Warning over interest rates as businesses left exposed

Asset and equipment finance lenders will have a key role to play in helping businesses plan to mitigate the cost of potential interest rate rises this year, according to industry experts. Executives at Hadrian’s Wall Capital, the London-based specialist debt adviser, say just 11% of the £416 billion in total stock of loans to UK businesses is provided on a fixed rate, a third lower than two years ago. With an interest rate rise expected in May, this could leave businesses with huge exposure to higher costs.

Warning over interest rates as businesses left exposed

Apr 16, 2018

Asset and equipment finance lenders will have a key role to play in helping businesses plan to mitigate the cost of potential interest rate rises this year, according to industry experts. Executives at Hadrian’s Wall Capital, the London-based specialist debt adviser, say just 11% of the £416 billion in total stock of loans to UK businesses is provided on a fixed rate, a third lower than two years ago. With an interest rate rise expected in May, this could leave businesses with huge exposure to higher costs.

Santander builds ties to support China’s $900bn Belt and Road initiative

Santander and Bank of Shanghai have announced a strategic alliance as part of China’s Belt and Road initiative, one of the world’s biggest infrastructure projects. The memorandum of understanding between the two banks will focus on Europe and Latin America elements of the Chinese-led project to connect its mainland, the ASEAN countries, the Middle East, and Central and Eastern Europe via road and maritime routes. The initiative is set to be the defining legacy of Xi Jinping, China’s president, which has already attracted world leaders to discuss how the initiative will develop.

Santander builds ties to support China’s $900bn Belt and Road initiative

Apr 12, 2018

Santander and Bank of Shanghai have announced a strategic alliance as part of China’s Belt and Road initiative, one of the world’s biggest infrastructure projects. The memorandum of understanding between the two banks will focus on Europe and Latin America elements of the Chinese-led project to connect its mainland, the ASEAN countries, the Middle East, and Central and Eastern Europe via road and maritime routes. The initiative is set to be the defining legacy of Xi Jinping, China’s president, which has already attracted world leaders to discuss how the initiative will develop.

Lack of funding robs UK SMEs of growth opportunities

More than a million small and medium-sized businesses in the UK have missed out on at least one new business opportunity in the past year because of a lack of funding. On average, lost business deals caused by finance concerns cost SMEs nearly £80,000 a year, according to new research carried out by specialist bank Aldermore for its Future Attitudes report. The report surveyed more than 1,000 business decision-makers across the UK and found a 4% increase in the number of companies affected by lack of funding in the past year.

Lack of funding robs UK SMEs of growth opportunities

Apr 10, 2018

More than a million small and medium-sized businesses in the UK have missed out on at least one new business opportunity in the past year because of a lack of funding. On average, lost business deals caused by finance concerns cost SMEs nearly £80,000 a year, according to new research carried out by specialist bank Aldermore for its Future Attitudes report. The report surveyed more than 1,000 business decision-makers across the UK and found a 4% increase in the number of companies affected by lack of funding in the past year.

EMEA

Aldermore accredited under British Business Bank’s Enterprise Finance Guarantee programme

Mar 28, 2018

Aldermore, the specialist bank, has become an accredited provider under the British Business Bank’s Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) programme. The accreditation will enable Aldermore to increase its supply of asset finance to the small business sector. The new offering will initially be offered through select introducers, before being rolled out across Aldermore’s broker network in the coming months. Aldermore will offer the asset finance element of the programme in the first instance, but it has plans to join other variants of the scheme in the near future.

Americas

Lease accounting changes hit balance sheets

Apr 20, 2018

Three-quarters of the US companies with the biggest leasing commitments have reported a material impact on their corporate balance sheet caused by changes to lease accounting standards. The claims are contained in analysis by software specialist LeaseAccelerator of regulatory disclosures made to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Asia Pacific

Standard Chartered commits $20bn to Chinese growth plan

Jan 10, 2018

Standard Chartered Bank has announced a commitment to support the Chinese-led ‘Belt & Road’ initiative by facilitating financing of at least $20 billion by 2020. Standard Chartered argues it is one of only a few truly global banks that can facilitate trade, capital and investment flows across Belt & Road markets. It already makes around 85% of its income from Asia, Africa and the Middle East.