No, not that German election: An anti-capitalist referendum on rent prices September 29, 2021 Entrepreneurs can breathe a sigh of relief and stay in Germany without having to worry about emigrating. At least for now. A government made up of Germany’s three biggest left-wing parties was narrowly averted in Sunday’s elections. Narrowly is the operative word, because the Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens and Die Linke (the former communist [...]
Rail union gears up for strike action amid fears of 10,000 job cuts April 19, 2021 The UK’s rail union is preparing for industrial action over fears that thousands of rail workers lose their jobs in the coming months. The RMT said that Network Rail had made plans that would result in “thousands of job losses by this September and a wholescale dilution of safety standards, including a halving the frequency [...]
Brexit minister hits back at Elton John: ‘He had his first hits before the UK became EU member’ June 29, 2021 Elton John became successful before the UK joined the bloc, Brexit minister Lord Frost said today, as he hit back at criticism from the singer over post-Brexit visa rules for musicians in the EU. Sir Elton has previously warned of a “looming catastrophe” facing the UK music industry because of new travel restrictions on touring [...]
Competition watchdog clears £31bn O2-Virgin Media merger April 14, 2021 The competition watchdog has provisionally cleared the £31bn merger between O2 and Virgin Media following an in-depth investigation. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched a probe into the tie-up amid concerns it would harm competition in the wholesale market. Virgin Media provides leased lines to mobile operators such as Vodafone and Three, while O2’s [...]
Covid: London SMEs lost around £100,000 more than businesses elsewhere in the UK May 27, 2021 It is safe to say that UK SMEs have taken a large blow to finances since the Covid-19 pandemic closed shop doors, with 82 per cent feeling the tightening purse strings, according to freelance platform Fiverr. On average, UK SMEs have lost just under £192,000 in revenue in the last 12 months – while just [...]
Strategic asset allocation or how I learned to stop worrying and love dispersion August 10, 2021 For decades, strategic asset allocation has been considered the driving force behind investment portfolio returns. But the old adage that allocation determines 90 per cent of performance is rapidly becoming outdated. During 2020 and 2021, we have seen how the world of investing is shifting from one in which declining interest rates drive beta performance [...]
World’s biggest semiconductor maker warns that shortage could continue into 2022 April 15, 2021 The world’s biggest semiconductor maker this morning warned that the current chip shortage could well last into 2022. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) said that it was doing everything it could to alleviate the drought of the processors, which are vital for a vast range of electric devices. Chief exec C. C. Wei told investors [...]
The City View: Michael Hewson on why calls for a windfall tax are misplaced May 3, 2022 Today Andy Silvester talks to Michael Hewson, Chief Market Analyst at CMC Markets. They pick apart the arguments for a windfall tax on BP, discuss potential rate rises from the Fed and Bank of England, and go through the impact that China’s zero-Covid policy has had on manufacturing in the country. And in other news [...]
The future of the construction industry is digital September 4, 2020 The double-whammy of a pandemic and a recession has made 2020 one of the most challenging and disrupted years in living memory. But the bright spot, in an otherwise battered economy, is construction, which forms a major part of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s ”Build Back Better” campaign. Britain’s construction industry grew at the fastest rate in almost [...]
Long read: Untangling the shipping crisis will take more than a favourable wind October 14, 2021 IT IS EASY to forget how lucky we are in the UK. A rapid vaccine rollout has almost entirely banished the spectre of Covid-19 from the country’s economy. But, there are signs the pandemic is still stopping the world from getting back to normal – none more so than in the global shipping industry.Covid-19 continues [...]