Why Osborne has targeted the wrong kind of spending cuts October 16, 2012 HERE is the truth about the cuts so far, courtesy of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The deficit is down by about a quarter from its peak over the past two years, though it has increased again since the start of the current fiscal year. Looking just at 2010-11 and 2011-12, two thirds of [...]
The hub of the matter: Growing aviation capacity will stop firms taking flight September 2, 2012 IN THE ongoing debate on aviation capacity, we have become gridlocked in a game of political poker. Nobody is prepared to grasp the nettle, despite the obvious benefits increased capacity would generate for our economy. We need international trade to grow. The default position at the moment is against the construction of a third runway [...]
Businesses urge government action to boost shrinking economy August 31, 2012 Britain’s government must take bold steps to boost investment, and the Bank of England should drop its resistance to buying company loans in order to get the economy out of recession, the country’s largest business lobby said on Friday. The call by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) for sweeping, potentially debt-financed measures to boost [...]
West Ham Olympic stadium bid gets East London business votes September 10, 2012 LEADING business organisations from east London have thrown their weight behind West Ham’s bid for the Olympic Stadium, as a decision nears on one of the capital’s key legacy issues. The ExCeL Centre and the East London Business Alliance (ELBA) have voiced their support for the Premier League football club to be the main users [...]
Travis Perkins profits washed out by weather July 26, 2012 BUILDERS’ MERCHANT Travis Perkins blamed the unseasonably wet weather for stalling construction activity in the first half of the year and wiping £10m off profits. The company, which owns brands such as City Plumbing and Tile Giant, said revenues fell 0.7 per cent to £2.4bn on a like-for-like basis, with “exceptional” bad weather impacting its [...]
PwC picks up the pace with record revenue September 16, 2012 PROFESSIONAL services giant PwC said today its annual revenues have risen 6.5 per cent to a record £2.6bn, in a return to strength following several years of sluggish growth. Overall profits for its UK, Channel Islands and Middle East operations jumped 10.8 per cent to £727m in the year to 30 June. The results came [...]
PwC picks up the pace with record revenue September 16, 2012 PROFESSIONAL services giant PwC said today its annual revenues have risen 6.5 per cent to a record £2.6bn, in a return to strength following several years of sluggish growth. Overall profits for its UK, Channel Islands and Middle East operations jumped 10.8 per cent to £727m in the year to 30 June. The results came [...]
Failure to fix market uncertainty is making the retirement crisis worse October 23, 2012 VIRTUALLY every developed nation is suffering from the reluctance of investors and chief executives to invest in new businesses, jobs or ideas. They’ve adopted a wait-and-see attitude because markets are missing the two components essential for confidence: trust and certainty. Investors are angry and cynical. For five years, they have consumed a daily diet of [...]
Failure to fix market uncertainty is making the retirement crisis worse October 23, 2012 VIRTUALLY every developed nation is suffering from the reluctance of investors and chief executives to invest in new businesses, jobs or ideas. They’ve adopted a wait-and-see attitude because markets are missing the two components essential for confidence: trust and certainty. Investors are angry and cynical. For five years, they have consumed a daily diet of [...]
Pressure grows on Lonmin after Marikana massacre August 19, 2012 LONMIN, the world’s third largest platinum miner, will today issue an ultimatum to 3,000 striking employees to restart production or face the sack as pressure mounts on the company’s finances following last week’s deadly clashes. Wildcat strikes at its Karee mine – situated on the Western flank of its Marikana mining district – have caused [...]