George Osborne’s great government sell-off: Taxpayers risk getting burnt as sun may yet shine on RBS June 10, 2015 So after almost seven years, the moment has arrived. The symbolic importance of George Osborne’s announcement last night that the Treasury is to begin selling Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) shares at a loss is hard to overstate. “I’m not interested in what is easy – I’m interested in what is right,” he told [...]
Be open and thrive: Why Mexico shows Britain has massive export potential March 9, 2015 After hosting the first “Mexico Day” business summit at the Mansion House, followed by the State Reception for President Nieto of Mexico in the Guildhall when he visited the UK last week, now seems an opportune moment to reflect on our trading relationship with the rest of the globe. Looking at Mexico’s economy, things are [...]
Navinder Singh Sarao: Quiet man of Hounslow in eye of a share storm April 23, 2015 A younger Navinder Sarao, the 36-year-old UK day trader facing extradition to the US for his alleged role in 2010’s flash crash, was a quiet man and a whizz at maths as a student, according to his neighbours. Anil Puri, a childhood friend, said Sarao was a “bright kid” and “definitely had a good future”. [...]
Six charts showing why the UK needs to build more homes September 22, 2014 The housing market is hotly watched recently with prices rising and demand under constant observation. There were 21.9 per cent fewer house completions in England during 2013/14 than there were in 2003/4, while demand for house in London has driven the average price north of £500,000. These are just some of the results of analysis [...]
Hotel Chocolat co-founder Angus Thirlwell on how he built a chocolate empire July 12, 2015 Europe is awash with chocolatiers and the British consumer is spoilt for choice. So the idea that someone could set up a chocolate company with £10,000 and take it from startup to a market-conquering beast in just a decade seems a little far fetched. But that is what Angus Thirlwell and his business partner Peter [...]
Olympic Park development: Balfour Beatty just agreed to build two new neighbourhoods in East London March 2, 2015 Builder Balfour Beatty has signed a deal to construct 1,500 homes at East Wick and Sweetwater, the next two neighbourhoods to come out of the Olympic Village. The project, at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, will deliver 450 affordable homes, 530 for private sale and 500 to be rented out under a similar model to the [...]
Britain likely to reach a record low for inflation – London Report March 23, 2015 CONSUMER price inflation is likely to have fallen to a new record low of 0.2 per cent in February, moving Britain closer to deflation. Official figures out tomorrow look set to show the fall in the index, which comes after the previous low of 0.3 per cent in January. Howard Archer, of IHS Global Insight, [...]
Alternative lending deals rocket 43 per cent amid M&A flurry March 14, 2015 Non-bank lending jumped last year, with 195 deals in the UK and Europe, up 43 per cent from a year earlier. Mergers and acquisitions activity drove around 51 per cent of the deals, overtaking refinancing, when considering deals since the tracker began at end of 2012. "With increased confidence in the markets and wider funding options, we [...]
Private View: On the market in Battersea March 12, 2015 HONEYWELL ROAD £1.695m This good-sized family house is on a popular road that’s in the catchment area of Honeywell Primary School. It boasts a south-facing garden and five bedrooms spread across 2,200sqft of space, including a master bedroom with an ensuite bathroom in a converted loft space on the top floor. Contact sales agent Hamptons [...]
India Martin: Former JP Morgan COO on why she left to start a nailcare business August 31, 2015 Do I feel like quitting? Yes, every single day,” says India Martin, founder of luxury nail polish firm Only Fingers and Toes. But she won’t. Not only does she know the value of her business, but when you talk to her, you know this is one of the most tenacious people you’ve ever met. [...]