Game of Thrones fans rage at Chinese tech firm Tencent after episode delayed May 20, 2019 Chinese Game of Thrones fans expressed their outrage with tech firm Tencent this morning after it postponed the airing of the final episode of the fantasy series. Tencent Video which owns the broadcast rights to the HBO show in China was scheduled to air the episode at 9am Beijing time (1am GMT). However, an hour [...]
Handshake, bow, or kiss? A global guide to business etiquette May 20, 2019 When it comes to international business etiquette, there is one overarching rule: when in a foreign country, do as they do. Having a good working knowledge of social and regional business protocols will help avoid misunderstandings that can jeopardise business. Here are some tips to help you out. Namesake Use the correct titles when making [...]
Familiarity bias: how to overcome the fear of the unfamiliar to reach your investing goals May 20, 2019 | City Talk For the vast majority of people, like you and me, trading is not a full-time job. Though you try to do your best and make impactful investment decisions, you tend to make things “easier” (at least, you think you do so) and gravitate towards the familiar. In this case you may end up investing in [...]
Big cryptocurrencies bounce back, but smaller rivals lie in wait May 20, 2019 | City Talk For users and proponents of cryptocurrencies, the stamp of approval from online auction giant eBay set the seal on a powerful comeback during this year so far. Bitcoin and some other selected cryptocurrencies are to be accepted as a form of payment by eBay. This doesn’t only greatly expand the “network effect” by which a [...]
Low & Bonar shares plummet as it fires chief executive and warns on results May 20, 2019 Textiles firm Low & Bonar's shares dropped around 25 per cent today as it fired its chief executive and warned full-year results would fall short of expectations. Philip de Klerk, who took up the role just over a year ago, will leave on 1 July, the firm said. Read more: British Gas owner Centrica's shareholders say [...]
Exiles on St Mary Axe: Turkish law firm fleeing Erdogan regime establishes itself in London May 20, 2019 After the failed July 2016 coup against Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, one of the country’s largest law firms was closed by police amid a wider crackdown that saw journalists jailed, judges detained and generals purged. The firm had formerly been the Turkish arm of international legal giant DLA Piper, and its founding partners were [...]
High spirits: City Pub Group cheers investors with sales rise as expansion continues May 20, 2019 The City Pub Group shareholders will this morning be toasting a rise in sales of more than one-third so far this year. Read more: City Pub Group shares rise as it returns to profit The pub operator, which runs 45 sites mainly in London, said sales were up 35 per cent on last year for [...]
Sweden requests arrest warrant for Wikileaks founder Julian Assange over rape allegation May 20, 2019 Swedish prosecutors today filed a request for an arrest warrant for Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. Read more: Sweden reopens rape case against Wikileaks' Julian Assange Assange is wanted in connection to a rape allegation first made against him in 2010. Sweden reopened the investigation last week after closing its file as Assange spent seven years [...]
The secret to the productivity puzzle? Work fewer hours May 20, 2019 The UK faces a tough productivity problem. According to the Office for National Statistics, British productivity has improved by just 0.5 per cent per year since 2008, and lags 15 per cent behind other G7 countries. Productivity is measured as value added per hour worked. Obviously it rises if we produce more value – which [...]
Energy switching reaches record high as customers’ bills balloon May 20, 2019 Nationalising the UK’s energy infrastructure will jeopardise the country’s energy transition and could drive up prices, the head of the sector’s trade body has said as record numbers of households switched suppliers last month. More customers switched energy supplier in April than ever before after average bills leapt up by £117 for millions of customers [...]