Focus on Blackfriars: The rise and rise of City towers on the South Bank January 15, 2015 Of all the makeovers the City of London has undergone in the ancient heart of the capital, Blackfriars is set to be one of the most breathtaking. The opening of Blackfriars South in 2013 marked the first new train station to open on the south bank of the Thames in 120 years. Commuters will no [...]
Mansion tax talk and cooling London house prices fail to dent Savills expectations November 18, 2014 Upmarket estate agent Savills is weathering the moderation of the London property market and the fall in commercial trading volumes in Hong Kong, as other global hotspots continue to perform. In an interim statement published today, the group said it has been affected by the threat of a mansion tax, which could be implemented after [...]
City Moves for 02 February 2015 | Who’s switching jobs February 1, 2015 EY Kate Richardson-Walsh has been appointed to EY’s business development team in London. She is a triple Olympian, and has been the captain of England and Great Britain hockey for the past 11 years. She will take up the role while training for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. Investec Specialist Bank The bank has announced [...]
UK house price growth slows, but prices are five times average earnings December 4, 2014 House prices across the UK were up 8.2 per cent in the year to November, another month of slower growth after October's 8.8 per cent rise. The price to earnings ratio is ticking up, however, and has reached a multiplier of 5.02. Halifax’s house price index also showed quarterly prices up 0.7 per cent (slowing [...]
Five policies that will transform the UK into a truly capital-owning democracy February 23, 2015 As a nation, we are bad at saving. While the reasons for this are many and varied, the belief that house prices are a one-way bet, the design of our welfare system, and the inability of humans to properly judge their future financial needs all contribute to UK households putting less aside than their counterparts [...]
Eight charts that sum up 2014 December 22, 2014 This year will be remembered for the fragmentation of mainstream politics, Scotland's near exit from the 307-year old union and an economy which the Bank's chief economist Andy Haldane described as "writhing in both agony and ecstasy." What does all that look like? Here are eight charts that sum up the year. (Source: Getty) 1. [...]
Cheers: FTSE closes after festive rally to end 0.18 per cent higher December 24, 2014 The FTSE 100 ended the festive period comfortably above 6,600 today, at 6,609.93, 0.18 per cent up on last night's close. It's a decent (nearly) end to the year for the FTSE, which has gained more than 400 points in recent days as markets rallied in time for the festive period. The Santa rally started [...]
French Connection, Conde Nast and Champneys named and shamed for failing to pay minimum wage March 24, 2015 French Connection, Conde Nast and Champneys have been named and shamed by the government for failing to pay their workers the minimum wage. In total, 48 companies spanning fashion, publishing, hospitality, health, car, care and retail have been identified today by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. They owed workers £162,000 in arrears between [...]
Taylor Wimpey shares jump as it lifts forecasts May 13, 2014 SHARES in Taylor Wimpey jumped over seven per cent yesterday after the housebuilder raised its profit targets on the back of a resurgence in the housing market. Housebuilders have enjoyed a dramatic recovery over the past year thanks to the government’s Help to Buy scheme and improving consumer confidence, which has helped fuel demand for [...]
UK house price growth may be slowing, but Persimmon is bullish November 4, 2014 Persimmon has enjoyed the fruits of 2014’s high house-price inflation, but there were signs in its third quarter figures that a cooling market is beginning to take its toll. The UK’s largest house builder by market capitalisation announced a 12 per cent increase in forward sales totalling £696m in the three months to the end [...]