RAPID RESPONSES February 16, 2012 Debt is soaring [Re: The real reasons why the UK is in trouble, Wednesday] Government spending has exceeded income for most years post WWII. There is a cycle which goes from growth, when tax receipts eventually catch up with spending, almost immediately followed by recession, when deficits return. The busts have been getting ever bigger [...]
RAPID RESPONSES February 16, 2012 Debt is soaring [Re: The real reasons why the UK is in trouble, Wednesday] Government spending has exceeded income for most years post WWII. There is a cycle which goes from growth, when tax receipts eventually catch up with spending, almost immediately followed by recession, when deficits return. The busts have been getting ever bigger [...]
Munich Re profits slump on the back of natural disasters February 2, 2012 PROFITS at insurer Munich Re plummeted 71 per cent during 2011 after a series of earthquakes and floods hammered the firm’s bottom line. Preliminary figures show 2011 year-end net profit of €710m (£591m), down from €2.43bn in 2010. The company has promised a return to its previous levels of profitability this year, emphasising that almost [...]
Catastrophes cause record losses in 2011 January 4, 2012 EARTHQUAKES, storms and floods that battered the world in 2011 caused an unprecedented level of economic damage and insured losses, a leading insurance group said yesterday. Natural catastrophes set a new record of $380bn (£244bn) of economic losses last year, two and a half times higher than in 2010 and $160bn higher than the previous [...]
Shopping in style at the City’s 10 best June 17, 2012 Paul A Young, Bank 1 London’s most delectable chocolatier has shops in Islington and Soho, but our favourite is the outpost on Threadneedle Street. Just a stone’s throw from Bank, the store is a beacon of temptation, with its opulent display window and signature purple exterior. Paul, who has flame-red hair, oversees an operation in [...]
Improving England ought to beat confused France March 8, 2012 ENGLAND’S last Six Nations outing, the hard-fought defeat to Wales at Twickenham, was very positive. The big concern was that they weren’t going to go out and play but they moved the ball around well and met fire with fire. Personally, I thought David Strettle’s last-gasp effort should have been given as a try but, [...]
Intel posts revenue surge but faces weak mobile reception January 19, 2012 INTEL beat expectations to hit record full year revenues of $54bn (£34.9bn), it said yesterday, despite a challenging PC market and late entry in the mobile sector. The chip manufacturer also announced that it would increase capital expenditure to $12.5bn in 2012, up from $10.7bn in 2011, in an attempt to catch up with rivals [...]
On top of the world at Capri’s Punta Tragara March 4, 2012 THE tour boat rounded a bend. “Look up there,” the driver told us. “That’s the Punta Tragara, the fanciest and best hotel on the island.” Everyone looked up at the grand orange palace, all jutting balconies and terraces, perched on the top of one of Capri’s highest spots. My friend and I chuckled and kept [...]
On top of the world at Capri’s Punta Tragara March 4, 2012 THE tour boat rounded a bend. “Look up there,” the driver told us. “That’s the Punta Tragara, the fanciest and best hotel on the island.” Everyone looked up at the grand orange palace, all jutting balconies and terraces, perched on the top of one of Capri’s highest spots. My friend and I chuckled and kept [...]
BEST OF THE BROKERS January 31, 2012 BARRATT DEVELOPMENTS Investec has initiated coverage of the UK housing market with a generally positive stance, seeing solid fundamentals supporting the sector. It rates housebuilder Barratt Developments as a “buy” with a target price of 180p. Though the broker expects Barratt to remain the most volatile of the group it also offers the greatest upside, [...]