EasyJet share price slides after narrowing first half losses March 26, 2015 The figures For the six months ended 31 March EasyJet is expecting narrow post pre-tax result of a loss of £5m to a profit of £10m. The outlook for first half capacity growth has been revised up 0.2 per cent to 3.7 per cent and revenue per seat has also been hiked by 0.5 per [...]
24-hour party poopers: Tube drivers threaten to disrupt plans for 24-service over pay hike and four day week March 25, 2015 The long-awaited introduction of the 24-hour Tube has been put in jeopardy after London Underground demanded higher pay and more days off. Aslef, the train driver's union, wants a four-day working week for its members and has already rejected a cash lump sum of £500. Talks are ongoing, but the union hasn't ruled out strike [...]
David Cameron rules out VAT rise at last PMQs before the General Election March 25, 2015 David Cameron has vowed that if the Conservative Party wins the General Election there will be no rise in VAT. The Prime Minister made the announcement at the last Prime Minister's Questions of this Parliament. The surprise move will head off the Labour charge that the Tories will hike VAT if they return to government. [...]
As Cameron and Miliband prepare for final face-off check out PMQs Top Trumps March 25, 2015 David Cameron and Ed Miliband will clash at Prime Minister's Questions today for the last time before the General Election. The two men have spent close to five years duelling in the House of Commons, attempting to catch a spot on the six o'clock news with a withering put-down or witty comeback. Both men have [...]
Jim Murphy pledges redistribution from south to north by hitting the City of London March 25, 2015 Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy will unveil plans to spend £1bn on Scotland's "young working-class" in the heart of the City of London. The money for the new spending spree will come, in part, from reintroducing the bankers' bonus tax, which disproportionately hits workers in London. Murphy will say in the speech that the tax [...]
Jim Murphy pledges redistribution from south to north by hitting the City of London March 25, 2015 Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy will unveil plans to spend £1bn on Scotland's "young working-class" in the heart of the City of London. The money for the new spending spree will come, in part, from reintroducing the bankers' bonus tax, which disproportionatley hits workers in London. Murphy will say in speech the tax "is a [...]
Tui upbeat after strong demand for unique holidays and rise in online bookings March 25, 2015 The numbers Tui group has issued an optimistic trading statement. Average selling prices in the majority of source markets is toward the higher end and are up one per cent. Online bookings have climbed 12 per cent over the past six months and summer bookings are up one per cent. Why it's interesting In January, following [...]
Bellway profits soar on back of strong housing demand March 25, 2015 The numbers Homebuilder Bellway has reported a jump in profit before tax of 53 per cent to £159m for the half year ended 31 January. Revenue climbed 18.7 per cent to £831.2m. In good news for shareholders, dividends per share soared 56 per cent to 25p. Completions for the period rose 15.7 per cent from the [...]
French minister Ségolène Royal rebukes George Osborne’s “spiteful” mockery of Hollande’s economy March 24, 2015 During last week's Budget, George Osborne's jokes at France's expense played well in the chamber of the House of Commons – at least among Tory MPs. The chancellor mocked the opposition for wanting to emulate the French economic model in operation under Francois Hollande. France is beset with high unemployment and low growth and has struggled [...]
Brexit would be “disastrous” for UK, says Standard Life chairman March 24, 2015 The chairman of insurer Standard Life has told the CityWeek conference it would be "disastrous for London and the UK" if Britain were to leave the single market. Sir Gerry Grimstone said: Why on earth would we not want to be part of one of the biggest markets in the world? Our whole energy should [...]