Funding for Lending isn’t working: Why the Bank is missing the point April 29, 2013 IN THE debate about why Britain’s monetary policy is not working, there has been too much focus on whether the Bank of England should buy more government bonds or move to negative interest rates. Both miss the point. The primary reason monetary policy is not working is that the transmission mechanism is broken. There is [...]
How to stay cool on the snow December 19, 2012 THE weather’s cold, but you want to spend all day on the slopes, right? Luckily the latest gear will keep you toasty in spite of the elements. And the 2012-13 season includes enough new gadgets to help even novice skiers look like pros – and measure your progress along the way. For a jacket that [...]
Cineworld banking on 007 and Batman for second half growth August 16, 2012 CINEWORLD, Britain’s biggest movie theatre group, said it expects performance to pick up in the coming months as blockbusters including the new James Bond film are released. The company posted a modest rise in revenues in the first half of the year to £165m, as a five per cent hike in ticket prices offset a [...]
Skyfall takes Bond to new heights October 25, 2012 FILM SKYFALL Cert 12A | **** AFter deftly eluding MGM’s creditors and safely delivering the Queen to the Olympic opening ceremony, James Bond is out of bankruptcy, off diplomatic protection detail, and back on the big screen for a superbly crafted and confident action thriller. With a dangerously unpredictable enemy bent on vengeance, Sam Mendes’ [...]
US stocks slide as downgrades pull back gains February 4, 2013 US stocks slid yesterday, giving the S&P 500 its worst day since November, as renewed worries about the Eurozone crisis caused the market to pull back from recent gains. Shares of McGraw-Hill shed 13.8 per cent to $50.30, their worst daily percentage decline since the October 1987 market crash, after news the US Justice Department [...]
Write-off costs drag Pinewood down despite revenue growth May 23, 2012 PINEWOOD Shepperton made a loss last year as the film studio took a hit from the failure of its movie set development project. Project Pinewood – a plan to build replicas of landmarks including famous cities, a castle and a college campus – was blocked in January, costing the company £7.6m in write-off costs. Expenses relating [...]
Our guide to the best events to see in the world of the arts June 14, 2012 • Invisible at the Hayward Gallery is the kind of exhibition your grandpa would hate. As the name suggests, it’s a celebration of art that isn’t there – the intangible and the hidden. White-on-white paintings, pencil lines meticulously – almost imperceptivity – drawn around the cracks on the ground. It is highly recommended you’re a [...]
Pinewood Studios to give 20pc stake and advice to Isle of Man June 6, 2012 PINEWOOD Shepperton yesterday unveiled an arrangement which would see the Isle of Man government buy a fifth of the British film studio for £24m. The British Crown island said it is seeking a stake of up to 19.9 per cent in Pinewood, which would in turn become an adviser to the Isle of Man’s Media Development [...]
The five questions Mark Carney must deliver answers to February 6, 2013 MARK Carney makes his first appearance in front of the Treasury Select Committee today. But what should the influential committee ask our new Bank of England governor? It certainly shouldn’t waste time questioning his salary. Whether the governor is paid £305,000 like Sir Mervyn King, or £874,000 as Carney will be, pales into insignificance against [...]
Dixons losses narrow November 29, 2012 Electrical retailer Dixons today announced that it has slightly reduced its pre-tax losses for the first six months of the year. The firm said it lost £22.2m for the 24 weeks to October 13, down from £25.3m for the same period last year. But the UK business, which largely operates under the Currys and PC [...]