Jeremy Corbyn announces new shadow cabinet amid mass resignations June 27, 2016 Jeremy Corbyn has announced ten new members of his top team this morning in defiance of the slew of resignations engulfing Labour's frontbench and ahead of a crucial meeting of MPs later this evening. As a host of shadow ministers resigned this morning, Corbyn has already promoted a number of loyalists and insiders to senior positions in his shadow [...]
Best Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2015 travel deals and cheap flights: Discounts on ski holidays, Mediterranean cruises London hotels and Los Angeles flights November 26, 2015 The shopping deals we’ve all been waiting for are upon us. Yes, Black Friday is here at last, and the travel industry is getting in on the action. After all, whether you’re planning to brave the crowds of the high street, or the crashing websites of online retailers buckling under the strain, when it’s all [...]
John Lewis Xmas ad is the full monty… November 5, 2014 It’s the advertising moment of the year – retailer John Lewis launches its Christmas advertising campaign this morning, in anticipation of its first TV airing tomorrow night before Channel 4’s Goggle Box. The ad, by agency Adam & Eve DDB, revolves around a penguin called Monty and a little boy called Sam and is set [...]
The infinite bookshop: How Chinese architects created a reflective space using mirrors July 7, 2016 With Amazon, ebooks and high street supermarkets pushing bookshops to the brink of extinction, the few independent sellers remaining have sought to reinvent themselves as shrines to literacy, intimate meeting places for authors and their readers, and serene reading grounds amidst the urban noise. One such spot is Zhongshuge-hangzhou, a newly- opened bookshop in Hong [...]
Black Friday 2015 UK: Currys PC World reveals deals on Nespresso, Dyson, LG, Samsung, Sony and Bosch goods November 24, 2015 Currys PC World has launched its Black Friday 2015 bargains today, promising 40 per cent more stock will be available and 30 per cent more deals on offer than last year. In total, Currys PC World is promising more than 3,000 deals on top brands including Nespresso, Dyson, LG, Samsung, Sony and Bosch across a 10-day event starting [...]
Minority Game: What stock investors can learn from the failure of Black Friday December 1, 2015 Black Friday has come and gone, but the massive surge of shoppers which was anticipated in much of the media failed to materialise. Many retail outlets were quieter than a normal Friday. In contrast, internet shopping went wild. Amazon had its biggest ever day in the UK, selling over 7m items. Argos and John Lewis [...]
Your new must-have gadget is already in your attic – CNBC Comment December 8, 2015 It’s finally happened. As well as my ever-expanding waistline and retreating hairline, there’s been an important development in my life. In the last few weeks, a sizeable chunk of wall space in my living room has been taken up by a collection of 12-inch LPs, and a rather weighty hi-fidelity music system complete with a [...]
Black Friday UK 2015: Asda might be right to scale back its bargains on 27 November – but shoppers will still expect the deals November 10, 2015 Last year Black Friday broke the internet. Well, not quite; but it did break the websites of many UK retailers which struggled to cope with demand. In stores the occasion created Walking Dead type scenes, with hoards of shoppers frantically clawing for the best bargains. Given that these are sure signs that the event – [...]
Marks & Spencer dividend can’t hide fashion disaster as Next and Primark steal market share November 5, 2015 It's that time of year again. The nights are drawing in, the heating’s turned up, minor celebrities are switching on high street Christmas lights… and Marks & Spencer has revealed another disappointing half-year performance. Admittedly, shares rose yesterday – up 2.8 per cent – but this was more due to a modest improvement to margins and a [...]
Adam Posen, Simon Wren-Lewis and Lord John McFall to join former rate-setter Danny Blanchflower on Labour committee reviewing the Bank of England’s remit October 15, 2015 Labour economic adviser David "Danny" Blanchflower will be joined by US economist Adam Posen, Oxford professor Simon Wren-Lewis, and former Treasury Select Committee chair Lord John McFall, to develop proposals for a change to Bank of England’s remit. The Bank currently adjusts interest rates to ensure inflation will be two per cent over a two-year horizon. Read more: Blanchflower [...]