Ireland finds that less bad isn’t good enough September 28, 2010 THE Irish parliament reconvenes today after its summer recess under distinctly chilly conditions. The markets have spent the week growing ever more anxious about tomorrow’s news on the costs of restructuring Anglo Irish Bank. The coalition government has a ruling majority of just six seats, and must hope that tomorrow’s numbers will restore some calm [...]
Still ahead of the curve: Art Laffer rises as Obama hits America’s rich September 12, 2010 WE SPEAK across the gleaming sweep of a boardroom table. Arthur Laffer has grabbed time for an interview while visiting CQS, a hedge fund. He is 70 this year, and the man who transformed the case for lower taxes with one sketch is in demand on this rare visit from the US. Today Laffer has [...]
End of pre-Budget report September 6, 2010 Britain will publish economic forecasts and a fiscal statement later this year, the Treasury said yesterday, but the event is expected to be narrower in scope than usual and is unlikely to change the policy outlook. The statement is also unlikely to fall on the same day as the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government’s spending review [...]
Next to hike prices as its costs increase August 4, 2010 NEXT yesterday reported a slowdown in consumer spending and said the rising costs of materials and VAT would force a hike in the price of its goods. The retailer said factors such as rising cotton prices and the VAT jump to 20 per cent from January would mean the customer being hit in the pocket. [...]
It’s the most open race for many a year August 4, 2010 MANAGERS will have one just word embedded in their minds when they open their Championship campaigns this weekend: Blackpool. Ian Holloway’s achievement in taking the Seasiders to the promised land on a shoestring budget and a team of grafters will certainly not have gone unnoticed among bosses of the so-called smaller sides in the second [...]
At a glance: All the crucial points from Osborne’s emergency Budget June 22, 2010 THE ECONOMY/PUBLIC FINANCES • The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) published fresh forecasts in light of the measures announced yesterday by chancellor George Osborne. • GDP growth will be 1.2 per cent in 2010, accelerating to 2.3 per cent in 2011, 2.8 per cent in 2012 and 2.9 per cent in 2013. The pace of [...]
Austerity won’t lead to a double-dip June 22, 2010 RESEARCH DIRECTOR, FOREX.COM JANE FOLEY The pivotal question in the run-up to yesterday’s emergency Budget was whether it would knock the economy into a double-dip recession. This debate had been raging for months – indeed, the Labour Party campaigned hard on the assertion that too much austerity too soon could tip the economy back into [...]
Chancellor to declare the winners and losers June 21, 2010 WITH tax rises and spending cuts expected in today’s Budget, many equity strategists are advising investors to steer clear of stocks heavily reliant on UK-based revenues. Instead, contracts for difference (CFD) traders should target equities with international and private sector exposure. The emergency Budget is likely to focus on tax rises instead of detailed spending [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING June 20, 2010 FINANCIAL TIMES JPMORGAN PUSHES ON WITH TALKS OVER BRAZILIAN HEDGE FUND JPMorgan Chase is pushing ahead with talks to buy a large Brazilian hedge fund and private equity group, in spite of impending US legislation designed to limit the involvement of commercial banks in such activities. People close to the situation said the US financial [...]
Tories best to tackle our fiscal crisis May 5, 2010 AT first sight, there are few similarities between Greece, a tiny and desperately mismanaged economy on the fringes of Europe, and Britain, one of the world’s largest economies – and for all the Labour party’s blunders and mismanagement, still an astonishingly prosperous country. Thanks to what turned out to be virtually the only good decision [...]