The government must take back control of the Covid narrative October 21, 2020 The word “narrative” is usually seen as being a posh way of saying “story”. But the idea of narratives is one which is gaining traction in economics. Last year, for example, Nobel laureate Robert Shiller of Yale published a book entitled “Narrative Economics”. He argued that it is the perception of events and the stories [...]
Before the Bell: Europe called higher as Biden is due to announce $2trn stimulus January 14, 2021 Volatility in the markets was low across the board yesterday. There was no change to the macroeconomic outlook. “Hence why trading ranges were relatively small. Equity markets in Europe and the US had muted sessions,” David Madden, market analyst at CMC Markets UK, tells City A.M. this morning. “The health crisis is still bubbling away [...]
This IWD, meet the women changing the booze industry March 8, 2021 The world of beer, wine and spirits has also been dominated during our lifetime by men, with phallocentric brands including Jack Daniels and Johnnie Walker aimed squarely at male drinkers. But it wasn’t always so – for thousands of years brewing was undertaken by women. And as we celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD), there are [...]
Rescue New Year’s Eve 2021 with these Bacardi cocktails December 28, 2020 The government’s pandemic policy has left New Year’s plans in disarray, and millions of Britons asking if there is any way the holidays can be saved. Fortunately, the creative team at Bacardi have invented a range of festive cocktails to help lift the mood. So raid your liquor cabinet or book a delivery slot, because [...]
Tier 3 restrictions could be ‘nail in the coffin’ for London’s restaurants November 23, 2020 London’s chefs and restaurateurs reacted with fury and confusion today over the government’s plans to replace lockdown with a new three tier system. As shop owners and even sports stadiums prepare to start welcoming guests again, those working in hospitality say the industry has been hung out to dry, with some fearing a wave of [...]
Tesco sees profit drop despite surge in lockdown sales October 7, 2020 Tesco’s operating profit fell 15.6 per cent in the first six months of the year in new chief executive Ken Murphy’s debut set of results. Profit at the supermarket dropped from £1.23bn to £1.04bn, with a jump in sales due to the coronavirus pandemic weighed down by a hefty loss at Tesco Bank. On a [...]
FTSE 100 and Wall Street chase record highs as vaccine hopes boost markets December 1, 2020 The FTSE 100 logged its best session in three weeks today while Wall Street hit record highs as markets continue to ride a wave of vaccine optimism. The blue-chip bourse closed up 1.9 per cent, while the FTSE 250 midcap index rose by 2.6 per cent. It comes after the FTSE recording its biggest gain [...]
Before the Bell: Bulls in control, calm restored to Capitol Hill January 7, 2021 The disturbance at Capitol Hill derailed the process of certifying the Biden electoral victory for a number of hours last night but was then resumed so the final confirmation of Biden’s win should be relatively straightforward. Moreover, the FTSE 100 had a stellar run yesterday as it closed up more than 3 per cent and [...]
V-Day: All your vaccine questions answered December 8, 2020 Ninety-year-old Margaret Keenan this morning became the first person in the world to receive a coronavirus vaccine outside of a trial, marking the start of Britain’s largest vaccination programme in history. Jabs of the Pfizer/Biontech vaccine will be administered at dozens of hospital hubs across the country from today, dubbed V-Day by health secretary Matt [...]
Rishi Sunak says ‘hard times are here’ as UK plunges into worst recession on record August 12, 2020 Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak today warned that “hard times are here” after the UK’s GDP contracted by 20.4 per cent in the last three months, plunging it into the worst recession on record. Speaking to Sky News, Sunak warned that “many more people” would lose their jobs as a result of the recession, [...]