London needs a new deal with its nation to secure a good Brexit for its leading industries November 29, 2016 We cannot assume that London will always succeed. No city is too big to fail. London must constantly reassert its global status because if a city isn’t rising, it’s falling. London has long been a world-leading financial centre and is now a magnet for the international technology sector and its startups. But, in an environment being [...]
The housing minister just admitted the government will miss its housebuilding targets November 11, 2016 The UK's housebuilding sector is "absolutely… not at the rate we need to be" in order to meet government targets, the housing minister has admitted. In an interview with Sky News, Gavin Barwell said although the UK is currently building 170,000 new homes a year, we're on course to miss a target of one million [...]
It’s time for diversity at the Bank of England February 15, 2017 The financial crash knocked some of the stuffing out of the economics profession, though you wouldn’t know it given the confidence with which economists still parade their forecasts. A few – especially those with a monetarist or Austrian inclination – publicly expressed concern about policy in 2005-2007, but nobody from the mainstream predicted a financial meltdown. [...]
Video analytics firm Big Sofa announces Aim flotation after raising over £6m December 19, 2016 Video analytics firm Big Sofa begins trading today on London’s junior market, with an eye on US expansion. Big Sofa has raised around £6.1m by way of a placing of, and subscription for, new ordinary shares at 17 pence per share, valuing the business at £10m. It hopes the fundraising will boost expansion in the [...]
Here’s how the mayor wants to improve access to office space for London’s startups December 2, 2016 Sadiq Khan wants to protect the capital's office space. And how does he plan to do that you might well ask? Well, apparently he's rounding up a team of entrepreneurs and business leaders to appoint to the Workspace Providers Board. They will advise on securing offices and creating new ones, such as by identifying sites for building new developments, [...]
How currencies move stock markets April 19, 2017 Many factors move stock markets but the strength of a country’s currency can have a surprisingly large bearing. Several high profile events have underlined this in the past year – most notably Brexit and Donald Trump’s US election win. The way currencies affect stock markets are different in each country. Rising currencies may serve to [...]
Some of the UK’s largest drugmakers are set to meet ministers over Brexit concerns next month October 30, 2016 Pharmaceuticals bosses are set to meet with ministers next month in a bid to press their case for government support in the ahead of formal talks on quitting the EU. Business secretary Greg Clark said today that the government had reassured automaker Nissan over its negotiating plans for Brexit, and now the drugmakers are to [...]
Back in business: Housebuilding jumps as Brexit fears fade October 4, 2016 Construction activity in the UK has grown for the first time in five months as builders regain their mojo in the wake of the EU referendum. The closely-watched purchasing managers' index (PMI) for the sector came in at 52.3 for the month of September, comfortably above the 50 score which represents stagnation. It was also [...]
London must shake off its complacency over housing and infrastructure if it’s to thrive post-Brexit October 31, 2016 Rarely has a ranking of the world’s greatest cities been released in the past few years without London at its top, or very near it. PwC recently named the capital the world’s best city for opportunity, praising its economic clout, its attractiveness to foreign direct investment, its highly skilled workforce, and its status as a [...]
The costs of running a business in London are starting to outweigh the benefits February 28, 2017 The late, great Robin Williams once said: “Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party’.” When the chancellor stands up to deliver the last ever Spring Budget next week, however, small businesses in London are likely to be putting party plans on hold unless Philip Hammond can pull the miraculous business rates “rabbit out of the [...]