News

12 Feb 2018

Empiric buys Southampton’s Emily Davies Hall

Empiric buys Southampton’s Emily Davies Hall – Empiric Student Property has acquired the freehold of a 240 bed student accommodation property in Southampton, the Emily Davies Halls of Residence, for GBP10.6 million (excluding costs). The property comprises affordable student accommodation configured in three and four bed apartments with 65 commercially let car parking spaces. The […]

09 Feb 2018

BioPharma Credit makes $150m loan to NovoCure

BioPharma Credit makes $150m loan to NovoCure – BioPharma Credit has entered into a definitive term senior secured loan agreement for US$150 million with NovoCure Limited (NASDAQ: NVCR), a commercial stage oncology company  with a current market capitalisation of approximately US$1.9 billion. The US$150 million loan will mature in February 2023 and bears interest at 9.0% […]

09 Feb 2018

British Land buys Woolwich Estate

British Land buys Woolwich Estate – British Land has acquired the Woolwich Estate, a retail-focused, multi-use estate covering 4.9 acres in south east London for a headline price GBP103 million representing a net initial yield of 4.1%. Part of the attraction for British Land is that it builds their portfolio of places benefitting from the Elizabeth Line, […]

09 Feb 2018

Swiss biotech trusts resilient after recent sell-off

Swiss biotech trusts resilient after recent sell-off – Swiss-listed biotech investment trusts, HBM Healthcare Investments (HBMN.S) and BB Biotech (BBB.S), have fared by far the best among all the sector specialist closed-end collective vehicles in the wake of the global market sell-off in recent days. All 13 trusts in the group monitored by Marten & Co have seen a fall […]

09 Feb 2018

AEW UK REIT buys Wakefield business park

AEW UK REIT buys Wakefield business park – AEW UK REIT has announced the acquisition of Diamond Business Park in Wakefield for GBP4.2m. The 201,543 sq ft multi-let property has a Net Initial Yield of 11.5% and comprises an industrial and office element. On the industrial side, there are 13 units totalling 172,584 sq ft leased […]

08 Feb 2018

LMS Capital exits Brockton Capital LLP

LMS Capital exits Brockton Capital LLP – In 2006 LMS, together with 3 other cornerstone investors, backed the establishment of Brockton Capital LLP, a private equity real estate investment adviser, and became an investor in Brockton Capital Fund I LP, a real estate investment fund.  The investment in the LLP gave LMS the right to participate in […]

08 Feb 2018

Franklin Templeton unveils new EM management line-up as Hardenberg departs

James Carthew of QuotedData provides comment to Mike Sheen of Investment Week on new EM management line-up at Franklin Templeton. Manraj Sekhon appointment as CIO of emerging markets equity coincides with a raft of changes in the asset class’s senior leadership team, which will be organised by strategy type, with directors overseeing global emerging markets, […]

08 Feb 2018

Polar Capital Financials Trust beats benchmark as banks do well

Polar Capital Financials Trust beats benchmark as banks do well – Polar Capital Financials Trust has published results for the year ended 30 November 2017. Over the period, the benchmark, the MSCI World Financials + Real Estate (RE) Index, rose by 14.2% but the fund beat this, delivering an NAV total return of 16.4%. The total […]

07 Feb 2018

Star fund manager leaves River and Mercantile Micro Cap

Star fund manager leaves River and Mercantile Micro Cap – Philip Rodrigs, manager of River & Mercantile Micro Cap, has left the management company following “an investigation into a professional conduct issue”. He is leaving the company today and the fund has not been affected by his actions. River & Mercantile Group has released the following […]

06 Feb 2018

Blue Capital Alternative Income reports improved market conditions

Blue Capital Alternative Income (BCAI) has provided an update on the January 2018 reinsurance renewals season. Mike McGuire, CEO of Blue Capital Management Ltd, says, “”Following the significant industry losses experienced in 2017, we are pleased to report improved market conditions during the January renewal period. On average, loss affected business benefited from renewing premium […]

06 Feb 2018

Tritax will fund new Eddie Stobart logistics facility

Tritax will fund new Eddie Stobart logistics facility – Tritax Big Box REIT has exchanged contracts, conditional on receiving full planning consent, to provide forward funding for the development of a new regional distribution centre at Midlands Logistics Park, Corby. The development asset is pre-let to Eddie Stobart Limited, one of the UK’s leading logistics […]

06 Feb 2018

Standard Life Property Income buys Grand National Retail Park

Standard Life Property Income buys Grand National Retail Park – Standard Life Investments Property Income Trust has completed the purchase of the Grand National Retail Park in Aintree for a price of GBP6.125m, reflecting an initial yield of 6.85%. The park is adjacent to the race course, and consists of 4 units let as a […]

05 Feb 2018

LXI buys Stobart biomass storage and processing plant

LXI buys Stobart biomass storage and processing plant – The board of LXi REIT says that the company has acquired the freehold interest in the Stobart biomass storage and processing plant in Rotherham, Yorkshire in a sale and leaseback transaction. The purchase price for the property is GBP3.4 million, reflecting a net initial yield of 6.2% (net of acquisition […]

05 Feb 2018

Hansteen sell IMPT portfolio to Warehouse REIT

Hansteen sell IMPT portfolio to Warehouse REIT – Hansteen has agreed to dispose of the Industrial Multi Property Trust (IMPT) portfolio for GBP116 million to an entity owned by Warehouse REIT. Hansteen acquired the portfolio through its successful offer for IMPT which was declared wholly unconditional on 25 April 2017. The portfolio consists of 51 UK multi-let […]

