Chancellor Hammond must focus on the quality of infrastructure spending, not its quantity November 22, 2016 Keynes is back, or so it seems. Both left and right wing movements across the West are calling for greater government borrowing to finance infrastructure projects. In the US, Donald Trump is proposing to invest $500bn. In the UK, Labour’s John McDonnell wants an even more lavish £500bn programme, equivalent to around a quarter of [...]
Alibaba: Sales during online retail bonanza Singles’ Day hit new record as they smash $25bn mark November 11, 2017 Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has said its Singles’ Day sales hit $25.4bn (£19.2bn), smashing its own record from last year. The shopping bonanza’s sales surged past last year’s total just after midday local time, hitting a record $18bn (£13.6bn). Singles’ Day, held every year on 11 November, is the world’s biggest online shopping event that [...]
Vera Bradley shares climb on expectation beating earnings and licensing agreements September 1, 2016 US luxury handbag and accessories maker Vera Bradley has posted a solid performance, despite the strong dollar causing problems for other high-end retailers. Shares climbed by more than three per cent following the US market open in New York, though are down some five per cent in the year to date. Net revenues totalled $119.2m (£89.8m) for the second quarter [...]
Unfair business rate hikes will hit London’s competitiveness: Government must now act November 15, 2016 London is, without a doubt, a fantastic city in which to live, do business and visit – an epicentre of world-leading business, culture, entertainment and retail. Anyone walking along our iconic streets, from Bond Street to Brick Lane, cannot help but be struck by its unique mix of architecture and people. But we are also [...]
These are the Night Tube stations with the highest rental yields August 30, 2016 The Night Tube – which finally arrived earlier this month – will drive up property prices in London's outer areas, according to estate agent Portico. Zones 3, 4, and 5, are expected to do well from the all night underground service, with the highest rental yields on the network are concentrated in the outer zones. Rental yield is calculated as [...]
Shaftesbury continues to be buoyed by London’s West End property market November 24, 2015 London's residential property market might be cooling, but the commercial sector is showing no signs of slowing down with landlord Shaftesbury reporting strong growth for the full year. The figures Shaftesbury's net asset value per share rose 21.9 per cent to £8.69 in the year to September 30, up from £7.13 a year earlier. Earnings at the [...]
Liverpool takeover offers will “get put in the garbage” says chairman Tom Werner August 20, 2016 Liverpool chairman Tom Werner has issued an unequivocal message to those interested in buying the Premier League club – it's not for sale. The Merseyside giants were the subject of reports linking them with a £700m takeover offer from a Chinese firm. A letter circulated online appeared to show Chinese investment group SinoFortone approaching Liverpool owners [...]
This Soho property boss is “on a mission” to make China town less Chinese July 28, 2016 China town is getting a revamp – and it's going to become less Chinese. Speaking to City A.M., the chief executive of Shaftesbury – which owns 3.2 acres of land in Chinatown – said there are too many Cantonese restaurants in China town, and he hopes to attract more varied set of restaurateurs to the heart of London. Read [...]
Why everyone called Brexit wrong: Analysts have become too close to the elites they’re meant to analyse October 26, 2016 I have long held heretical views about political risk analysis, which cluster around what I call the “plumber’s test”. However bejeweled or slick at marketing a political risk firm may be, what matters in the end is that they are analytically correct. Just as I don’t invite back my local plumber if he fails to [...]
Theresa May under Brexit pressure ahead of Conservative Party conference October 1, 2016 Westminster watchers are again decamping for a few days of agenda-setting speeches, hard-hitting policy debates, backroom lobbying and late night parties as the Conservative Party conference kicks off in Birmingham tomorrow. Despite the raft of pre-conference announcements, including a new review into employment law and the ditching of some mandatory medical tests for people deemed [...]