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Was 2024 the year of the stockpicker? Nope.

  • December 18, 2024
Every year, asset managers claim that this year is the year of the stockpicker. At the start of 2024, Bank of America claimed that “active funds will have greater odds of selecting winners in 2024”. “We expect more idiosyncratic opportunities next year given elevated valuation dispersion and increased public market inefficiencies, which should create a [...]
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Water bills set for hefty hike as Ofwat judgement looms

  • December 18, 2024
The water regulator Ofwat is set to allow bills to rise by at least 21 per cent in the next five years, as part of its long-awaited decision on the financial future of the scandal-hit industry on Thursday. Ofwat will reveal its final determination for how much water firms are allowed to hike their bills [...]
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Shops being ‘thwacked by colossal’ employment costs

  • December 18, 2024
Business rates rises totalling £7.6m are being faced by shops in Scotland when the new tax year starts, according to new figures. A total of 4,520 shops liable for the intermediate and higher property rates will experience an increase in their rates bills, according to information obtained by Conservative MSP Craig Hoy and published by [...]
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B&Q owner Kingfisher sells underperforming Romanian arm

  • December 17, 2024
Kingfisher has agreed to sell its Brico Dépôt Romania business for £58m to Altex Romania. The sale, which is expected to be completed in the first half of the next financial year, comprises the entire Brico Dépôt Romania business, including its network of 31 stores in 24 cities, distribution operations, and head office in Bucharest. It [...]
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