Although hedge funds can get it wrong – shock, horror! – you would normally take the view that following the weight of hedge fund money in medium to small companies would be something of a self fulfilling prophecy, especially on the short side. The theory is that it does not take much to shake private…
Evil discusses Quindell, Tyratech, HSBC and Philip of Macedon… I owe readers an apology in that when I declared that Morgan Stanley had bought 25m Quindell (QPP) there had already been an RNS issued to the effect that they had sold back to below 3%. I am told that they had 4.9% ex Tosca and…
Evil discusses Phosphorus Holdco PIK Toggle bonds, Afren, Quindell and the Grand National… Back on Phosphorus Holdco PIK Toggle bonds, it has been pointed out to me that BC Partners are not fools and would not have seen this £205m dividend paid away unless they had taken advice to show that such payment would be…
By Robert Sutherland Smith This afternoon I opened up my laptop to discover a surprise: the share price of energy share SSE – which used to be known by the more picturesque and memorable name Scottish and Southern Energy (men in kilts and bowler hats Morris dancing) – had fallen by nearly 12p (0.77%) to…
by Frederik Vanhaverbeke In the latest of a new series for SBM Frederik Vanhaverbeke, author of Excess Returns: A comparative study of the methods of the world’s greatest investors, looks at how some of the world’s greatest investors are so successful. A country of security analysts would still over react. In short, even the best-trained…
By Zak Mir This may be something of an urban myth, but I am led to believe that until the late 19th century, a time when Great Britain was at its greatest, there was no general income tax. However, it would appear that socialist minded people managed to convince us that society would be a…
The Markets UK inflation fell once again in January, reaching a level of 0.3% according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics. This is the lowest rate since CPI calculation began in 1989. The drop has been attributed to falling fuel prices and the ongoing price battles between supermarket chains. Paul Hollingsworth, UK…
The resurgence in consumer confidence seen in recent months and years offers significant growth prospects for a companies like consumer credit company S&U (SUS), which has built a significant business on the back of the exit of a number of major players from the direct unsecured lending markets following the financial crisis. According to figures…
by Zak Mir It would be pleasant to think that the battle between the alleged forces of darkness (otherwise known as the Euro group finance ministers) and the self proclaimed good guys (otherwise known as the new Greek government) is heading for some kind of endgame. On the face of it, there should actually not…
By Robert Sutherland Smith I last looked at Royal Mail (RMG) some three months or so ago. I am pleased to say that I saw value in them because they were then 390p. Turning to look at them once more, I feel that they continue to have attractions, despite the near-15% appreciation in the share…
