Santander was planning an IPO in London in February even as Northern Rock proved to the world it could score profits. Its restructured GBP 20 bn retail bank and the other bad bank with questionable morts and other securities have evinced interest from Branson as well, but that seemed to be back of the agenda, as the Labor party managed to squeak easy in the marginal elections..
Santander is already on way to floating an IPO in Shanghai with ICBC its new partner..but in UK WSJ’s Simon Nixon seemed to think the move precipitate and unlikely to bring any success. Spanish Santander is behind Walton Bank being set up be an ex Panmure analyst , Sandy Chen. Paul Walton’s Bank would have listed on the Alternative Investment Market last month for its initial GBP 200m Plans. Invesco Perputual and M&G have backed Sandy Chen upt o GBP 95 m ( currently $135 m, likely $100m?)
Also branch networks of Lloyds and RBS have not been sold off despite insistent requests from the Competition Commission, and are likely to result in new SME focused banks or retail specialists for HBOS and other buyers as the case may be. UK’s debt of 83% of GDP makes it eligible as an investment bank by itself with this leverage ratio of 1:6 being pretty healthy as banks go even today. Maaybe these sovereigns should get IPO badges too. Apart from significantly higher TCE, the IPO ‘published’ banks also get ready consumer acceptance and equity is much more risk friendly for the listing entity in case of failure. May be the people who could stand Madoff for ten years would do that right now. UK IPOs on the anvil include a lot of retailers and with the UK on verge of retail hyper marts wihth banking products thru 2005-10, this might be good capital for a bank too:
FT.com
Merlin, the theme park operator and owner of Madame Tussauds, New Look, the high street retailer and Sir Richard Branson’s fitness chain Virgin Active, are among the most high profile of UK companies expected to arrive on the LSE early in 2009.
Meanwhile $10bn profit yielding HSBC has moved headquarters to Hongkong after the Bonus tax of 50% and bankers are busy posting handouts to familiees and friends in London to complain against the Bonus tax.
Related Websites
Blog Awards
Also
Postrank Top Blogs 2009 across 50 categories
Lifestyle Infrastructure
One of our special themes at the Advantages weblogs has been our assertion that US, India, China and most of the rest of the world that is growing
is likely to do so on the basis of a consumption revolution. Below is out insight piece that opened the chapter on India's final coming out that was much awaited but wasn't really happening till 2009..
The Commonwealth Games Infrastructure Train
A few years ago, when the Indian women shot Gold in Commonwealth Hockey and our aim in general started consistently being medal grade, we won the bid for New Delhi to host the games in 2010. This business of infrastructure had been mystifying sportspersons for decades in India; none too easily supported by the overarching smell of rent and inadequate facilities for local sports persons historically.
Even today most sports would bow out in front of Cricket and that is not a full-fledged event at the CWG, though there is still a toss-up for the T20 version to be added. Like most other spheres of life, China has been doing it higher, faster and stronger, having already held the challenging Olympics in 2008 earning over $2b for Beijing, the host city.
The story is quite public and you must have all followed it at least since August 2009 when the first few fistcuffs were exchanged regarding the lack of preparations for the CWG event now just 6-7 months away. The Sports Minister and the Games Organising Committee Chair Suresh Kalmadi has variously ben painted and vilified while we look at the rejuvenated parts of Wembley in London and survive on facepaint and cheering the local IPL franchise in Cricket games. The painting of events apart we just thought it important for Sports and Tourist infrastructure worth $1.5 billion to be included in the India story at about this time.
This preamble would survive your taste buds and your snipping scissors in the mind and we�ll come back right after lunch is over for you..
And the Original piece..follow up article on our Lifestyle Economics stream
If you have been following the India story closely, India�fs new developments are focussed on Infrastructure and Retail along with giant leaps in the Entertainment business. You can look closely at the India stories athttp://advantages.us/inframils to get a flavor of what�fs happening in Indian Infrastructure
On the other hand Retail Lifestyle businesses are increasingly attracting investors�cRural Markets may grow at a faster pace at least on the Drawing board. �c Where is Investor access? Why is it still on the government to make it happen? The FDI limits and the others are fairly rational policies..but where are the investors?..
Nanos will roll into homes by July end and IPL teams are already applying for trademarks as it looks set to become the greatest sporting extravaganza in the world, already ranked at #2 behind the NFL season in the USA. The 3G challenge will tear at Telecom companies�f profits in the coming years�c
(The image is of a young indian golfer in Scotland)
BUT, Importantly, India caught on to serious lifestyle investments early in 2005, Today with the debut of Cox and Kings IPO..
Where it is now?
Towns like Jalandhar, Ludhiana in Punjab, Jaipur and Agra on the Golden Triangle and such state capitals, heritage and business towns like Ahmedabad, Surat and Nagpur present a unique opportunity for Indian hospitality business to scale up, esp as Indian railways, india�fs aviation footprint and the road infrastructure will follow in step with the boom. Note: The Indian Maharaja with TC, Maharajas Express with Cox & Kings, and the other two luxury trains have started first season bookings quite well and money is being spendt to add gym and pool to the Palace on wheels as well ( More here ) Golden Palace started from Bangalore is not doing so well apparently. The Maharajas Express for example is 84 persons at an average of $1000 per night for a 7 day- 8 night tour between Mumbai and Delhi
