How the government can help you set up a business from home August 17, 2014 My parents built a software business from scratch at our home near Chester when I was growing up. My youth was spent surrounded by the early computers and cables of their small firm. Today, all my siblings run their own startups, so I know from close experience what it takes to run a business from [...]
Top economists aren’t convinced by Republican proposal for Federal Reserve monetary policy rule July 14, 2014 Economists aren't impressed by the latest bright idea out of Washington. A Republican proposal to have the Federal Reserve bound by a formal rule, that would mandate a relationship between the Federal funds rate and macroeconomic measures, is failing to win many fans among academic economists. Those behind the legislation are fans of economists like [...]
Chinese manufacturing boosts Asian markets June 2, 2014 Asian markets are on the up after the third successive pick-up in the Chinese manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI). PMI rose to 50.8 in May, according to the National Bureau of Statistics and China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing. The new data may add further weight to the view that the world's second largest economy is not [...]
More rigorous GCSEs are good for business – but nurturing grit is also vital August 21, 2014 WHETHER you have a son or daughter who has been nervously awaiting their exam results or you’re a high-tech manufacturer hoping to add to your pool of skilled technicians, we all want young people to get the chance to fulfil their potential – not just in work but in life. With the latest GCSE results [...]
Why business must work with politics for the good of society – ACCA Comment September 17, 2014 The relationship can be dysfunctional, but collaboration works to the benefit of all. On the day that Scotland votes on the most tightly contested constitutional issue the United Kingdom has ever faced, questions have been raised about the relationship between business and politics. The two are undeniably intertwined; arguably business and politics are [...]
The financial A to Z of Scottish independence – CNBC Comment September 15, 2014 A new, independent Scotland might flummox a foreign visitor. So it’s lucky this financial A to Z has turned up – even if some say it’s a parody of the Better Together campaign. A: Alex – Scotland’s official unit of currency, though largely superseded by an informal bartering system, where one barrel of oil [...]
Brand Index: Most Brits betting on a crackdown on gambling firms June 17, 2014 GAMBLING in Britain is booming. The advent of online and mobile betting platforms means punters can now place bets anytime, anywhere and on pretty much anything. Britons are set to bet £1bn on the World Cup this summer. However, the betting bonanza has led to criticism. Bookmakers have been grilled over the presence of fixed-odds [...]
Mario Draghi says QE “falls squarely” in European Central Bank mandate July 14, 2014 Mario Draghi is doing more scene-setting work for full-blown quantitative easing. Speaking to EU politicians today, the European Central Bank (ECB) president said that QE "falls squarely" in the central bank's mandate. Draghi's comments come as the International Monetary Fund today did all but outright say that the ECB should begin to engage in asset [...]
Isle of Bitcoin: Jersey to take on Bali as best place for cryptocurrency June 24, 2014 Jersey is set to take on the tropical island of Bali in a race to become the most attractive jurisdiction for Bitcoin businesses. Campaign group Bit.Coin.Je is hoping to solidify Jersey's reputation as a hospitable regulatory environment. Oscar Darmawan, CEO of Bitcoin Indonesia, recently launched a new initiative called ‘Bitislands’ in the hope of turning [...]
Entrepreneurs group launches 2014 Growth Britain Manifesto May 30, 2014 Leading entrepreneurs group E2Exchange has launched its Growth Britain Manifesto to assist small companies and entrepreneurs capitalise on the UK's strengthening economy. The report includes calls for the abolition of of employers' NIC for jobless people under 25 for 12 months and an extension of the UK's 24 enterprise zones into London and the South-East. [...]