Innovative ski brand Planks seeks first £100,000 Venture Debt on Crowd2Fund

Miranda Wadham
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Innovative ski brand Planks seeks first £100,000 Venture Debt on Crowd2Fund
Innovative skiwear brand Planks Clothing is seeking a £100,000 venture debt, payable at an APR of 15 percent to manufacture and purchase stock ahead of the next ski season.
They are the first company to use Crowd2Fund’s new venture debt product which allows early stage high growth revenue businesses to access short term project finance.
The company first began trading in 2009, and was started by Jim Adlington, a former professional skier whose work has taken him all over the world. He was inspired to start Planks when he noticed that the increasing popularity of free-skiing – a type of skiing akin to extreme sports – created the opportunity for a brand to capitalise on the changing reputation of the sport.
The philosophy of the company is comes from a collective passion for skiing, alongside creative functional high quality products, which have a broad appeal to a wide range of consumers who love the mountains. This is perhaps best summed up by the slogan of the company, which is “Drop cliffs not bombs.” Adlington said, “At Planks, we feel very fortunate for every moment we get to spend in the mountains. Skiing can provide an amazing sense of freedom & creativity. It allows us to express ourselves in any way we like – how we ski, where we go, who we’re with & what we wear. Planks Clothing is available to purchase through the company’s website and through a range of Planks retail units in key ski resorts in France, such as Morzine, La Plagne and Meribel. Additionally, the product range is available to purchase at third party retailers globally; in Europe, North America and Australasia.” The Crowd2Fund venture debt loan will allow the company to procure stock for the next ski season ahead of time, with follow on revenues from the new lines allowing the company to pay back the loan. This will help the business achieve their long term aim of continuing to achieve growth, entering new markets and sports, whilst enhancing company wide efforts to become more conscious about Planks’ impact on the planet by taking a lead on sustainable production. The company have chosen to raise venture debt on Crowd2Fund due to its ease of use and flexibility, neither of which are provided by traditional finance institutions. Adlington says, “Crowd2Fund fills a gap in the market that the banking sector is currently unable to meet by providing debt, or short term financing to small businesses. For businesses like Planks that have an annual working capital cycle this provides a great, flexible solution to short term financing needs.” For more information on the campaign and how to get involved, visit their campaign page here.

Ladbrokes Coral shares plunge after “challenging conditions” lead to revenue fall

Miranda Wadham
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Ladbrokes Coral shares plunge after “challenging conditions” lead to revenue fall
“Challenging conditions” on the high street negatively impacted quarterly results are bookmakers Ladbrokes Coral (LON:LCL), who saw total revenue fall 2 percent over the period. The amount bet over the counter in shops fell 7 percent between the start of the year and April 23, leading to a downwards pressure on revenue. Total net revenue in the UK fell by 2 percent, despite a 5 percent rise in group revenue.

Chief executive Jim Mullen said the retail business continued to “exhibit the negative trends reported since the middle of 2016”, pointing towards the “challenging” conditions on the UK high street.

The group’s online offering remains strong, with sales up 22 percent and helping mitigate the effects of slow over-the-cunter betting.

Mullen continued: “Trading in the period was in-line with our expectations. We see encouraging trends in Digital sportsbook and gaming with continued enthusiasm for our multi-channel products in all our major markets and over a million customers now signed up in the UK alone.” Ladbrokes shares are currently down 4.67 on the news at 122.30 (1544GMT).  

Euro zone business activity hits highest level in six years

Miranda Wadham
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0
Euro zone business activity hits highest level in six years
Euro zone business activity expanded by more than expected in the second quarter, according to the latest PMI figures released on Thursday. IHS Markit’s final Composite Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), one of the most important indicators of growth, rose to a six-year high of 56.8 in April. This is a rise from March’s figure of 56.4 and above initial expectations of 56.7. Chris Williamson, chief business economist at IHS Markit, said: “The PMI surveys portray an economy that is growing at an encouragingly robust pace and that risks are moving from the downside to a more balanced situation.” The figure echoes that of Euro zone manufacturing figures released earlier this week, where growth also hit a six year high.

