Here’s what the Bank of England has to say on Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ripple March 12, 2014 In a new primer on the nature of money, the UK's central bank has waded into the world of sterling-alternatives. Seeing "a wave of innovation" in the recent past, the Bank says in "Money in the modern economy" that alternative currencies are not widely accepted as a medium of exchange. Or at least, not as [...]
Why audience targeting may hold the key to the future of TV adverts February 23, 2014 @LiamWardProud TELEVISION has long reigned as the dominant force in global advertising, accounting for almost 58 per cent of international ad spend in the first three quarters of 2013. But its crown may be slipping. In many digitally-advanced markets, TV’s share of ad budgets has already been eclipsed by online – the transition happened as [...]
Crossrail nears its final stretch March 31, 2014 The head of London’s newest railway hopes he sets a precedent for other big projects AS CONSTRUCTION on London’s newest railway reached the halfway point earlier this year, a steady stream of hard hat-wearing politicians ventured into the tunnels to be seen backing Europe’s biggest infrastructure project. Crossrail boss Andrew Wolstenholme, meanwhile, has a map [...]
Barclays ends free banking for most SMEs January 23, 2014 BARCLAYS is moving more than 500,000 business customers onto a new set of accounts over this year, the bank said yesterday, to consolidate its SME (small and medium enterprise) operations. Around 60 per cent will be better off or pay no more than £1.50 per month extra, the bank said. But that leaves 40 per [...]
Smartphone payment system could mean the end of cash January 15, 2014 Five UK banks have embraced the new mobile payment facility called Zapp. Zapp allows real-time payments on customers smartphones and tablets through their existing mobile banking app. The app will allow consumers to make purchases at the touch of a button without the need for cash or credit cards. HSBC, First Direct, Nationwide, Santander and [...]
Five banks sign up for payment app Zapp January 15, 2014 FIVE UK banks yesterday said they’d signed up to a new mobile payment facility called Zapp, which allows real-time payments on customers smartphones and tablets through their existing mobile banking app. HSBC, First Direct, Nationwide, Santander and Metro Bank are the first lenders to announce they will adopt Zapp, ahead of its autumn launch. Together, [...]
The Original Bowling Company scores perfect Christmas game January 7, 2014 BRITONS celebrated over the Christmas holidays by putting on their bowling shoes, according to the Original Bowling Company, which posted strong results over the festive period. The company, which runs 44 bowling centres known as AMF and Hollywood Bowl, said like-for-like sales in the five weeks to 5 January were up 8.4 per cent on [...]
Barclays ends free banking for most SMEs January 20, 2014 BARCLAYS is moving more than 500,000 business customers onto a new set of accounts over this year, the bank said yesterday, to consolidate its SME (small and medium enterprise) operations. Around 60 per cent will be better off or pay no more than £1.50 per month extra, the bank said. But that leaves 40 per [...]
British manufacturing’s long decline could be about to end March 11, 2014 ROSS Perot, as a US presidential candidate in 1992, infamously decried “the giant sucking sound” of jobs being exported abroad as a result of free trade. It was populist nonsense, of course. Trade creates far more jobs than it destroys – and London’s high value added economy wouldn’t exist without it. That so many low [...]
London Report: Growth figures set to show UK’s strong recovery January 26, 2014 GROWTH figures for the fourth quarter are expected to give further proof of Britain’s booming recovery. Economists predict expansion of 0.8 per cent in the final three months – giving the UK its strongest yearly growth since 2007. Jonathan Loynes, of Capital economics, said: “We think that the preliminary estimate of GDP in the fourth [...]