05 Feb 2018

Macau Properties sells Senado Square

Macau Properties sells Senado Square – Macau Property Opportunities Fund has conditionally agreed to sell its Senado Square retail redevelopment project to Ardent Success Limited and City Universe Limited, for HK$800 million (c. US$102.3 million. The sale price represents a premium of 14% to the property’s valuation of HK$703 million (c. US$90.0 million) as at 31 […]

02 Feb 2018

BB Biotech tops biotech trust league in January

BB Biotech tops biotech trust league in January Swiss-listed BB Biotech (BBB), managed by Bellevue Asset Management, was the best performing biotech-specialist investment trust in January, achieving a 4.8% rise in sterling-denominated NAV total return. Furthermore, with a tightening of its discount to NAV, BB biotech saw a 10.4% rise in its sterling-translated share price over […]

02 Feb 2018

The Investment Company switches manager

The Investment Company switches manager – The board of The Investment Company says that it is changing its investment manager from Miton Asset Management Limited to Fiske plc.   The board has agreed a period of notice with Miton and Fiske will assume responsibility for the portfolio from 1 April 2018. The board has thanked Miton for their […]

02 Feb 2018

Schroder European Real Estate sells two French supermarkets

Schroder European Real Estate sells two French supermarkets – Schroder European Real Estate Investment Trust says that the Casino Group, the French retailer, has exercised a buy-back option on the fund’s 70% share in two retail assets in France. The sale price reflects a 10% premium to current valuation. Schroder European Real Estate acquired the […]

02 Feb 2018

SQN finds new lessor for Snoozebox assets

SQN finds new lessor for Snoozebox assets – SQN Asset Finance Income Fund Limited has signed conditional agreements transferring the ownership of Snoozebox Limited, by purchasing it from the Administrator and selling it onward to a new owner which is part of a well-capitalised group experienced in the wider modular accommodation and in the oil and gas […]

02 Feb 2018

CatCo updates on 2018 portfolio and aftermath of 2017

CatCo updates on 2018 portfolio and aftermath of 2017 – CatCo Reinsurance Opportunities has published its forecasts for 2018 and updated investors on the outcome for 2017 where just 35% of ordinary shareholders’ capital is available for reinvestment in the new portfolio (the rest having been distributed, paid in reinsurance claims or tied up in […]

02 Feb 2018

John Laing Environmental adds another anaerobic digestion asset

John Laing Environmental adds another anaerobic digestion asset – John Laing Environmental Assets has  announced an investment in the Icknield Farm anaerobic digestion (AD) plant. The investment consists of the provision of a debt facility to repay existing loans and acquisition of a minority equity stake from private individuals who were the project’s developers for an […]

01 Feb 2018

Hammerson sells Battery Retail Park in Birmingham

Hammerson sells Battery Retail Park in Birmingham – Hammerson plc has exchanged contracts for the sale of Battery Retail Park, Birmingham, to NFU Mutual for GBP57.5 million. The retail park, covering a total of 12,600m(2) , is located in Selly Oak, south west of Birmingham city centre. Built in 1990, Battery Retail Park has benefitted […]

01 Feb 2018

Templeton loses Carlos Hardenberg

Templeton loses Carlos Hardenberg – Templeton Emerging Markets Investment Trust says that, with immediate effect, Mr. Chetan Sehgal, senior managing director, director of portfolio management overseeing the global emerging markets strategy at Franklin Templeton, has been appointed lead portfolio manager of Templeton Emerging Markets. They say that he will be further supported by an experienced […]

01 Feb 2018

Hibernia REIT buys office in Dublin South Docks

Hibernia REIT buys office in Dublin South Docks – Hibernia REIT has announced that it has exchanged contracts to acquire 77 Sir John Rogerson’s Quay for EUR28.7m. 77 Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, which was marketed by Savills, is a six storey office building of 34,400 sq. ft. with 20 basement car parking spaces which was constructed […]

01 Feb 2018

Tak Lee opposes Shaftesbury fundraise

Tak Lee opposes Shaftesbury fundraise – On 30 January Shaftesbury announced that it had received a statement from Mr. Samuel Tak Lee, the ultimate beneficial owner of a 25.02% stake in the company.  The statement indicates that the shares ultimately owned by Mr. Samuel Tak Lee will be voted against the following resolutions to be proposed at […]

31 Jan 2018

PRS REIT plans to expand

PRS REIT plans to expand – PRS REIT has made a number of announcements recently. Maiden Dividend The board has declared a maiden dividend of 1.5p for the period to 31 December 2017. The company is targeting a total dividend of 5.0p for the period ending 30 June 2018, and 5.0p for the year from 1 July 2018 […]

30 Jan 2018

Sequoia board brings in external consultants

Sequoia board brings in external consultants – in an unusual move, the board of Sequoia Economic Infrastructure has appointed independent consultants to advise the board on risk management and overview the manager’s investment decisions. They say that “As independent consultants, Tim Drayson and Kate Thurman will provide guidance to the board on the overall approach to […]

30 Jan 2018

BlackRock Commodities Income sticks with lower dividend

BlackRock Commodities Income sticks with lower dividend – Over the year to 30 November 2017, BlackRock Commodities Income delivered a negative return on net assets of 3.2% and the share price return was -4.4%. Over the same period, the Euromoney Global Mining Index rose by 8.9% and the MSCI World Energy Index fell by 4.1% […]

29 Jan 2018

GCP Infrastructure provides solar funding

GCP Infrastructure provides solar funding – The board of GCP Infrastructure says that the company has subscribed for three new loan notes for a consideration of c.GBP105 million. The loan notes, with an expected term ranging between 22 and 24 years, will be used to provide funding for the acquisition of twenty two ground mounted and […]