8 Mid-Cap Monsters Shaking off Brexit Blues

Raymond Jones
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8 Mid-Cap Monsters Shaking off Brexit Blues

After the heavy selloff sparked by the Brexit vote, the FTSE 250 index has recovered sharply to hit record highs and post gains significantly in excess of its more glamorous sibling, the FTSE 100.

Rising earnings are the bedrock of this success, with company after company releasing positive results and updates in the last few months.

Download this report now and discover:

⇒ 8 FTSE 250 stocks shaking off Brexit blues

⇒ The impact of a conservative landslide on London’s mid-cap index

⇒ How currency fluctuations are driving share prices

This report is now publicly available, you can request your copy below:

Ocean Capital Group – Risk Warning Notice All investments contain an element of risk therefore the value of investments, and the income from them can fall as well as rise, and you may get back less than you invested. An investment’s past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and may be subject to change in the future. If in any doubt, please seek further independent advice. The information in this report is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person in any country or jurisdiction where such distribution or use would be contrary to local law or regulation Ocean Capital Group is a trading name of TS Capital Limited who is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 447281). Registered Office: TS Capital Limited, 4th Floor, 6 Lloyds Avenue, London EC3N 3AX. Details about the extent of our regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority are available from us upon request or can be accessed via the FCA Register at: register.fca.org.uk/

This report has been issued and approved by Ocean Capital Group

Grocery sector sees welcome boost as growth hits highest in three years

Miranda Wadham
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0
Grocery sector sees welcome boost as growth hits highest in three years
Sales at Britain’s supermarkets have finally started to pick up after a difficult couple of years, reporting the fastest growth in sales in three and a half years over the last quarter. The UK grocery market grew by 3.7 percent in the 12 weeks to 23 April, according to the consumer consultancy Kantar Worldpanel. Sales were driven by Easter food shopping and price rises driven by inflation, adding almost £1 billion in sales compared with a year earlier. Prices rose by 2.6 percent over the past quarter, up from 2.3 percent in the three months to the end of March. The positive figures come as a welcome boost for the grocery market, which has suffered from increasing price warfare and the advent of newcomers Lidl and Aldi. Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar, said: “All 10 major retailers are in growth for the first time in three and a half years, when we last saw like-for-like grocery inflation as high as it is now. While prices do look set to rise further, the current inflation rate of 2.6% is still below the average level experienced by shoppers between 2010 and 2014.” £325 million was spent on Easter eggs in the period, an increase on last year’s £294 million. Spending was boosted by a rise in teh price paid for the average egg, which grew 8.6 percent to hit £1.65.

Are Islamic markets a safe bet in times of uncertainty?

Miranda Wadham
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0
Are Islamic markets a safe bet in times of uncertainty?
Islamic markets may be a better bet for investors as uncertainty sends shockwaves through the financial sector, as evidence shows that markets in the region are able to withstand crises better than conventional indexes. The new research, published in the Pacific-Basin Finance Journal by researchers from Anglia Ruskin University alongside colleagues from Tunisia, the United States, France and Saudi Arabia, found that global financial crises strongly affect cross-market volatility, but due to the presence of Sharia-compliant stocks and Islamic bonds (sukuk) – which operate differently to those in conventional indexes – Islamic markets isolated themselves from non-Islamic counterparts during turbulent times. This meant they were better protected against potential shocks such as the Global Financial Crisis of 2007/2008, where mainstream markets collapsed simultaneously. Although there are volatility spillovers into Islamic markets during times of crises, they are significantly weaker that those that affect conventional indexes. For example, the contribution of the Dow Jones Islamic Market US index to the volatility of other Islamic stock markets is 66.56 percent, much lower than its contribution of 91.94 percent to volatility in conventional counterparts. Furthermore, the analysis of directional volatility spillovers show that the spillovers from each index to other Islamic indexes are below 20 percent during the crisis periods. This suggests the Islamic markets are ‘decoupling’ or isolating themselves from other indexes during times of financial turmoil. Dr Larisa Yarovaya, Lecturer in Accounting and Finance at Anglia Ruskin University, said: “During the last decade, Islamic assets have expanded in markets across the world, and they operate differently from their conventional counterparts. Our research shows that while these markets are not immune from financial shocks, Islamic markets have a tendency to isolate themselves quickly during times of turmoil, resulting in lower spillovers from troubled conventional markets. “These findings demonstrate that these markets are safe havens for investors looking to diversity their portfolio and to hedge market risk at times of financial turmoil elsewhere in the world,” Yarovava concluded.

