House sellers test market June 14, 2010 SELLERS flooded onto the market in May following the recent abolition of home information packs (Hips) by the coalition government, the latest monthly survey from the Royal Institution for Charted Surveyors (RICS) will show today. However, the sharp increase in new instructions to +21 per cent from +11 per cent was not enough to prevent [...]
Wall St cheers bumper results July 22, 2010 WALL Street bellwethers cheered investors with a raft of good results last night, pushing up US indices and raising hopes of a sustained economic recovery. Corporate stalwarts UPS, Caterpillar and 3M all posted double-digit profit growth for the last quarter, while Microsoft surpassed Apple’s recent sales to report a record rise in revenue. The upbeat [...]
US stocks dragged down by poor housing figures June 22, 2010 US stocks fell more than one per cent in yet another late-day selloff yesterday as unexpectedly poor housing figures and the puncture of a key technical level sapped buying interest. Stocks marked time in a thinly traded session until the S&P 500 fell through its 200-day moving average, which had been a basis of support [...]
US stocks dragged down by poor housing figures June 22, 2010 US stocks fell more than one per cent in yet another late-day selloff yesterday as unexpectedly poor housing figures and the puncture of a key technical level sapped buying interest. Stocks marked time in a thinly traded session until the S&P 500 fell through its 200-day moving average, which had been a basis of support [...]
SuperGroup in £500k payout for online plans June 22, 2010 SuperGroup, owner of the Superdry brand, has paid the man who sold its seconds on the web £500,000 and taken the operation in-house. Chris Griffin, the top-rated UK seller of designer clothing on eBay, will be given the payment in shares. Meanwhile, Griffin will become the company’s e-commerce chief and be put on the SuperGroup [...]
The doctor’s ticket to success August 19, 2010 FOR a business venture to get off the ground, it needs to fill a gap in the market. Robin Wells’ latest venture mytrainticket.co.uk has found more of a gulf than a gap. The serial entrepreneur/angel investor came across the business opportunity – a rail version of air travel ticket booking sites – 18 months ago. [...]
Greek bond delay fuels global fears February 25, 2010 FEARS that the global economy could slip back into recession deepened yesterday as Greece pushed back a crucial bond issue because of market jitters over a possible downgrade of its sovereign credit rating. Athens will wait until next week to tap gilt investors for up to €5bn (£4.4bn) on a 10-year bond, in what will [...]
Merger mania grips the City July 21, 2010 A SUMMER flurry of corporate activity gathered pace yesterday as SSL, the maker of Durex condoms, agreed a £2.5bn takeover offer from Reckitt Benckiser, and the owners of United Biscuits put the firm up for sale. Shares in SSL soared 33.5 per cent to £11.77 after the board recommended the FTSE 100 household goods company’s [...]
City property deals top £1bn during last quarter, thanks to foreign buyers July 12, 2010 OVERSEAS investors looking for stable assets ratcheted the value of commercial property deals in the City by 57 per cent to £1.1bn in the last quarter, according to research published yesterday. A further £1.1bn worth of property in the Square Mile and Docklands is under offer with sales set for the third quarter of 2010, [...]
UK retail sales plunge in May May 27, 2010 UK High Street sales fell to a 14-month low in May, casting a shadow over the fragile recovery on the high street. The CBI’s monthly distributive trade report said poor weather and a slowdown in the housing market had driven down consumer demand. Pay squeezes and job insecurity also contributed to the drop. The business [...]