Housing boom shows signs of slowing down July 9, 2014 BRITAIN’S house price boom slowed down in June, according to figures published yesterday – but strong demand is expected to keep prices rising steadily. Prices jumped 8.8 per cent across the country in the 12 months to June, Halifax said, to an average of £183,462. However, in June alone prices slid 0.6 per cent, reflecting [...]
London barometer January 29, 2015 Sales Director, Douglas & Gordon At the end of 2014, more offers were agreed than the same time last year despite a 20 per cent reduction in applicants. Pragmatic purchasers seized the opportunity to secure good value for money and, interestingly, fall-throughs were at a 12 month low. As a direct impact of stamp duty [...]
Ladies who don’t lunch: Sue Round talks fund management, sentimentality and being broke March 26, 2015 Buongiorno signora!” bellows the exuberant waiter at Bolton’s, an Italian tucked away in an unassuming corner near Leadenhall Market. “Hello, hellooo” comes the response. I know Sue Round has arrived, even before I see her. She greets me warmly, as if we’ve known each other for years. In fact, I’ve met Sue only once before [...]
Reasons to whine: After the Bordeaux wine market collapse, optimism is creeping back February 19, 2015 Imagine a financial market where prices have collapsed by more than 30 per cent in the past three years, where a hatful of investment companies have gone to the wall and investors are reportedly nursing losses of more than £100m. It sounds like a full blown crisis, doesn’t it? But this isn’t Chinese equities or [...]
Sir Philip Green breaks apart his Arcadia empire with the sale of BHS January 25, 2015 Retail tycoon Sir Philip Green has decided to break apart one of Britain's biggest retail empires by selling British Home Stores (BHS). Green purchased the business, which sells mostly clothing and household items, from the Storehouse conglomerate in 2000 for £200m. It now has a significant presence on high streets across the UK, with [...]
Lord Adair Turner finds something useful to do March 9, 2015 The man who described some banking as socially useless gets a new job – with a bank. It is not unfair to say that Lord Adair Turner has not always been a friend to banks. Turner was a non-executive director at Standard Chartered in the boom years before the crash, and an executive at Merrill [...]
Three Lions ready to maul lowly Lithuania at Wembley March 26, 2015 BEN CLEMINSON PREVIEWS ENGLAND V LITHUANIA HARRY KANE will swap the white of Tottenham for that of England tonight after his displays this season prompted a well-earned international call-up. He responded to Roy Hodgson’s decision in emphatic style, scoring a hat-trick against Leicester, as Spurs maintained their push for European football next term. It was [...]
Three buyers on grid for Caterham after Formula One team went into administration and made 230 staff redundant December 11, 2014 Struggling Formula One team Caterham is in negotiations with three possible buyers as it seeks a takeover that will allow it to race next season, it emerged yesterday. Joint-administrator Henry Shinners – of London firm Smith & Williamson – told City A.M.: “There are three interested parties at present. There are more who want to [...]
Rush to avoid higher stamp duty lifts estate agent Savills’ profits January 15, 2015 ESTATE agent Savills has hiked its profit guidance for 2014 after changes to stamp duty came into effect at the end of last year, sending shares surging 7.3 per cent. Revenue and profit exceeded forecasts in December after a sales boost from the rise in stamp duty for properties priced over £937,000 introduced in chancellor [...]
Savills share price surges on profit outlook upgrade thanks to Stamp Duty changes January 15, 2015 Estate agent Savills has upgraded its profit outlook for 2014 after changes to stamp duty came into effect at the end of last year, sending shares surging almost nine per cent in early trading. Revenue and profit exceeded forecasts in December after a sales boost from the rise in Stamp Duty for properties priced over [...]