Forgetful IMF economists should remember their financial crisis failures October 16, 2012 IN THE boom decade of the 2000s, corporate rebranding was all the rage. Some were successful. Others are best forgotten, like PwC’s proposal to call its consulting arm Monday. But as the world’s economic recovery gathers momentum, perhaps it is time to revive the practice. A prime candidate is the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The [...]
Forgetful IMF economists should remember their financial crisis failures October 16, 2012 IN THE boom decade of the 2000s, corporate rebranding was all the rage. Some were successful. Others are best forgotten, like PwC’s proposal to call its consulting arm Monday. But as the world’s economic recovery gathers momentum, perhaps it is time to revive the practice. A prime candidate is the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The [...]
Multinationals seek advice on relocation after UK tax change July 22, 2012 MORE than a dozen multinational corporations are in discussions with tax advisers about re-locating to London to reap the benefits of changes to the UK’s tax framework, it was confirmed yesterday. A number of multinationals have asked accountancy firms to look into plans to transfer their tax status to the UK after reforms to the [...]
Does China’s superb medal haul reflect its determination to compete with the West? August 5, 2012 YES John Hawksworth China topped the medals table in Beijing with 51 golds and, despite no longer having home advantage, it again looks set to contest first place with the US in London. China’s success reflects two key factors: a huge potential talent pool of 1.3bn people and a well-funded government sports system for finding [...]
Retailers try to tempt shoppers with early bargains in the sales June 24, 2012 RETAILERS keen to cash in on a summer of sporting and Jubilee celebrations are offering big discounts in early summer sales. A survey of 100 high street stores by PwC showed that nearly three quarters of shops have started sales or advertising promotions in shop windows, up from 70 per cent a year ago and [...]
PwC faces probe over auditing of BarCap December 16, 2011 Accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) is being investigated over its auditing of Barclays Capital Securities in relation to the investment bank’s compliance with rules governing the protection of client money. The Accountancy and Actuarial Discipline Board said on Friday its investigation would cover PwC’s conduct in preparing reports on Barclays Capital, the investment banking arm of [...]
These politicians are wrong – a tax on wealth would be bad for Britain September 9, 2012 A NUMBER of leading political figures – including Nick Clegg, Vince Cable and Ed Balls – have recently voiced their support for a new wealth tax. It is easy to see why this idea is attractive to politicians. In the UK, personal wealth totals around £7 trillion – around 5 times GDP – even after [...]
Demonstrations threaten fuel supply June 8, 2012 Britain’s fuel supplies may be disrupted after workers at an Essex oil refinery threatened to demonstrate on Monday in an attempt to convince the government to save the plant. The move comes after administrator PwC, which been handling the sale of the Coryton plant, indicated the difficulty of finding a potential buyer for the threatened [...]
Is M&S’s decision to offer current accounts for a fee a sign that no-charge banking is dying? July 18, 2012 YES Stephen Whitehouse “Free banking” in the UK is nearing an end. Regulators view the current banking model as unfair to consumers and might well force the end of the UK phenomenon of free in-credit banking. Our research suggests that customers are willing to pay for services that add real and lasting value to their [...]
Regulator: I’ll shoot first, ask questions later September 18, 2012 THE CITY’S regulators will get much tougher next year, the incoming boss of the new Financial Conduct Authority warned yesterday, telling financial services firms he will take a “shoot first and ask questions later” approach to the role. Banks could see products banned from sale even before regulators have decided whether they are safe or [...]