By Ian Fraser Published: QFINANCE Date: July 26th, 2011 The package of measures thrashed out by French president Nicolas Sarkozy, German chancellor Angela Merkel and other European policymakers at their emergency summit on July 21 was immediately hailed for its boldness. After months of prevarication the continent’s leaders seemed to have pulled out all the [...]
By Ian Fraser Published: Sunday Herald Date: July 17th, 2011 There aren’t many signs of national bankruptcy in Siena. There is the odd boarded-up shop and the occasional “everything under 99c” store but the cafes are full and la dolce vita goes on. So it came as a shock to find that Italy is being lined [...]
By Ian Fraser Published: QFINANCE Date: July 11th, 2011 Accountancy has changed beyond recognition since the 1970s. At that time the accountancy professor Roy Sidebotham wrote: “There seems to be no limit to the optimism of businessmen… which the growing complexity of the market opens up. The first line of defence of investors and creditors is the [...]
By Ian Fraser Published: Sunday Herald Date: July 10th, 2011 THE police force investigating an alleged £1 billion fraud at the former Reading operation of HBOS has no plans to probe the possible role of the bank’s former senior executives and board directors in the scandal. Thames Valley Police, working in conjunction with the Serious Organised [...]
By Ian Fraser Published: Financial Times Date: July 3rd, 2011 There were a few raised eyebrows in the City when fixed-income manager Rod Davidson (pictured right) declared recently that lack of liquidity in the market was making it impossible for the managers of large bond funds to actively manage their portfolios – and by extension [...]