reuters) - S&P cut its outlook for China's sovereign credit rating on Thursday to negative from stable, but maintained the rating at AA-, saying the government's reform agenda is on track but likely to proceed more slowly than expected.
  
  Read more

• SE Asia Stocks-Mostly down as Fed gains fade

  31-03-2016 12:23
  
  March 31 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets closed down on Thursday, led by Singapore and Vietnam, as the boost from a U.S. Federal Reserve statement this week scaling back expectations for any interest rate hikes faded. Singapore's Straits Times Index slid 1.1 percent, down 1.45 percent for the quarter. Vietnam dropped 1.5 percent to close at its lowest level since Feb. 29, dragged down by losses in most big caps, led by banks and energy stocks. It ended the quarter 3.1 per
  
  Read more

• Impatient with Yahoo, some investors cheer Starboard effort

  31-03-2016 12:00
  
  BOSTON/SAN FRANCISCO, March 31 (Reuters) - Activist hedge fund Starboard Value LP's campaign to replace Yahoo Inc's board of directors is being welcomed by some investors who have grown impatient with the faded Internet pioneer's drawn-out process of selling its Web business.
  
  Read more

• UK voters shift slightly towards staying in EU - ORB poll

  31-03-2016 11:42
  
  LONDON (Reuters) - Support among Britons for staying in the European Union has increased slightly since last month giving the "In" campaign a narrow lead ahead of a June referendum, an ORB poll for the Independent said on Thursday.
  
  Read more

• The national living wage makes a bad situation for young people even worse | Rys Farthing

  31-03-2016 11:34
  
  Over 25s on the national living wage are about to get a pay rise, but 21-24s aren’t. The UK is highly unusual in making this distinctionFor people who value workers’ rights, 1 April marks a significant improvement in the lives of low-paid workers. However, for the young it is another brutal reminder of how little we value their contribution to society. While the labour of all other age groups will be rewarded with a wage that – even if only symbolically – is intended to p
  
  Read more

• UPDATE 2-HK overnight yuan rates go negative as bears exit short positions, RRR bites

  31-03-2016 11:31
  
  * Victory in Beijing's struggle to fight off yuan shorts (Adds comment from HK Monetary Authority)
  
  Read more

• Hong Kong tribunal upholds Moody's reprimand for report on Chinese companies

  31-03-2016 11:31
  
  HONG KONG, March 31 (Reuters) - A Hong Kong tribunal has upheld a disciplinary action against Moody's Investor Services for a report it published on Chinese companies, in a landmark decision that could curtail the kinds of services rating agencies can offer in the financial centre.
  
  Read more

• WRAPUP 1-China bank chiefs warn of tough times as profit growth stalls

  31-03-2016 11:25
  
  * Non-performing loan ratio flat at BoC, rises at other three
  
  Read more

• UPDATE 1-India cbank intervenes via state-run banks to curb rupee's rise - traders

  31-03-2016 11:03
  
  * Rupee up 3.2 pct in March, biggest monthly gain since Sept 2013 (Adds context, quotes)
  
  Read more

• China QFII quota inches up to $80.95 billion in March-FX regulator

  31-03-2016 10:52
  
  BEIJING, March 31 (Reuters) - The outstanding amount of China's dollar-denominated Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (QFII) programme rose to $80.95 billion as of March, from $80.8 billion at the end of February, the foreign exchange regulator said on Thursday.
  
  Read more

• UPDATE 1-MSCI restarts talks on including Chinese mainland shares in emerging index

  31-03-2016 10:47
  
  LONDON/HONG KONG, March 31 (Reuters) - Index provider MSCI said on Thursday it would resume discussions with investors on including Chinese mainland-listed shares in its main emerging equity benchmark, though it expressed concern about barriers to investment.
  
  Read more

• Telecom stocks trip as European shares dip

  31-03-2016 10:30
  
  LONDON, March 31 (Reuters) - European shares fell on Thursday, retreating after solid gains made in the previous session following dovish comments from the head of the U.S. Federal Reserve, while French telecom stocks underperformed.
  
