We live in a material world, so let’s embrace Black Friday – and freedom November 23, 2018 Today is Black Friday: a day that conjures up images of keen shoppers scrambling to be first in the door at 5am to secure that half-price LED 50-inch TV, while scrums of people fight tooth and nail for the last discounted kettle. This is how we usually characterise this annual sales fest, ever since Asda [...]
Financial markets 2018: the year in review January 7, 2019 After two years of steady growth in asset prices, 2018 proved more of a challenge for investors, particularly in the last three months of the year. US president Donald Trump’s tax cuts had provided an added boost for investors heading into 2018, and US GDP growth accelerated to 4.2 per cent on an annualised quarterly basis [...]
What role do architects have to play in the future of England’s most treasured listed properties? June 8, 2018 Listings, some may say, are the ultimate accolade in the architecture world. Most importantly, these designations celebrate and protect some of England’s most treasured properties, helping to preserve the diverse range of architecture we boast today. The recent tranche of Historic England listings has focused on post-modernist and brutalist architecture – but what does the [...]
EU seeks to lessen tensions with Italy as the eurozone economy posts halting growth for third quarter October 19, 2018 The EU hopes to reduce tensions with Italy over its inflammatory 2019 budget, according to European economics commissioner Pierre Moscovici. Saying no decision had yet been made about whether or not Italy's budget would pass muster with the European Commission, Moscovici told a news conference today that he wanted to “reduce tensions and maintain a [...]
TfL and Westminster council face another clash in court over blocked CS11 cycle superhighway October 17, 2018 Transport for London (TfL) and Westminster city council could face another clash in court over a decision to block a cycle superhighway project in north-west London. Construction of the cycle superhighway 11 (CS11) came to a grinding halt in August after Westminster council mounted a successful legal challenge against the project, which is intended to link Swiss Cottage [...]
Island hopping, dodging coconuts and chasing giant tortoises in Seychelles May 10, 2019 Biking around the flat sandy paths of Desroches island in the Indian Ocean, with only birds, turtles and tortoises for company, I happen across a warning sign nailed to a palm tree on the edge of the new Four Seasons resort. “Beware of falling coconuts”. Just moments later I encounter a similarly rustic sign bashed [...]
From funding pub refurbs to legal costs, here are some unusual Isa investments on offer March 6, 2019 Nobody wants to put their hard-earned savings into rubbish assets. Unless, that is, you want to use your annual Isa allowance to invest in an eco-friendly waste processing facility. This is just one of the esoteric investments available to subscribers of the Innovative Finance Isa (IFISA), which lets investors lend to businesses in search of returns. [...]
Premier Oil doubles profits as it eyes new North Sea project August 23, 2018 Premier Oil struck it rich with its half-yearly results today, posting a doubling of profits to almost $100m (£78m). Higher oil prices pushed the British energy firm’s profits after tax up from $40.7m in the first half of 2017 to $98.4m for the six months to the end of June this year. The company saw [...]
Here’s how business groups have reacted to Theresa May’s conference speech October 3, 2018 Prime Minister Theresa May used her conference speech today to attack Labour’s plans on the economy and slap down her Conservative party rivals – saying austerity was “over” and promising to fix the “broken” housing market. Business groups have been keenly awaiting May’s speech, as she fights off rebellions from her own MPs and attempts [...]
Big ambitions and grand challenges: How the industrial strategy fares one year on November 29, 2018 It’s now a year since the industrial strategy was launched. Encompassing a 255-page tome, it laid five foundations for productivity: ideas, people, infrastructure, places and the business environment. It promised waves of sector deals between government and industry to de-risk investment and improve workers’ skills. Six such deals were announced in the first year, from automotive [...]