RBS favours an end to era of free in-credit current accounts February 4, 2015 CHARGING for bank accounts will promote innovation in the sector, RBS’s Moray McDonald told MPs yesterday. Most current accounts are free when they have positive balances, which critics argue makes it hard for new banks to enter the sector and squashes competition. “Would we be in a better place if we didn’t have free-if-in-credit banking?” the [...]
No sex, no French fries and lots of queues: Venezuela tops the world’s misery index for 2015 March 3, 2015 Ukraine, Greece and Spain are the most depressed countries in Europe – but all the world's economies are outshadowed by the gloomy Venezuelans, which have topped the misery index for a second year running. It should perhaps come as no surprise that Venezuela's population is so unhappy – people have been taking to the streets [...]
Three charts showing what a world without free Waitrose coffee looks like January 29, 2015 Middle class coffee fans across the nation were sent reeling yesterday, after Waitrose announced it's no longer going to offer free tea and coffee to myWaitrose card holders in its cafes. Yep, the dream is over: from 9 February, card holders will have to "purchase a treat" if they want to get their free latte [...]
Samsung banks on S6 edging it to future profit March 1, 2015 in Barcelona SAMSUNG last night unveiled two flagship Galaxy S6 smartphones in Barcelona, marking the start of this year’s Mobile World Congress. The two devices, the S6 and its curved screen S6 Edge brother, are a crucial attempt by the South Korean conglomerate to restore growth to its smartphone division, which has seen margins and [...]
US stocks rise on mixed data – New York Report January 29, 2015 AN AFTERNOON rally, helped by an upturn in oil prices, offset some disappointing earnings results on Wall Street yesterday. The S&P 500 had fallen as much as 0.6 per cent earlier, led by energy stocks, which then reversed direction along with crude prices. Harman International shares rose 23.8 per cent, making it the biggest S&P [...]
Chicken McNuggets without the chicken: McDonald’s Japan creates tofu nuggets after meat scandal July 30, 2014 McDonald’s is launching a new version of the beloved chicken McNugget – without the chicken – after the fast food giant was hit by a meat scandal across Asia. Fans of the chicken McNugget may have been put off forever by revelations that one of its meat suppliers in China has allegedly been selling out-of-date [...]
McDonald’s to serve up 8,000 UK jobs by 2017 June 18, 2014 MCDONALD’S will cook up 8,000 new roles in the UK over the next three years, expanding its already sizeable workforce by 8.5 per cent. The fast food chain, which celebrates 40 years in the UK this year, said two in every three of the jobs would go to first-time employees under the age of 25. [...]
Super Bowl 2015 best adverts: Budweiser’s Lost Dog is a winner but Fast And Furious 7, Terminator Genisys, Ted 2 and Fifty Shades of Grey film trailers prove popular February 2, 2015 The New England Patriots may have triumphed over the Seattle Seahawks in last night's football game, but there was a puppy that also came out a winner from the Super Bowl. For all the Super Bowl pre-buzz surrounding the adverts due to be screened- with million-dollar ad break spots, teaser trailers and social media campaigns [...]
US banks face capital review – New York Report December 7, 2014 MARKETS are starting to slow down, with major averages seeing smaller day-to-day moves as trading declines, but investors are inclined to retain a bullish view, particularly after strong jobs data. The data calendar lightens this week with only retail sales, producer price inflation and consumer sentiment reports due. The US Federal Reserve will meet tomorrow [...]
The McDonald’s doctrine is dead: Ukraine shows why March 11, 2014 A GREAT event took place in Pushkin Square, Moscow on 31 January 1990: a branch of McDonald’s was opened. There was similar excitement in Kiev on 24 May 1997, when the McDonald’s franchise was extended to Ukraine. The US author Thomas Friedman wrote in 1999 that no two countries with such a franchise had ever [...]