  Read more

• UPDATE 1-FSB's Carney says monetary policy alone can't fix global woes

  31-03-2016 10:29
  
  * Low-growth environment challenges banks, policymakers - Carney
  
  Read more

• Negative rates a boon to mortgage refinance for Japan's Internet banks

  31-03-2016 10:25
  
  TOKYO, March 31 (Reuters) - Japan's shift to negative interest rates is driving a loan refinancing boom, with local internet banks seeking to grab customers from bricks-and-mortar rivals in the country's $1.6 trillion mortgage market.
  
  Read more

• Hong Kong shares dip on profit taking, Hang Seng sheds over 5 pct in Q1

  31-03-2016 10:18
  
  March 31 - Hong Kong's benchmark share index retreated from near three-month highs on Thursday as some investors took profits from a jump in the previous session as fears of a near-term U.S. interest rate hike receded.
  
  Read more

• India cbank intervenes via state-run banks to curb rupee's rise - traders

  31-03-2016 10:02
  
  NEW DELHI, March 31 (Reuters) - The Reserve Bank of India has intervened aggressively to curb the rupee's strength as it struck three-month highs, two traders said on Thursday, estimating that the central bank had bought around $1 billion since Wednesday.
  
  Read more

• Telecom stocks tumble as European shares slip back

  31-03-2016 09:19
  
  LONDON, March 31 (Reuters) - European shares fell on Thursday, retreating after solid gains in the previous session following dovish comments from the head of the U.S. Federal Reserve, while French telecom stocks underperformed.
  
  Read more

• UPDATE 2-Dalian Wanda may take property arm off HK bourse, prefers Shanghai

  31-03-2016 09:18
  
  * Dalian Wanda unhappy with unit's share performance in HK -source
  
  Read more

• Britain to ship record amount of nuclear waste to U.S. - government source

  31-03-2016 09:15
  
  LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will ship 700 kilograms of nuclear waste to the United States under a deal to be announced by Prime Minister David Cameron at a nuclear security summit in Washington on Thursday, a British government source said.
  
  Read more

• China stocks end modestly up, banks ease after earnings

  31-03-2016 09:14
  
  SHANGHAI, March 31 (Reuters) - China stocks extended gains on Thursday after the previous session's 2 percent jump, as markets took comfort in the likely prospect that U.S. interest rates will rise at a slower pace.
  
  Read more

• Ontario Teachers' pension plan assessing 'Brexit' risk daily

  31-03-2016 08:52
  
  TORONTO (Reuters) - The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, one of the biggest investors in British infrastructure, said it is assessing daily the risk that Britain will leave the European Union and is considering hedging the currency risk on its investments.
  
  Read more

• Global funds tiptoe from share slump into China's 'new economy' firms

  31-03-2016 08:50
  
  SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Global funds are cautiously venturing back into Chinese equities after prices collapsed to 4-1/2-year lows in February, taking advantage of cheaper valuations to buy stocks they believe will benefit from China's shift to a consumption-led economy.
  
  Read more

• UPDATE 1-Chesnara's FY profit jumps on Dutch acquisition

  31-03-2016 08:47
  
  March 31 (Reuters) - Chesnara Plc, an insurance-focused takeover specialist, reported a nearly 50 percent rise in full-year pretax profit, helped by its acquisition of Dutch company Waard Group last year.
  
  Read more

• Insurer Royal London 2015 operating profit up 11 percent

  31-03-2016 08:43
  
  LONDON (Reuters) - British insurer Royal London posted an 11 percent rise in 2015 operating profit to 244 million pounds on Thursday, boosted by a sharp rise in new business.
  
  Read more

• Should we be making overpayments on our mortgage?

  31-03-2016 08:00
  
  Now there are two of us, we’re able to save about £1,800 a month, but would like to do more than just save it up Q My fiance and I have just reached our savings goal for our wedding next year and we think that we can now redirect our savings elsewhere. However, we would really benefit from some advice.We currently pay around £750 on our five-year, fixed-rate mortgage every month. Because it was just me who bought the property originally, now that there are two of us, paying tha
  
  Read more

Follow @financialnwsUK on Twitter!