Broadcasters push for longer ad breaks as streaming competition heats up August 19, 2019 UK broadcasters are consulting with the government on plans to extend TV advert breaks as they look to stave off growing competition from online streaming rivals. Public service broadcasters (PSB) such as ITV and Channel 4 are in talks with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) over proposals that could see the [...]
Responsible innovation: how can European asset managers lead? February 18, 2020 By Alejandro Hiniesto, CFA, Fabrizio Palmucci, CFA and Rhodri Preece, CFA Technology, regulation, and competition, as well as macroeconomic and geopolitical headwinds, mean the investment industry stands at a pivotal juncture. Pressure on profit margins and evolving client expectations serve to underscore that ‘business as usual’ is no longer sufficient. How can firms and practitioners adapt? Responsible [...]
IPOs – no sure thing? November 26, 2019 IPOs always attract plenty of attention, particularly when they are of highly-recognised companies. But are they a wise destination for investor cash? IPOs offer plenty of glamour, a change from the usual stocks in an index, and there have been plenty of new entrants to the UK stock market over the past ten years. Some [...]
Logistics sector optimism hits record lows over Brexit fears July 4, 2019 Optimism in the logistics sector has plummeted to record lows as the industry battles Brexit fears. According to the Logistics Confidence Index compiled by Barclays and BDO, the industry has reported net pessimism for the first time since records began in 2012. Read more: Amazon to create 2000 UK jobs in post-Brexit vote of confidence [...]
How business rates reform can thwart the retail apocalypse October 1, 2019 When businesses like Thomas Cook fail to adapt, they are smited by new technologies with leaner business models and more efficient practices. This is Joseph Schumpeter’s creative destruction in action. Yet there is something profoundly bleak about boarded-up shops or “clearance sales” posters in the windows of once thriving businesses – particularly as the demise of [...]
Microsoft opens flagship London store on Oxford Circus July 11, 2019 Microsoft opened its flagship store on Oxford Circus today, marking the US tech giant’s first major retail location in Europe. The new store offers a string of hands-on customer experiences, including a McLaren Senna racing car experience, a gaming lounge and a digital learning hub offering coding lessons for children. Read more: Microsoft and Oracle [...]
One in five EU consumers have shopped using a voice assistant like Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa June 4, 2018 While 87 per cent of US consumers are aware of voice and text aides, the European Union is miles ahead on adopting new technology from the likes of Apple, Amazon and Microsoft to carry out their daily buying needs. According to research carried out by Mastercard, 21 per cent of consumers in the EU have [...]
Slumping economy, surging stock market– what’s going on? May 18, 2020 While tens of millions of Americans were losing their jobs, the stock market in April produced its best monthly return in over 30 years. We look at what’s behind this apparent disconnect. 36 million Americans filed for unemployment claims over the past eight weeks. US GDP plunged by 4.8 per cent in the first quarter [...]
Apple recalls 15in Macbook Pro over battery fire risk June 21, 2019 Apple has announced a recall of some of its 15-inch Macbook Pro laptops over a battery fire risk. Read more: Amazon overtakes Apple and Google as worlds most valuable brand The company said that a limited number of its old generation Pro series, sold between September 2015 and February 2017, contained batteries that “may overheat [...]
Google Nest Hub Max review: The best smart home hub you can buy September 11, 2019 Last year’s Nest Hub placed the Google Assistant at the centre of the connected home, integrating a voice-activated speaker and display into a single device. It brought together disparate smart home services from competing companies – lightbulbs, locks, cameras and thermostats – into one easy to use dashboard, so you could control your house from [...]