Little festive cheer for investors as FTSE 100 finishes flat December 24, 2015 It seems Santa didn't have much in his sack for equities investors this year, after the FTSE finished the day's session flat at 6,254.64 points, just 0.22 per cent higher. It was a disappointing outcome, after the bluechip index showed signs of a late Santa rally yesterday, closing 2.6 per cent higher as mining stocks rebounded. But trading during this morning's [...]
Amazon’s share price slumps on disappointing results October 27, 2016 Amazon's shares have sunk in after-hours trading as the company posted a disappointing quarterly profit. The e-commerce giant's shares were down 6.8 per cent. It said its net income rose to $252m (£207m) from $79m a year before. But, at 52 cents per share, Amazon's income was less than expected. According to Reuters, analysts' average [...]
It’d be a Christmas miracle if the chancellor delivered on these three festive reforms December 16, 2016 While Philip Hammond hasn’t been chancellor for long, he has already adopted George Osborne’s style of giveaways – the gifts aren’t simply bought by taxpayers, but are often funded by taxpayer money that hasn’t been raised yet. Of course, this kind of gift-giving rarely places the goods in the hands of the people who need [...]
Tim Peake spacewalk: Watch live as the International Space Station resident becomes the first British astronaut to walk in space January 15, 2016 Astronaut Major Tim Peake will become the first British astronaut (rather than British person working as a US astronaut) to go on a spacewalk later this afternoon, as he ventures out to make vital repairs to the International Space Station (ISS) The first Briton to go on a spacewalk was Michael Foale in 1995 – but he was representing the [...]
Southern rail operator Govia Thameslink hit by £38m bill from industrial action so far this year November 23, 2016 A raft of strikes and resulting problems on Southern rail’s lines this year have cost a mammoth £38m, according to train operator Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR). GTR has been locked in a dispute with the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union over the role of its guards on Southern rail trains. The union has organised [...]
Strutt & Parker Research names six real estate trends making their way to the UK from across the pond November 21, 2016 The Coffice If don’t fancy signing an office lease but dread the local coffee house guilt, then perhaps a coffice visit is in your future? Using an app on your phone, reserve dedicated workspace at the local coffee shop that has designated office space built-in. It is cheaper than a co-working space contract, but a [...]
More than concrete cows: Six things you need to know about Milton Keynes on its 50th birthday January 23, 2017 Us Brits love history. But 50 years ago today we did something that cut against the grain. The UK's cities, towns and villages are generally steeped in history. From black and white houses, old castles and local churches, you can trace the roots of many areas back for centuries. Today, however, is the birthday of Milton [...]
10 things to look forward to in London in 2017 January 6, 2017 Forget 2016; here's what you need to look forward to in London in 2017 1. Nordic Matters Festival, Southbank Centre The Southbank Centre is planning to explore all things Nordic through 2017, with some scandi-tastic special events. Think Moomins, Lego, hygge, saunas and gastronomic treats like cinnamon buns, pickling and curing — alongside the most [...]
Boom time in the City as Brexit gives a boost to professional advisers October 24, 2016 The UK's vote for Brexit has delivered a big boost for City advisers as firms scramble to find out how they should respond to a period of unprecedented uncertainty. Insolvency firm Begbies Traynor found the number of professional services firms in "significant financial distress" had dropped by 10 per cent since the EU referendum, as new [...]
The Christmas Dinner Index: Your Christmas dinner will cost one per cent less this year as mince pie prices fall December 24, 2015 Some festive news from RBS analyst Richard Ramsey, who has pointed out that the economics elves at Mintec have been hard at work figuring out how much the good people of Britain will shell out for their supper on Christmas day – and it turns out the price has fallen. The Christmas Dinner Index, which takes into account the costs of all [...]