Time to choose: Fiscal union or euro break-up August 14, 2011 IT’S all getting a bit Cheryl and Ashley Cole in the Eurozone recently. To quote Cheryl’s no.1 hit, the EU seems to think that “if it’s worth having, it’s worth fighting for”. Well, I beg to differ. If you’re in a situation that clearly doesn’t work, then get out and don’t look back. Even after [...]
FTSE 100 ends August on a high despite economic fears August 31, 2011 BRITAIN’S top share index climbed 2.4 per cent yesterday as poor economic data in Britain and abroad fuelled expectations of further economic stimulus but it still recorded the worst monthly performance since February 2009. The benchmark FTSE 100 index closed up 125.87 points or 2.4 per cent at 5,394.53, on the final trading day in [...]
THE WEEK AHEAD in association with GFT June 26, 2011 COMPANIES ● Today, Ocado releases its half-year results. Its share price suffered last week on the back of JP Morgan Cazenove cutting its rating and the news that Waitrose is gearing up to compete with it directly in London. ● Tomorrow, Daisy will deliver its preliminary earnings release. The company sells internet and telecommunications services. [...]
THE WEEK AHEAD in association with GFT June 26, 2011 COMPANIES ● Today, Ocado releases its half-year results. Its share price suffered last week on the back of JP Morgan Cazenove cutting its rating and the news that Waitrose is gearing up to compete with it directly in London. ● Tomorrow, Daisy will deliver its preliminary earnings release. The company sells internet and telecommunications services. [...]
Rioters shut down Athens before vote June 28, 2011 ATHENS was in lockdown yesterday as riots spread through the city and unions kicked off a two-day strike to coincide with a crucial budget debate in parliament. Thousands of protesters filled the streets amid the shattered glass of shop windows, wielding sticks, throwing stones and starting fires. The police retaliated with tear gas and stun [...]
Belgium may be the next domino to fall in crisis July 12, 2011 WHILE most of the focus of the Eurozone crisis has been on Portugal, Greece and Ireland, more countries are being drawn into the fray. Italy’s bond yields are spiking and governmentless Belgium seems overdue for a government bond rating downgrade. With a lack of faith in the euro, these worries are driving the Swiss franc [...]
Belgium may be the next domino to fall in crisis July 12, 2011 WHILE most of the focus of the Eurozone crisis has been on Portugal, Greece and Ireland, more countries are being drawn into the fray. Italy’s bond yields are spiking and governmentless Belgium seems overdue for a government bond rating downgrade. With a lack of faith in the euro, these worries are driving the Swiss franc [...]
Greece to vote on austerity plan by end of month June 7, 2011 The Greek government expects parliament to vote on its medium-term austerity plan, a condition of a new international bailout, by the end of June, a senior government official has said. A second official poured cold water on any idea of a referendum on the austerity plan, and repeated government assurances that it would not seek [...]
This policy wouldn’t have saved Northern Rock or Lehman Bros June 15, 2011 THE chancellor’s support for ringfencing the retail sections of banks from their investment arms might have made headlines – but it won’t solve any future banking crises. Ringfencing wouldn’t have prevented the financial crash, the resulting recession or the bailout of banks by the taxpayer. Northern Rock and Lehman Brothers were both relatively simple banks, [...]
Should the 50p rate be scrapped? August 1, 2011 YES SAJID JAVID, MP THE last Conservative manifesto was unequivocally right to include the pledge that “we do not regard the 50p tax rate as a permanent feature of the tax system” as, indeed, was Alan Johnson when he called for it to be ditched last November, when he was Labour’s shadow chancellor. Introduced by [...]