Brian Bollen's Blog

Fundbase launches new acceleration programme

Fundbase, a platform for discovering, analysing and executing alternative investments, is promoting a new “Acceleration Programme”, which it describes as an exclusive initiative that brings the best and brightest fund managers and funds to the most demanding global alternative investors online.

Regulatory reform largest driver

Ongoing regulatory reform is the single largest driver in the evolution of the UK funds industry, according to more than 45% of fund managers, prospective clients and consultants attending a Northern Trust seminar on regulation, hosted by its Depositary Services business in London this month. The event, ‘Harness the Benefits from Regulatory and Market Change’, was attended by more than 70 fund managers, prospective clients and consultants.

UK electricity: demand to fall, coal and gas to be squeezed

Could there be further good news in store for UK power consumers and bad news for investors in traditional power generators? The answer to both questions is surely yes if a recent assessment of the industry by Moody's Investors Service is accurate (Europe's Electricity Markets: In Britain, falling demand and new capacity will squeeze coal and gas).

What is street food?

I've been puzzling over the term 'street food' for quite some time, more or less ever since it became fashionable. What IS street food?, I kept asking myself.

This morning it hit me. Street food is chip vans and burger vans. Little did we know back in Airdrie in the 1960s that Mr Chippy was in the vanguard of a food revolution...

Deutsche Börse and Irish Stock Exchange extend links

Deutsche Börse Market Data + Services is taking over the hosting of the Irish Stock Exchange’s new trading surveillance system. The Irish Stock Exchange has used Deutsche Börse’s Xetra trading platform since June 2000. From today, Deutsche Börse will host the hardware on its premises in Frankfurt and provide support services.

A good day not to pay the IMF

Mint – Blain’s Morning Porridge 

Last day of the first half of the year, the sun is shining and all is right with the world.. What’s to worry about? It’s a good day for not paying the IMF (International Monetary Fund)!

Every minute of my age

Sometimes I feel every minute of my age. Such as now, after an hour or so in the garden transplanting tomato plants from pots into the ground. I didn't realise how humid it was/is and the sweat began pouring after a minute or two. My legs feel like jelly and I am wiped out, and only 20% of the way through the job...

Targetting US investors? New report from BNP Paribas

BNP Paribas Securities Services reports the publication of a guide to help non-US investment managers distribute their funds into the US (Exploring America: a guide to accessing the US Mutual Fund Marketplace).

RMB MoU for CCB and Euroclear

Euroclear Bank and China Construction Bank (CCB) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU). The aim is to further develop the offshore Renminbi (RMB) capital market.

What does this button do?

Mint – Blain’s Morning Porridge

“So.. what does this red button marked 'do not touch do?'”

Alternative to Grexit

Can I suggest an alternative to the dreadful neologisms Grexit and Brexit, as words to describe possible Greek departure from the euro and British departure from the European Union? I've thought from the start that they are absolutely awful but it only hit me the other day when I started thinking about using a non-English word for the exit component.

How about using 'uscita', the Italian word, to give us Gruscita and Bruscita? Much more euphonius, I'd say.

You can’t handle the truth

Mint – Blain’s Morning Porridge
“The truth? You can’t handle the truth.”.. “Did you order the code-red?” .. “You’re Goddamn right I did..”

Greece: another day, still no deal

Another day passes with no deal on Greece and investors are likely to want to position themselves for negotiations to go on into the weekend by reducing exposure to risk assets, suggests Angus Campbell, senior analyst at FXPro, the foreign exchange trading platform.

Oh no, not again

Mint – Blain’s Morning Porridge: “Curiously enough, the only thing that went through the mind of the bowl of petunias was “oh, no, not again”...”

Caution and trepidation rule; rate hikes hard to stomach

As we head towards the end of the first half investors seem to be approaching the second half of 2015 with a distinct degree of caution and trepidation, observes Angus Campbell, senior analyst at FxPro, the foreign exchange trading platform.

Silverfleet backs women’s clothing MBO

Silverfleet Capital, a European private equity firm, has today announced its agreement to acquire Masai Clothing Company ApS, a Danish womenswear clothing brand.  This is the first investment that Silverfleet has made from its new €850m fund, Silverfleet Capital II, which closed last month.  

Boosted dollar will be tested

The dollar was given a boost yesterday after Fed voting member Jerome Powell spoke of his preference for a September rate hike by the FOMC and even two hikes this year, says Angus Campbell, senior analyst at FxPro, the foreign exchange trading platform.

Why are the Greeks up a creek?

A simple question to which there would appear to be a simple answer: paying themselves too much.

I read an eye-watering story the other day about a Greek pensioner bemoaning the prospect of further cuts to his state pension. It would take a heart of stone not to be touched by his plight. Except that the figures quoted in the story tell us that his reduced pension is approximately £400 a week (I'm afraid I can't quote chapter and verse on the source as I wasn't taking notes; you'll have to accept my anecdotal evidence).

Compare that with the current standard UK state pension, the qualification age for which for me was recently raised to 67, and for my wife from 60 to 67, of around £110. If you make allowances for the different costs of living in Greece and the UK, I calculate that the Greek state pension (which I am reliably informed by my respected chum Bill Blain is paid to hairdressers from the age of 50) is several multiples too high. I also read earlier in the ongoing crisis of a Greek woman who had retired from a government or quasi-government job at the age of 39.

That is why, in essence, the Greeks are up a creek.

If looks could kill

Mint – Blain’s Morning Porridge: If looks could kill they probably will in games without frontiers..

And now the fun stuff begins. In this version of Jeux Sans Frontieres, the plucky little Greek chap has four days to clamber up the grease-smeared waterslide, deliver implausible promises from the other competitors dressed as commissars, pensioners, Greek hairdressers (who can retire at 50) and left-wing radicals, while being pelted with rotten eggs and hosed down with water cannon.

UK PE returns double other returns

Pension funds that do not already invest in private equity as an asset class should certainly think about it. That is the clear message to be taken from the BVCA’s annual Performance Measurement Survey which examines the performance of UK private equity and venture capital funds and how they compare against other asset classes.