UK house prices fall for first time in 2014 July 21, 2014 House prices across the UK have fallen for the first time this year, according to the Rightmove House Price Index. It showed that the average advertised cost for a home fell from £272,275 in June to £270,159 in July, marking a 0.8 per cent decrease. This meant that, while the growth rate was [...]
Aviva share price falls as Friends Life shares rise: Surprised market reacts to deal bombshell November 24, 2014 The market was divided yesterday following the announcement of a planned merger between insurer Aviva and its competitor Friends Life. Aviva saw its shares fall by more than five per cent during the day, while shares in Friends Life climbed by six per cent. Most analysts agreed that the announcement was surprising, with [...]
Blackberry Passport: The “innovative” smartphone with a square screen September 24, 2014 Blackberry’s Passport is the new strangely shaped smartphone the company hopes will help restore its diminished presence in the smartphone market. Passport, launching today, will at the very least grab people’s attention. Its 4.5 square inch HD screen is square in shape and far wider than what seasoned smartphone buyers are used to. [...]
Getting property back in business April 24, 2014 As residential prices soar, developers are turning commercial spaces into homes THE DARK dark satanic mills of William Blake’s Jerusalem were once a dominant fixture in the bustling life of industrial London. It wasn’t that long ago that the city produced condiments like sugar, honey, jam and vinegar, while warehouses stored valuable goods that were [...]
City’s Gherkin skyscraper to be sold off with £640m starting price tag July 28, 2014 The City’s iconic Gherkin has been put up for sale on the open market after it collapsed into receivership earlier this year, with a price tag of around £640m. Receivers at Deloitte have appointed their real estate arm and Savills to sell 30 St Mary’s Axe, which will be advertised to buyers across the [...]
Huge growth in new buyers leads Christie’s to record year January 22, 2014 HISTORIC auction house Christie’s sold more than £4.54bn worth of art and antiques during 2013 as booming numbers of first-time buyers led the firm to a record year of sales. Christie’s, founded in London in 1766, saw the number of new buyers increase 30 per cent last year. In total, these newcomers accounted for 22 [...]
Foxtons’ share price is getting hammered, despite 57pc profit rise August 27, 2014 Foxtons has reported a 57.1 per cent rise in pre-tax profit for the six months to 30 June. The increase to £23.1m from £14.7m in 2013 was driven by strong sales and mortgage broking growth, according to its interim report. It announced it will pay out £12.8m of this in interim and special [...]
Go all the way with Beaujolais November 5, 2014 My least favourite date in the entire wine calendar is 19 November. It is, of course, Beaujolais Nouveau Day, the time when marketing men and desperate wine bar owners flood the Square Mile with cheap, nasty, pink plonk and try to kid us that it is something special. If I haven’t made myself clear, Beaujolais [...]
Taylor Wimpey’s average UK house price hits £210,000 January 15, 2014 House builder Taylor Wimpey has reported significant improvement in the housing market underpinned by increasing consumer confidence and government interventions to bolster homeownership. Average selling prices on private completions rose by seven per cent to £210,000. Taylor Wimpey's overall average selling price has also increased by 6 per cent to £191,000. The company expects to [...]
Time is money: Why are watches so expensive? December 3, 2014 There’s a very good reason top quality watches can set you back six figures. Let us start with a description of two dramatically different approaches to highend mechanical watchmaking. Bear with me. Firstly: “At certain moments you might leave the drawing and let the metal guide you… I really value the fact that I can [...]