FTSE 100 index closes down on Inmarsat and Whitbread results March 3, 2016 The FTSE 100 index closed lower today as Inmarsat and Costa Coffee parent Whitbread dropped. The UK's blue-chip index fell 0.27 per cent to 6,130 points. "European markets pulled back from weekly highs as service sector data came in mixed, healthcare stocks dropped and traders pulled positions ahead of Friday’s US jobs report," said CMC Markets analyst Jasper Lawler. [...]
Six Nations 2016 betting odds: England Rugby hoping to hammer Italy – but Rome wasn’t built in a day February 11, 2016 England head to the Italian capital on Sunday looking to take a second step towards World Cup redemption. Their victory against Scotland last week under new coach Eddie Jones was a case of evolution rather than revolution. Getting the win at Murrayfield was paramount, and Jones made sure of it by only making minor personnel changes in [...]
Beat the post-Eurovision blues with a trip to Stockholm, where these waxen ABBA nightmares stand in perpetual, staring horror May 20, 2016 Landing in Stockholm, bleary-eyed and frizzy-haired, I wondered if this was all going to be a bit too cool for me. People have got their act together in Sweden. They eat well, they look immaculate and everything they do is world-beating – from their achingly cool subtitled dramas, to their forward-thinking paternity leave policy and [...]
Late tax return? You have the right to appeal a penalty if you have a reasonable excuse, says industry body, as the deadline for self-assessment tax return draws nearer January 31, 2016 With just one hour to go until the deadline for self-assessment tax returns, an industry body has urged those who have a reasonable excuse for not hitting submit by midnight to appeal any late filing penalty they receive. The Low Incomes Tax Reform Group (LITRG) of the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) has today warned [...]
Airbnb your house: Here’s how much Londoners could be making from the sharing economy July 13, 2016 The sharing economy is growing faster in Britain than anywhere else in Europe. As it has become more expensive to own cars, homes and even electrical equipment, more of us are seeing the advantages of monetising our idle assets. PwC estimates that transactions on platforms in the five biggest sharing economy sectors almost doubled in [...]
Disney, Expedia, Cisco and Tripadvisor: Four US stocks bucking the global selloff trend (for now) February 11, 2016 With global shares plummeting and a sheen of sweat starting to form on bankers' brows, you'd think the end was nigh. But it's not all doom and gloom. Check out these US stocks bucking the trend – and proving it isn't the end for the markets (yet). 1. Tripadvisor – up 12.2 per cent Why's it winning? It [...]
We need some better speakers on the London speaker circuit: When anyone can be an “authority”, any fraud can get an audience March 7, 2016 I used to be in awe of people who were recognised as an “authority” on something or other. Those who spoke at conferences. Or frequented panel discussions. Or gave prolific press commentary. Or – the pinnacle of any career – appeared on TV. If a CV saying “X regularly speaks at high-profile industry events” landed [...]
Mix it up: Farewell to Dick Bradsell, Britain’s very own cocktail genius March 2, 2016 I never met Dick Bradsell. My brother-in-law worked for him at the now defunct Detroit bar, but I never took the chances I had to speak to the genius of mixology who, sadly, passed away at the weekend. By all accounts, Bradsell revolutionised Britain’s cocktail scene, putting London (alongside New York) at the frontline in [...]
HSBC’s decision to keep its HQ in London is a ringing endorsement of the whole UK February 22, 2016 HSBC has not been far from the headlines in the past few days, and we can expect more news from the global banking giant today as it publishes its Annual Results. The issue that has kept so many City figures interested in the company for the past few months has been its decision over where [...]
Panama Papers: Prime Minister David Cameron accused by Labour of hypocrisy after he confirms he did have a stake in his father’s offshore trust April 8, 2016 Prime Minister David Cameron has been accused of hypocrisy by Labour after he confirmed that he had a stake in his father's offshore trust. Questions had been raised over his links to the huge data leak from a Panamanian law firm last weekend. Cameron's late father Ian Cameron was among the thousands of names contained [...]