Theresa May is to deliver a much-anticipated speech on Brexit next week January 12, 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May looks set to deliver a landmark speech on Brexit early next week. The speech, which has been anticipated for weeks, is expected to see the Prime Minister add more detail to her plans for quitting the European Union. May will deliver an address on Tuesday. While outlining her vision of a "sharing society" speech [...]
UK manufacturing rose in November as the construction sector faced a slowdown January 11, 2017 The UK economy is showing signs of mixed form, as production output increased in November, although construction output showed a small decline month on month. Production was estimated to have increased by 2.1 per cent compared with October, with oil and gas capacity coming back on track after a maintenance period and a strong showing [...]
Output in the UK’s construction industry grew unexpectedly slowly in January February 2, 2017 The pound fell off its highs this morning after figures revealed output in the UK's construction industry had grown unexpectedly slowly in January – suggesting the sector's tentative recovery is swiftly running out of steam. Markit's purchasing managers' index for the construction industry dropped to 52.2 in January, from 54.2 in December and against expectations of 53.8. Any figure [...]
Cinema chain Odeon’s owner AMC reels in Nordic Cinemas Group in $929m deal January 23, 2017 The company which admits millions of popcorn-crunching cinema attendees at Odeon across the UK has snapped up Nordic Cinemas Group for close to $1bn. AMC Entertainment, which owns the UK movie theatre chain Odeon, paid $929m (£743m) in an all-cash deal to gain control of Nordic Cinemas Group, which has stakes in picture houses in seven [...]
Walter Presents and chill? Channel 4’s foreign language, Netflix-style service to launch in US January 31, 2017 A Channel 4-backed online streaming service for foreign-language dramas is to launch in the United States. Walter Presents, a subscription-video-on-demand (SVOD) service, launched in the UK last year. It was founded by Global Series Network’s Walter Iuzzolino and is majority-owned by Channel 4. For $6.99 (£5.60) a month, US customers will have access to 34 series [...]
UK house price growth eased off in October November 7, 2016 Much has been said about whether the Brexit vote hit demand for homes in the UK. Figures published today suggest that may be the case: prices grew 5.2 per cent in October, down from 5.8 per cent in September. The average house price hit £217,411 in October, according to the Halifax house price index – that's [...]
City Moves for 23 February 2017 – who’s switching jobs? February 23, 2017 Today's City Moves cover legal eagles, private banking and engineering. Take a look at these movers and shakers: Bishop & Sewell Bishop & Sewell, a leading full service Central London law firm, has appointed Stephen Charnock as senior associate solicitor in its landlord & tenant team. Stephen specialises in leasehold enfranchisement and has more than [...]
Industrial strategy needs a three-pillared approach to boost British productivity February 15, 2017 It is clear that government intervention is required to address faltering productivity across the UK, and that this could be a positive step towards meeting the underlying structural challenges facing the UK economy, such as regional inequality and low wage growth. The government has now released its industrial strategy to address such issues. So how does [...]
The EU and Jean-Claude Juncker are scared of Brexit: It knows No Deal is better for Britain than a bad deal May 3, 2017 The leaks that have emerged from EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker since his dinner with Theresa May at Downing Street last week confirm what any realistic observer has known since last June. Juncker & Co are afraid. Very afraid. I can agree with the president that Theresa May inhabits a different galaxy, but he is [...]
Liberty House founder Sanjeev Gupta: How to be a 21st century industrialist December 12, 2016 Behind Sanjeev Gupta’s desk, a framed copy of Margaret Thatcher’s 1980 Conservative Party Conference “The lady’s not for turning” speech hangs on the wall. The speech was a key moment of her tenure, in which Thatcher laid out a refusal to u-turn on liberalising the economy. It is also an interesting choice of picture for [...]