Retail cold snap: New Year footfall plummets at Britain’s shopping centres January 2, 2017 The UK high street experienced a sales cold snap at the weekend as new figures showed footfall fell nearly 13 per cent nationwide while in shopping centres it slumped by a massive 50 per cent. Poor weather, an early December spending spree and bank holiday trading hours deterred shoppers from venturing outdoors on New Year’s Day, [...]
EU regulator set to focus on derivatives clearing in exchange merger probe December 12, 2016 EU competition regulators probing the London Stock Exchange’s (LSE) merger with Deutsche Boerse are set to narrow their focus on derivatives clearing this week. And, with the European Commission’s statement of objections due in the coming days, City A.M. understands the LSE is seeking to push through the sale of its French clearing business, LCH [...]
Christmas weather 2015: Storm Eva could bring more flooding to northern parts of UK, while Met Office predicts “green” rather than white Christmas December 23, 2015 Christmas 2015 could be one of the warmest on record – but Storm Eva is expected to hit the British Isles today and tomorrow, meaning last minute shoppers (and Father Christmas) could be grappling with heavy winds. The Met Office has issued weather warnings for the north west, Wales and north east because of Storm Eva, [...]
Spotify’s “Thanks 2016” campaign cues it up for a prosperous New Year January 11, 2017 In late November, streaming service Spotify launched a global advertising campaign under the banner “Thanks 2016: It’s been weird”. The campaign reflects on a turbulent 2016 by gently poking fun at the dubious streaming history of some of its users. One such example was the ad that featured on one of its UK billboards: “Dear 3,749 [...]
A Lidl competition: Aldi becomes the highest-paying supermarket in the UK January 5, 2017 Aldi has given its employees a late Christmas present as it unveiled new pay rates this morning – and boasted that the new deal will make it the highest-paying employer in the supermarket sector. The supermarket is known for offering the cheapest groceries in the UK, but is now insisting it won't settle for a [...]
Watch news: Omega’s new hashtag-inspired timepiece and a Tudor for lefties February 6, 2017 The hashtag that Omega Built The story could well be titled “Swiss watch brand in social-media savvy shocker”. Because Omega has gone and launched a watch based on an Instagram hashtag. Since 2012, thanks to Fratello Watches founder Robert-Jan Broer, fans of Omega’s Speedmaster chronograph (NASA’s preferred wristwatch, no less) have been sharing pictures of [...]
Merry Christmas everyone: RMT union has changed its Southern strike dates to a 48-hour walkout on 19 December December 1, 2016 The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has changed its strike dates on Southern rail. It has called off a three day walkout from 22 December and instead announced 48 hours of industrial action from 19 December, following consultation with reps and members. RMT's general secretary Mick Cash said: "Our guards on Southern are in daily contact [...]
Five charts that show how millennials’ Christmas celebrations differ from traditional ones December 23, 2015 Gearing up for a Christmas dinner with pudding, turkey and all the trimmings? Let us take a stab and guess that you’re 35 years or older. As it turns out, where you’ll be spending your Christmas day reveals more than you might think about your age. Not to mention what you’re putting on the table [...]
Get lost you old fool – the whisky is to toast at your funeral! December 28, 2016 An old man spends his last days in his bed. Weak yet resigned, he's ready to leave the world. He smells an aroma from the kitchen downstairs. The scent is an old, blended whisky that reminds him of his youth. He just has to have one last nip. Struggling out of bed, he crawls downstairs. Reaching the kitchen, with withering hand, he [...]
Here are 29 reasons to be cheerful on Blue Monday January 16, 2017 It's Blue Monday, the day officially designated as the most miserable day of the year. Yes, it's raining and yes, you may well be off to see the divorce lawyers today – but that's no reason to be sad, daddy-o. Here are 50 reasons to turn that frown upside-down… 1. The FTSE 100 is on [...]