Talk clearly and cut the jargon: the vital ingredients needed for a successful business sale

Miranda Wadham
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Talk clearly and cut the jargon: the vital ingredients needed for a successful business sale
It’s often been said that honesty is the best policy, and in the case of the mergers and acquisitions market, this has never been truer. According to business valuation expert, Company Valuation Services, business owners considering a sale should keep things concise and simple in order to stand the biggest chance of success in 2017. This year is predicted to be strong for mergers and acquisitions, meaning that there are exciting times ahead for those who are interested in selling. But business owners should prepare themselves thoroughly to ensure that they are putting their best foot forward. According to Gary Edwards, Marketing Manager at CVS, a successful sale is all down to clear communication, transparency and preparation. “2017 is predicted to have exciting things in store for the mergers and acquisitions market, but that doesn’t mean that business owners should leave everything to chance. The key to a successful sale is preparation, honesty, and a solid idea of how much your business is worth”, he said. “January saw a high volume of deals being finalised, and it would be fantastic to see this continue into the rest of the year. Preparing for every eventuality and working with experts if needs be can help ensure that your deal becomes part of the success statistics.” Read the guide in its entirety here.

P2P lending platform Kuflink gain full FCA regulation

Miranda Wadham
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P2P lending platform Kuflink gain full FCA regulation
UK-based lender Kuflink confirmed on Friday that it has received full FCA regulation, becoming the newest regulated peer-to-peer lender to enter the market. Kuflink’s peer-to-peer platform offers its clients security within a regulated and authorised framework, joining a similar lending infrastructure to that of the Britain’s big four banks. The lender’s vetting an due diligence system safeguards customers, with a separate credit committee engaged to assess all bridging transactions on the platform. Kuflink Group also includes Kuflink Bridging, who have been fully FCA regulated since October 2016.entered the short-term finance market to become one of the newest players in the growing sector of alternative finance; so far, only a few other lenders in the property market have been given full regulation by the FCA. Tarlochan Garcha, CEO of Kuflink, said: “Today’s announcement comes at an important time for Kuflink as we continue to fortify our position in the peer-to-peer lending and bridging space. Through our hard work and determination, our authorisation from the FCA validates our delivery of a regulated peer-to-peer service that allows our customers to engage and transact in a safe and secure environment. “I’m excited to announce that we are already preparing to launch an ISA as part of our services next month, and we look forward to supporting our expanding customer base over the course of the year”.

Directa Plus shares drop by a fifth as pre-tax loss trebles

Miranda Wadham
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0
Directa Plus shares drop by a fifth as pre-tax loss trebles
Shares in graphene producer Directa Plus (LON:DCTA) fell over 20 percent in early trading on Friday, after the company announced the trebling of its pre-tax loss. In its full year results for the 12 months to December 2016, Directa Plus reported an 89 percent revenue increase from graphene sales, excluding Mobile Decontamination Units (MDU), to 0.74 million euros, up from 0.39 million euros in 2015. However, adjusted loss after tax for the full year increased to 4.1 million euros, up from a 1.7 million euro loss in 2015. Looking ahead, the firm said “deepening engagement with existing and potential customers to provide more comprehensive solutions will mean timeframe to adoption will be up to 12 months longer than previously anticipated.” It added: “As a result, and together with the now expected slowdown in volumes in 2017 into tyre segment and the time required to conclude the ongoing discussions on rental or sales of MDUs, the Group now expects a significant reduction in anticipated revenues for 2017.” Shares in Directa Plus dropped dramatically on the news, currently trading down 21.55 percent at 71.00 (1123GMT).

Top five most successful movies about Wall Street

Miranda Wadham
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0
Top five most successful movies about Wall Street
In an eight-block-long street, which runs from Broadway to South Street in lower Manhattan, you can find one of the most famous names in the world. A name which carries the legendary status of being the home of power and money; that name is Wall Street. Being so globally recognized it is no wonder that Hollywood has on many occasions tried to cash in by producing films to capture Wall Street’s decadent appeal. With that in mind, I have created a list of the top five most successful movies about Wall Street. And as we are talking about investments and making money all the movies are ranked upon return on investment (ROI), the domestic total made, against the films production costs. All box office profits are adjusted for inflation.

