RSS feedsMergers improve[QQ] Only 30% of mergers and acquisitions create shareholder value, according ?to a KPMG transaction services survey. This is a marked improvement on the ?last survey in 1999, which found that only 17% of deals added value.
In turn, the percentage of deals that destroy value has fallen from 53% to ?31%. The balance had no discernible impact.
www.kpmg.com
UK funds fall in value
The average pension fund is estimated to have fallen in value by 6% in the ?first three months of 2001, according to The WM Company. The continuing ?fall in technology and telecom stocks - down 70% and 50% respectively ?since March last year - has helped pull down UK equities by 8.4% in ?Q1.
Overseas bonds, +2.2%, were the best performing asset class over the ?quarter followed by property, +1.9%.
The WM Company, (0131) 315 2000
People find saving hard
A survey by personal finance website The Motley Fool found that, when ?presented with an Individual Savings Account brochure, a French menu, a ?video recorder manual, a Shakespeare play and a car manual, 26% of people ?said they found the ISA brochure the most difficult to understand. Eight ?out of ten people did not understand the difference between a tax-free ISA ?and an IFA, or Independent Financial Adviser.
Property is safe as houses
UK commercial property was the best performing asset class of 2000, ?generating a return of +10.4%, compared to -5.9% for equities, says Knight ?Frank.
It is expected to once again be the best performer against equities and ?gilts for 2001, and should generate a double digit return for the sixth ?year running.
www.knightfrank.com
Staff aren't loyal
Fewer than half of employees would recommend their organisation as one of ?the best places to work, according to a study by AON. While many companies ?have acknowledged work/life balance issues, the survey has found that a ?third of respondents would leave their job if offered a similar position ?with slightly higher pay.
www.aon.com
Banks get thumbs up
Most treasurers feel that banks are providing the services they need to ?support their business, according to a survey at the Association of ?Corporate Treasurers annual conference. Only 15% claim to be using the ?internet for forex or other money market trading though a third are ?considering using multi-bank web portals.
Dotcoms measure up
Dotcom companies are more concerned with measuring business performance ?than are traditional businesses, claims a survey by the Cranfield School ?of Management Centre for Business Performance. Almost 90% of dotcoms ?measure customer loyalty and profitability, compared with 41% of "clicks ?and mortar" companies, and 26% of traditional businesses. But dotcoms are ?warned against having too many measures.
www.cranfield.ac.uk/som
