Sunday newspaper round-up: Nationwide, Close Brothers, Gold

(Sharecast News) - Nationwide will announce a £2bn gain on its £2.9bn takeover of Virgin Money in its half-year results, this Wednesday, likely triggering a windfall for its customers. The building society will also turbo-charge investment in the combined business on top of its recently begun 500 person hiring spree. As well, millions of members are in line for more 'fairer share' perks. - Financial Mail on Sunday There is speculation in the markets that Close Brothers may need to sell assets, perhaps including Winterflood Securities. Some even believe that the firm itself might become a takeover target. Car loans account for a fifth of total lending, or about £2bn. But what once was a booming sector has turned sour. Hence, the lender may now be forced to divest assets in order to meet compensation claims. - Financial Mail on Sunday

Endeavour Mining boss Ian Cockerill is a strong believer in gold as a "store of value". He of course has an interest in inciting gold buying. Nonetheless, Cockerill points to how the yellow metal has fulfilled precisely that role over the past four or five millennia. - The Sunday Times

Recruiters have seen a flood of new job applications from workers angry over a flurry of return-to-office mandates at large companies. Two-thirds of recruiters have seen such applications increase, the results of a survey show. Three-quarters of recruiters meanwhile had observed candidates turning down rules that did not include hybrid working. - Guardian