China’s false stability could soon be exposed as its growth model creaks July 24, 2013 CHINA is widely considered to be the twenty-first century’s emerging economic leader. Global financial interests are betting that its state-directed economic model will overtake the liberal capitalism of the debt-ridden West. But is this the case? Leaders in Beijing have a slightly different view of their economy. China is devouring land, labour and capital in [...]
Today is tax freedom day – and time to think the unthinkable June 8, 2013 TODAY is tax freedom day in the UK – the day that you start to work for yourself, rather than for the government. For an average UK resident, the entirety of January, February, March and April, and virtually all of May, went on part-financing the state – the first 150 days of the year. It [...]
Liberalise planning and housebuilding can revive growth April 27, 2013 THE UK economy has avoided a triple-dip recession, but recovery is proving elusive. GDP is still 2.6 per cent below its pre-crisis peak and only 0.4 per cent greater than in the third quarter of 2011. Some sectors remain very depressed – most obviously construction, where output is 18 per cent down from its peak. [...]
Cheap funds for lenders in bid to boost borrowing April 30, 2013 BANKS are being offered cheap funding for another year in a renewed drive to boost lending to the private sector and get the economy moving. The funding for lending scheme (FLS) was launched in August and was expected to run for 18 months. But the Bank of England and the government are worried that lending [...]
Four new firms setting up shop in Heron Tower | City A.M. April 29, 2013 GERALD Ronson’s landmark Heron Tower is now 60 per cent let after four new tenants agreed to take up office space in the building. Partnership Assurance, the pensions company, has signed for the building’s lowest four office storeys, Heron International Group said yesterday. Securis Investment Partners, the insurance linked investment fund manager, stockbrokers Westhouse Securities, [...]
Residential landlord Grainger makes first build-to-rent deal February 4, 2013 GRAINGER, the UK’s largest quoted residential landlord, has acquired its first build to rent scheme in Barking as part of a major regeneration project being developed by Bouygues Development. Grainger said yesterday it will pay £13.7m for the residential part of the scheme comprising of 100 residential units, which it is due to complete in [...]
UK construction plunges further January 31, 2013 Building activity in the UK fell yet further in January, according to numbers released this morning. Glenigan’s index for the sector was a full 18 per cent lower in January 2013 than in the same month a year earlier, driven down by collapsing infrastructure starts – down 44 per cent over the year. The only [...]
Retailers report but all eyes on world economy September 9, 2012 THE GLOBAL economy will once again set the tone for the markets this week, with a crucial German ruling on the new bailout fund due on Wednesday and a potential move on QE3 by the US Federal Reserve on Thursday. Greek leaders will today meet with their creditors to outline further austerity measures. And UBS’s [...]
Developer of BBC Television Centre sets out masterplan February 5, 2013 THE BBC Television Centre in White City is to be opened up to the public for the first time, under its new guise as a site for hotels, flats and offices. Developers unveiled plans yesterday to turn the landmark building into a mixed-use scheme including 1,000 new homes, a hotel and offices as well as [...]
Weir in £55m shopping spree as it extends mining footprint February 21, 2013 ENGINEER the Weir Group yesterday said it had snapped up a trio of companies for £55m, as it extends its footprint into mining industries. The FTSE 100 firm has bought the R Wales group of companies in Canada – which makes rubber linings for the processing industries – in a move into the North American [...]