CHIEF EXECUTIVE OPPORTUNITY INTERNATIONAL UK December 14, 2011 It’s that time of year when the high streets switch on the festive lights and, despite the economic gloom, the shops become busier with Christmas shoppers out in force. Queuing to pay at a cash till here in Oxford yesterday lunchtime, I was reminded of Beauty Munthali, one of our supervisors in the southern region [...]
Online sales to hit £350k each second November 27, 2011 E-TILLS ARE RINGING FOR CYBER MONDAY UK CONSUMERS are expected to kickstart the busiest online shopping day of the year today, with Christmas shoppers predicted to spend more than £350,000 each second on their Visa cards, the company said. The day has been coined Cyber Monday in the US and Visa Europe expects 4.8m purchases [...]
John Pluthero interview: The controversial telco boss on life after the C-suite April 30, 2012 Discussing abstract art with controversial executive John Pluthero is a slightly surreal experience, akin to ballroom dancing with Tony Hayward, or playing Twister with Steve Jobs. Pluthero is showing me around an exhibition he helped to curate at the Kings Place Gallery in Islington. Bright swirls of colour adorn every wall, each one accompanied by his impassioned commentary. He [...]
MATCH ANALYSIS December 18, 2011 KEY MOMENT Johan Djourou might not be the sturdiest member of Arsenal’s defensive unit, but the injury that ended his game in the 47th minute forced a reshuffle that saw the previously excellent Laurent Koscielny asked to fill in at right-back. And the Frenchman was almost immediately caught out of position in the build-up to [...]
MATCH ANALYSIS December 18, 2011 KEY MOMENT Johan Djourou might not be the sturdiest member of Arsenal’s defensive unit, but the injury that ended his game in the 47th minute forced a reshuffle that saw the previously excellent Laurent Koscielny asked to fill in at right-back. And the Frenchman was almost immediately caught out of position in the build-up to [...]
Mixed Christmas presents for Scottish January 5, 2012 TOMORROW we play our first home game of 2012 against Plymouth Albion at the Richmond Athletic Ground (3pm kick off), and it will be great to get back to the Athletic Ground following a mixed festive period for the squad. I was very pleased with our victory away at Moseley on Boxing Day. Parts of [...]
Oscars could Well be the only one to live with Hurricane Fly February 2, 2012 NO Champion Hurdle winner has set the pulse racing as much as Istabraq in the past 20 years, but some would argue that Hurricane Fly has the potential to be even greater. The 10-time Grade One winning hurdler has had some niggling problems during his career, but when on his game, he is breathtaking. Last [...]
Oil majors lead the FTSE 100 lower as investors avoid risk January 11, 2012 BRITAIN’S blue-chip FTSE 100 closed lower yesterday after bouncing once again off an important technical resistance level, led by heavyweight energy stocks on a fresh bout of Eurozone debt-inspired risk aversion. The index traded in a fairly tight range for the early part of the session, rising to test 5,700 before bearish comments from a [...]
S&P is set to finish higher for the year December 22, 2011 US stocks rose yesterday, putting the S&P 500 on the cusp of finishing out the year higher as another decline in jobless claims pointed to further improvement in the labour market. The S&P rose for a third day in seasonally light volume that has contributed to sharp swings recently. With the benchmark index near break-even [...]
Hopes rise of end to bitter pensions row December 19, 2011 NHS workers last night moved closer to a deal on controversial pension reforms despite some civil servants and teachers rejecting the coalition’s “final” offer. A union source said an agreement in principle covering at least 450,000 health workers had been hammered out with government officials. More talks are due to take place over local government [...]