19 March 2010

Deals surge

01/06/2005

Corporate activity continues to be brisk in the insurance sector. Banking giant HSBC is to pay £580 million to double its holding in Ping An, China’s second largest life assurer, to 20 per cent.

HSBC is buying its second ten per cent in Ping An, which has 20 million policyholders in a market expected to double to £26 billion in three years, from US investment banks Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley and paying nearly twice what it paid for its initial ten per cent.

Meanwhile, London-listed South African financial services combine Old Mutual is negotiating the possible acquisition of Skandia, the biggest insurer in the Nordic region, where Wall Street player Carl Icahn has recently built a stake. Closer to home, broker Numis is planning to bring Advent Capital Holdings, the Lloyd’s reinsurance specialist headed by veteran star underwriter Brian Caudle, to AIM with a fundraising, potentially in equity and debt, to the tune of a possible £50 million.

Sector: Nonlife Insurance

Companies: , Old Mutual , Advent Capital

Subscribe today

£7,277

That’s what you would have in your portfolio if you had invested £6,000 into the six Company Watch recommendations in our April 2009 issue.

Subscribe now and receive a 50% discount

Free – Latest Stock Recommendations

Free access to the latest AIM stock recommendations and news from the award-winning Growth Company Investor team. Receive our tips on what stocks to buy direct to your inbox every Tuesday and Friday. Find out more today.

Select your level of risk and we select the funds

Cautious? Positive? Adventurous? Choose between three levels of risk for a fund of funds from Sharefunds, our sister company. Click here for more information.

The AIM Guide 2009/10

The brand new, fully updated AIM Guide 2009/2010 is now available to purchase. AIM Guide is the only fully comprehensive guide to AIM and is regarded as 'must-have' for any serious investor or professional interested in the market for young, fast-growing companies.   Order your copy today and benefit from a £10 discount!

VCT Special Report 2009

This report's principal aim is to provide business owners seeking funding with information about the amount of funds that VCTs have to invest. Click here for more information.

Cash Shells Special Report 2009

Business XL, the award-winning monthly magazine for growing companies, is delighted to announce the launch of a new study on cash shells. The research provides a comprehensive overview of cash shells on AIM, companies that have become a significant feature on the AIM landscape. Buy the Cash Shells 2009 Research Report today or email Halid Delkic to obtain a free two-page abstract.

Growth Company Features, Research and Analysis

In-depth coverage of selected AIM companies within the small-cap and fast growing company sector including AIM and PLUS Markets shares and listed stocks. Company research and analysis from GCI analysts updated daily.

Popular Features

Aim   Boardroom Moves   Breaking-even   Buy/hold   Cash   Commodities   Credit Crunch   Deals & Contracts   Debt   Defensive   Director Dealing   Dividends   Downgrades   Emerging Markets   Full List   Fundraisings   Growth Stocks   Mergers & Acquisitions   New Issues   Penny Shares   Plus Markets   Profit Warnings   Renewables   Restructuring   Sell/avoid   Speculative Punts   Technology   Turnaround   Undervalued  

Latest Features

PLUS news 11/03/2010

Retail-focused stock exchange PLUS has regaled investors again with news of upbeat trading volumes during January.

AIM news 11/03/2010

The AIM All-Share index dipped and rose slightly but essentially failed to move much over the course of February, starting at 667.27 points and closing at 667.24 as the market took a breather.

Sector: Support Services

Companies: Eatonfield , OPG Power Ventures , Intandem Films , Glisten

Sector: Retail 11/03/2010

Snowfall fails to help retail recovery

Sector: General Retailers

More Features

Sectors

Aerospace & Defence   Alternative Energy   Automobiles & Parts   Banks   Beverages   Chemicals   Construction & Materials   Electricity   Electronic & Electrical Equipment   Equity Investment Instruments   Fixed Line Telecommunications   Food & Drug Retailers   Food Producers   Forestry & Paper   Gas, Water & Multiutilities   General Financial   General Industrials   General Retailers   Health Care Equipment & Services   Household Goods   Industrial Engineering   Industrial Metals   Industrial Transportation   Leisure Goods   Life Insurance   Media   Mining   Mobile Telecommunications   Nonequity Investment Instruments   Nonlife Insurance   Oil & Gas Producers   Oil Equipment, Services & Distribution   Personal Goods   Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology   Real Estate  
Vitesse Media Events