Alibaba’s shares are on a tear after a huge revenue jump August 11, 2016 Alibaba certainly isn't feeling the effects of the Chinese slowdown just yet. Shares in Alibaba – the world's largest retailer – have climbed by almost six per cent in the US pre-market after it posted revenue far ahead of expectations. Alibaba's shares were already up around seven per cent so far this year. A rise in revenue was bolstered [...]
Growing personal debt is a ticking time bomb and trouble will come when rates and inflation start to creep up December 3, 2015 It’s no surprise that we’re borrowing like there’s no tomorrow; prices are low, credit is cheap and coupled with wage growth you could say there’s a feeling of positivity in the air. Make the most of this sweet spot now; we’re watching a ticking time bomb and trouble is likely to be on the horizon. [...]
Brexit isn’t a Woolworths moment for commercial property in the City September 28, 2016 In the days following the EU referendum, I found myself looking back to one of the seminal moments of 2008: images showing hundreds of Woolworths shops closing their doors for the final time. At that point, no other event seemed to better illustrate the effects of the global financial crisis on the UK high street. With hindsight, [...]
The EU Commission has opened an in-depth probe into the massive London Stock Exchange – Deutsche Borse merger September 28, 2016 The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation in to whether the planned £21bn merger between Deutsche Borse AG (DB) and London Stock Exchange Group (LSE) would reduce competition in financial markets. The proposed merger would combine the exchanges of Germany, the UK and Italy, as well as several of the largest European clearing houses, and create by [...]
With consumer price index inflation negative but house price rises strong, is CPI failing to capture the cost of living? November 17, 2015 Shaun Richards, an independent economist, says Yes A fundamental problem with the UK official CPI inflation measure is its exclusion of owner-occupied housing costs. Without them, it arrives at an ice-cold annual rate of inflation of -0.1 per cent for October. However, our official statisticians also report house prices rising at an annual rate of [...]
Before the bell: What you need to know before the US market open October 6, 2016 Deutsche Bank's rally is getting in to full swing, while Twitter shares are plunging in the pre-market. Here's what you need to know before the US market open at 2:30pm London time. US stock futures are tracking lower ahead of the open. The S&P is off by 0.21 per cent, while the Nasdaq is 0.17 per cent lower. [...]
Mortgage approvals fell to 18-month low in the first full month since the Brexit vote August 30, 2016 Mortgage approvals hit an 18-month low last month, according to figures from the Bank of England. In the first full month after the Brexit vote, approvals fell to 60,912 – down from 64,152 approvals in June. The number of approvals has been falling since March, when the stamp duty hike on second homes came into effect. There [...]
Property of the Week: Agent Lurot Brand is listing this house in Boyne Terrace Mews in Holland Park under two prices – with their services or without July 8, 2016 Boyne Terrace Mews, Holland Park, £3.75m/£5.75m A rare opportunity has come onto the market in Holland Park to custom build an ideal five bedroom house with the help of an agent who’s already done all the tricky paperwork. Getting planning permission to turn this mews house in a cul-de-sac in Landsdowne Road would have been tricky [...]
Three signs the iPhone 7 will be a huge hit for Apple September 15, 2016 The iPhone 7 received a cautiously optimistic welcome when it was unveiled a week ago. While new features such as being waterproof and a shiny new jet black colour were largely surface changes rather than a revolutionary new direction for the brand, they were certainly likely to dazzle potential buyers, analysts thought. Apple has quite a bit riding [...]
Conservatives: 20pc off house prices for first-time buyers under 40 September 27, 2014 The conservatives have announced that if they are voted in at the next general election in May, people under 40 will be able to buy their first homes for 20 per cent less than market value. Prime Minister David Cameron revealed the plan ahead of the Conservatives' annual party conference starting tomorrow. He said [...]