London Report: Banks lift FTSE as new leverage rules welcomed January 13, 2014 ARALLY in banking shares helped the FTSE 100 rise to a two-month closing high yesterday as investors welcomed the prospect of lighter rules on leverage for the sector. Supermarket WM Morrison was the top FTSE gainer on speculation it may sell some property and return some of the proceeds to shareholders, while oil and gas [...]
Commuters stay underground as high-flyers shun cable cars November 20, 2013 ONE of London’s great white elephant projects – the Emirates Air Line cable cars – was used by just four regular commuters in the week from Saturday 13 October. With a maximum capacity of 2,500 people an hour, the link between the O2 in Greenwich and the ExCel centre at the Royal Docks operates well [...]
The Power of Three: How big business could join government to support small companies March 10, 2014 IF I received a pound for every time a chief executive of a large firm said to me “we’d like to be the champions of small business”, I’d be comfortably off. However, over the past year, I’ve seen an increasing number of businesses not only voicing this statement, but acting on it. This is a [...]
Public purse under strain from house supply crisis December 9, 2013 THE UK’S chronic lack of housing supply is forcing hundreds of employed people to claim housing benefit every day, as prices continue to climb. As demand for property continues to surge, the National Housing Federation (NHF) today reveals the how Britain’s housing shortfall is straining the public finances. According to shocking new research, 310 workers [...]
Float fever to shake up FTSE indices in reshuffle December 9, 2013 THE ROYAL Mail could break into the FTSE 100 tomorrow, one of several newly listed companies which are candidates to join the FTSE in its quarterly reshuffle. The postal group is set to knock Vedanta Resources out of the blue chip index after its bumper share price rise since its float made it one of [...]
London Report: New borrowing figures likely a boost for Britain November 17, 2013 CHANCELLOR George Osborne is likely to get a boost this week with October public borrowing figures predicted to show the economic recovery gaining strength. Corporation payments and profits from the Royal Mail share sale have helped boost the government coffers and the final set of figures before Osborne’s Autumn Statement are expected to be strong. [...]
Focus on Marylebone: Where Holmes meets luxury homes January 16, 2014 HOUSE prices in Marylebone have risen by 28.5 per cent in the last five years and the trend looks set to continue, according to statistics from property website Zoopla. “We anticipate that within the next five years, prices in Marylebone, NW1, will increase by up to 25 per cent as the area benefits from further [...]
The City’s got a brand new leather bag February 5, 2014 Satchels are back in business, showing off great British craftsmanship at its finest ORIGINALLY made in the 17th century to help Oxbridge students lug their books around, the humble satchel has nevertheless made an unexpected comeback in 21st century London. The buckled bags hav always been a distinctly British success story, made with hardy leather [...]
Saluting all those who served the country October 20, 2013 ALMOST 400 guests flocked to the Guildhall on Friday for the third Square Mile Salute banquet, hosted by Michelin-starred chefs Albert and Michel Roux Jr. With support from leading players in business and politics, including Lord Ashcroft and the spread-betting group CMC Markets, the event has grown into a hotly anticipated culinary masterpiece and a [...]
UK’s oldest manufacturer goes online November 24, 2013 THE WHITECHAPEL Bell Foundry – which claims to be the oldest manufacturing company in the UK – has pulled itself into the 21st century with the launch of its first online store. The firm, which has cast and sold bells from its East London premises since 1570, has set up the new offering via Swedish [...]