British Gas owner Centrica ‘to cut dividend and sell off oil and gas business’ July 21, 2019 Centrica is said to be planning to cut its dividend and start looking for a buyer for its oil and gas business. The British Gas owner is reportedly planning to cut its payout in a bid to keep its credit rating. It would join the likes of Vodafone, Marks & Spencer and BT in doing [...]
Blame the bank: How finance caused today’s housing crisis October 18, 2018 Home ownership is increasingly out of the reach of younger adults in the UK. The share of those aged 25-34 who own their home fell from 55 per cent in 1997 to 35 per cent in 2017, according the Institute of Fiscal Studies. A decade of stagnant wage growth means that the gradual house price [...]
Electric car sales charge ahead with record monthly demand September 5, 2019 More electric cars were sold in Britain last month than ever before, as zero-emission car sales rose fivefold amid an otherwise subdued automotive market. Zero emission car sales came to 3,147 vehicles in August compared to just 659 this time last year, as the release of several new models over the summer boosted demand, including [...]
New homes: Here are the new developments going on sale in London this weekend | City A.M. July 27, 2018 Our pick of the new developments on sale now Bishops Gate, Fulham From £625,000 A gated mews development next to Bishop’s Park is on sale, with a three bedroom duplex apartment for prospective buyers to peruse. The nine hectare green space is home to Fulham Palace, tennis courts and gardens and is also the setting [...]
One in five first time buyers have been given a hand by Help to Buy December 15, 2016 One in five house purchases made by first time buyers are now being supported by the government's Help to Buy Isa. The scheme, which was started on 1 December last year, gives aspiring home owners a 25 per cent boost to their savings when buying a property worth £250,000 or less. The price limit rises to [...]
Melrose shares get a boost despite GKN job cuts and car industry warning September 5, 2019 Takeover specialist Melrose Industries this morning predicted the downturn in the global automotive industry will persist until at least the end of the year, but enjoyed a jump in shares as it allayed investor concerns about the effect the industry’s struggles were having on its own business. Melrose’s market value rose five per cent this [...]
How a relationship break-up spurred this founder to build ‘Ebay for travel’ to help flog unwanted holidays May 20, 2019 When you think of unwanted items, holidays don’t tend to spring to mind. But according to Simon Powell, founder of TransferTravel, billions of dollars are wasted globally on unwanted travel every year, while an estimated 220,000 hotel rooms are paid for and never used every day in the US alone, wasting $8.6bn annually. And with [...]
Berkeley boss Tony Pidgley has made an ominous call about the future of London’s housing market June 21, 2018 Legendary housebuilder Tony Pidgley is primarily known for three things. Firstly, he was a Barnardo’s baby, subsequently adopted by a family of gypsies. Secondly, from such humble beginnings he rose to become one of the UK’s highest-paid business chiefs. And thirdly, he is credited with calling the house price crash at the end of the [...]
Keep the customer satisfied September 9, 2019 Everyone is looking for the secret to success in business. Perhaps they always have been; Dale Carnegie was writing self-help books for what we’d now call entrepreneurs in the 1930s. There’s an inevitable tension between the idea that there are universal lessons or tips, and that each business venture is unique and entirely of its [...]
Holiday homes: Limassol seeks new lease of life as a luxury property hotspot December 6, 2019 Cyprus has long been a favourite family holiday destination – sunny nearly all year round, moderately priced and famed for its homely Mediterranean cuisine and relaxed atmosphere. Glitzy St Tropez it is not, but that is all set to change as Limassol – located on Cyprus’ south coast – sets its sights on becoming Europe’s [...]