5) Money Monster (2015)

Domestic Gross: $41,012,075. Production costs: $27,000,000. Profit/Loss: $14,012,075 ROI: 51% Starring everyone’s least favorite Batman, George Clooney, Money Monster is the story of a market analyst who uses his TV personality status to advise his audience on trading and Wall Street. When one of his viewers goes bankrupt following his advice, he is held hostage on live TV. Drama ensues.

4) Margin Call (2011)

Domestic Gross: $ 5, 354,039. Production costs: $3,500,000. Profit/loss: $1,854,039. ROI: 52.9% Margin Call tells the story of a Wall Street investment bank, experiencing the initial stages of the 2008 financial crisis. Told over a 36-hour period, it focuses on the actions taken by a group of employees who try to prevent the collapse of their firm which is overrun by toxic assets. With an all-star cast including the likes of Kevin Spacey and Jeremy Irons, it favored well with critics but only had a limited cinematic release. Still it makes fourth place on this list.

3) The Big short (2015)

Domestic Gross: $70,259,870 Production costs: 28,000,000. Profit/Loss: $42,259,870 ROI: 151% Another true story about the financial crisis, the Big Short is based upon a novel of the same name which tells the story of a number of hedge fund managers and investors who recognize that the US housing market is about to implode and see the opportunity to profit. With a star-studded cast and the use of unconventional filming techniques, the film was both a critical and financial success and was nominated for five Academy Awards – of which it only received one, best adapted screenplay. But hey it gets third place on my list.

2) Wall Street (1987)

Domestic Gross: $94,222,800. Production costs: $16,500,000. Profit/Loss: $77,722,800 ROI: 471% The original movie behind the number 7 spot on our list and the grandfather of them all; Wall Street. Straight off the success of his 1986 film, Platoon, it seemed that Oliver Stone could do no wrong. Stone whose own father was a stock broker wanted to tell the story of the corruption and greed that thrives in Wall Street. The villain of the piece is major Wall Street player Gordon Gekko, played by Michael Douglas who takes young and aspiring stock broker Bud Fox, (played by Charlie Sheen), under his wing and teaches him how to commit insider trading. Stone intended to tell the dark side of Wall Street but in the end the villain Gordon Gekko ended up becoming idolized by many would-be stock broker and the film itself has be contributed for inspiring many people to work on Wall Street. Critically acclaimed and a big box office smash, considering its subject matter, the movie also bagged Douglas an academy award for best supporting actor. “Greed is good”.

1) Trading Places (1983)

Domestic Gross: $248,254,400. Production costs: $15,000,000. Profit/Loss: $233,254,500 ROI: A massive 1555% Ok, I may be slightly cheating here as Trading Places is really a comedy but you could also argue the same about The Wolf of Wall Street, and there is only one scene which actually takes place at a Wall Street commodity trading floor, but that scene is pretty much the climax of the movie, so it does deserve its spot on the list. At the same time, even though it is a comedy, it is also a favorite of many traders (myself included) as well as one of the best Christmas movies of all time (again my opinion…. eating salmon through a Santa’s beard anyone?). Trading Places in many ways is a retelling of Mark Twain’s novel “The Prince and the Pauper” and is a story of two brothers (Duke and Duke) who own a very successful commodities brokerage who for a $1 bet, swaps around the lives of a young and successful managing director (Dan Aykroyd) with a street hustler (Eddie Murphy). Of course, the two in the end get their revenge on the two brokers by bankrupting them when they intercept an orange crop report bound for the two brothers and trade against them. From a personal point of view; I know many see the ending as a happy one; the two brothers get what they deserve and the two heroes end up being very rich and live on a tropical island, I believe when the two brothers were about to commit inside trading, our heroes turn the tables on them and end up inside trading themselves, making them no better or more deserving than the two brothers, but people cheer their success on, simply because they are the heroes. But hey, it’s a comedy so perhaps I should lighten up. The film was critically acclaimed and the 3rd biggest film of its year and won two Academy Awards for best supporting actor and best support actress. And I, like many of you still love it. By James Trescothick, Chief Global Strategist at easymarkets.com 
Data from: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/

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