Birkenstock and Dr Martens are both globally-famous makers of durable, and fashionable, footwear. But they have another thing in common. Rumour has it that Birkenstock, a German company, is about to be snapped up for about £4billion by a private equity group. Dr Martens left private equity ownership last month to make its stock market … Read more
As any market-watcher knows, investment trusts have enjoyed a good run recently. Listed on the stock exchange and run by professional managers, they spread your money across dozens of different companies. The past year has seen trusts grow in popularity – with some doubling investors’ money within a year. Listed on the stock exchange and … Read more
People in Scotland have been urged to ‘walk like a penguin’ in order to avoid falling over on pavements in the snow and ice. As Britain continues to brace through the current cold snap, and with yet more freezing temperatures expected today, NHS trusts have issued the odd edict, which instructs people to keep their … Read more
Which is the better investment to hold, one that returned 17 per cent last year or one that returned 110 per cent? That’s a no brainer, isn’t it? Of course, you’d take the one that more than doubled your money. It’s not a theoretical question though; it’s one based on the 2020 tale of two … Read more
Two NHS trusts in the Midlands will start delivering coronavirus vaccines round-the-clock from Thursday, it was claimed today. University Hospitals Birmingham and Sherwood Forest Hospitals in Nottinghamshire have been chosen to pilot the 24/7 method to see if it could work on a national level, the Health Services Journal reports. It’s not clear which of the trusts’ … Read more
All eyes are on the UK market now that the uncertainty of Brexit has been quashed and the coronavirus vaccination programme is well under way. The country has been one of the most unloved across the globe for investors, with consistent mass outflows of cash since the EU referendum in 2016. Meanwhile, the dramatic numbers … Read more
A fifth of all critical care units in England were full last week, NHS figures show as the number of Covid patients in hospital continued to spiral. Some 27 of 140 major NHS trusts had no space on the specialist wards, designed to care for the most seriously ill patients who need constant monitoring, on … Read more
As 2020 proved, anything can happen, in the investment world and beyond. With the pandemic still sadly going strong, markets could be just as volatile and full of surprises – good and bad – this year too. Fund ratings agency FundCalibre has identified 12 funds and investment trusts to watch in 2021. They include funds … Read more
My father used to ‘play the stock market’. He folded the profits from his small business in the 1970s into company shares, some of which came as recommendations from his stockbroker, over the bakelite telephone with a twisted brown cord. He added to this substantially with the big privatisations of the 1980s, and left a … Read more
The rare 10-foot-long bluefin tuna, orcas in Strangford Lough and bottlenose dolphins ‘partying’ off Teesside are among the Wildlife Trusts’ favourite marine sights for 2020. The wildlife organisation has compiled a best-of list for the year, featuring the most exciting sights in UK waters, captured both by experts and members of the public. In the … Read more