Budget 2015: The stories that broke during George Osborne’s speech March 18, 2015 The announcement of the UK government’s annual budget is one of the biggest dates in the financial calendar. City hacks' ears were tuned into George Osborne’s speech this lunchtime, as eyes were glued to Twitter for all the breaking hot takes on the chancellor’s tie colour and fingers were madly typing away to produce a [...]
Fintech Lookahead 2016: The disruptors you should be looking out for November 19, 2015 What can we expect to see from the fintech industry over the coming year? And what kinds of companies are leading the charge? In its 2015 Global Banking Annual Review, McKinsey said that “banks are under attack from new technology companies and others seeking to poach their customers. To date, banks’ losses to attackers have [...]
Getting Shirty: Never iron a shirt again with this new bespoke service July 1, 2015 Have you ever had your laundry done at a five-star hotel? If so, you’ll know the glee that comes with that knock at the door, the sumptuous stack of boxes, the decadent unwrapping of your Sunday best – all crisply pressed and folded around an arrangement of tissue and card worthy of an origami champion. [...]
Building the next five years in alternative finance: How marketplace lending is becoming part of industry furniture July 15, 2015 When we look back, 2015-16 will be seen as the watershed moment: when peer-to-peer (P2P) lending and crowdfunding made the big time, transitioning from quirky innovation to a respected alternative source of finance and investment opportunities. The government has clearly been persuaded of the potential benefits of so-called alternative finance – especially as a [...]
Pinterest’s latest funding round means it’s now valued at $11bn March 17, 2015 Who knew pictures of wedding dresses and make-up tips could be such big business? Pinterest has just announced that it's raised $367m (£248m), which values it at a whopping $11bn. But that's not all: the site, which allows its users to create and share "boards" full of images from around the web, hasn't completed this [...]
Starbucks is launching a delivery service with trials in Seattle and New York City March 18, 2015 Coffee lovers rejoice. Soon you’ll be able to satisfy that pumpkin spice latte craving without ever having to leave the office. Starbucks has revealed details of an eagerly awaited new delivery service which it will begin testing before summer. Seattle, the home of the international coffee chain, and New York City will be the first [...]
From the Tube strike and July Budget to Battle of Britain and the 7/7 London bombings anniversary: Here’s what got us talking this week July 10, 2015 There was a technical fault in New York. There was a cocktail cloud. And somewhere in crowdfunding land, there was a jacket that would make all your commutes suddenly so much better. Here's what got us talking this week 1) Battle of Britain celebrations began They kicked off with a flypast over Buckingham Palace, but [...]
Uber launches in Hong Kong as global expansion gathers pace July 17, 2014 Uber launched its service in Hong Kong yesterday, as the mobile app for hailing private hire cars continued its fast global expansion to cover 150 cities in 41 countries. The official launch in Hong Kong comes after a successful four-week trial period, and follows the recent launch of its Beijing service. Uber is now available [...]
iPhone 6S and 6S Plus UK release date, price, features and specs: The anatomy of the Apple’s new iPhone September 22, 2015 Oliver Smith explores the history of Apple’s smartphone, the game-changing innovations it introduced and what the new iPhone 6s means for the mobile industry today. On Friday 25th September the most valuable company in the world, Apple, will unleash its latest salvo in the smartphone wars. The iPhone 6s boasts innovative new features [...]
Uber’s battle against taxi industry and regulators steps up a gear with Obama adviser on board August 20, 2014 In Uber’s relentless battle against regulators and the taxi industry around the world, a political strategist was considered a crucial element for negotiating roadblocks in the disruptive taxi service’s plans for world domination. Now the search is over, and Uber has no doubt spent a pretty penny of its billions of dollars of investment (which [...]