Autumn Statement 2014: Reactions to George Osborne’s announcement – from the City economist to the property expert December 3, 2014 THE BUSINESS GROUP Confederation of British Industry director general John Cridland Growing firms will benefit from business rates reform. We welcome continued commitment to deficit reduction. “These major changes on stamp duty and business rates will be a shot in the arm for families and growing firms as they look towards 2015. [...]
The Eurozone optimists are playing a dangerous game – Investment Comment September 23, 2014 Despite a continuing stream of woeful economic data from the Eurozone, a number of investors and fund managers have become more sanguine about the currency bloc in recent months. Writing in these pages in August, JP Morgan’s Blake Crawford argued that a combination of economic revival, continued low interest rates and supportive monetary policy should [...]
Autumn Statement 2014: George Osborne hits banks to help home buyers December 3, 2014 Chancellor plays Robin Hood by grabbing from the wealthy to fund stamp duty sweetener for those lower down property ladder. THE UK ECONOMIC OUTLOOK ● The UK’s economic growth has outperformed the March forecast of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), giving Britain the fastest growth rate in the G7. ● Unemployment has fallen [...]
UN Universal Children’s Day: Why child rights are good for business – ACCA Comment November 19, 2014 If firms fail to protect children in the supply chain, they risk harm to their bottom line. Today is the UN’s Universal Children’s Day. Held on 20 November every year, this occasion recognises the welfare of children around the world and commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child in [...]
Brazil seeking to stave off slump with £6bn commercial credit August 20, 2014 Brazil’s government yesterday unveiled a flurry of economic measures as the country teetered on the brink of a recession. As a tightly contested presidential election drew closer, the central bank increased the amount of capital available for commercial loans by at least 25bn reals (£6.65bn), the second such move in less than a month. The [...]
Labour must stop playing politics with Europe – and come up with a real EU vision September 25, 2014 Under Ed Miliband, Europe has somewhat fallen by the wayside as a priority policy issue for Labour, just as it has rapidly escalated in importance for the Conservatives. What some would call the Tories’ unhealthy fixation with the EU has led to a Labour approach that often disproportionately focuses on the politics of the debate, [...]
BBA dismisses new crackdown on bankers’ bonuses as “counterintuitive” October 15, 2014 The British Bankers Association (BBA) has dismissed moves by a European body to curb the use of fixed allowances as an alternative to traditional bonuses as “counterintuitive”. Today, banks were hit with the news that more stringent checks could be introduced to the pay of senior staff after an investigation found that several institutions [...]
Heathrow boss John Holland-Kaye wants the City to speak up for airport expansion November 3, 2014 For most of us, airports are a necessary headache a couple of times a year. For others, they are the root of all evil. Which is probably why the debate over airport expansion has rumbled on for so long and become one of the most divisive in modern British politics. Somehow along the way, the [...]
Scottish Devolution: What does the Smith Commission report mean for Scotland the rest of the UK? November 27, 2014 It has been labelled as the biggest shake-up to the UK’s taxation system in the modern era, but what exactly does the contents of the Smith Commission report mean for Scotland and the rest of England? As had been expected, the Smith Commission has recommended delivering to Scotland an unprecedented number of new powers [...]
Europe can cut reliance on Russian gas, report claims September 9, 2014 The European Union can – and should – reduce its reliance on Russia as a source of gas, a new report into climate change has suggested. Think tank Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) claims that a 35 per cent cut in the EU's energy usage by 2030 – recommended by the European Commission [...]