FTSE 100: Shire and Morrison help index end on a high note June 17, 2014 Bid speculation surrounding pharma giant Shire, proposed cost savings at supermarket operator Wm Morrison and a strong update from Premier Inn-owner Whitbread yesterday helped lift the FTSE 100 index slightly. The bluechip index closed up 12.13 points, or 0.2 per cent, at 6,766.77. Shire jumped 3.5 per cent to 3,660p, providing the biggest boost for [...]
New York Report: Dow goes up with inflation June 17, 2014 US STOCKS rose yesterday as data pointing to higher inflation lifted shares while high-growth tech names attracted renewed attention. The Dow Jones was up 27.48 points or 0.16 per cent, to end at 16,808.49. The S&P 500 gained 4.21 points or 0.22 per cent, to 1,941.99, while the Nasdaq Composite added 16.13 points or 0.37 [...]
YouTube could cut videos from artists like Adele, Arctic Monkeys June 17, 2014 There may be some big casualties including Adele and the Arctic Monkeys when YouTube rolls out its new ad free service In fact, any artist declining to sign up to the new offering will be given the chop according to this article in the Financial Times, which quotes Robert Kyncl, YouTube's head of content. The [...]
What is 5G? What you need to know about the new mobile technology June 17, 2014 According to the EU's digital technology chief, Neelie Kroes, it will be the "lifeblood of the digital economy and digital society". But what do we know about 5G, the fifth generation of mobile connectivity? In truth, not much – yet. While the UK tries to grapple with 4G, 5G has been [...]
NS&I tells competitors to suck it up June 17, 2014 Pensioners are getting an extra bonus next year courtesy of George Osborne, and building societies fear it will sink their products. The new retirement bonds will be run by NS&I (National Savings and Investments), who run premium bonds and other savings products – and they have little sympathy for their commercial rivals. But [...]
How UK fund managers differ from their foreign rivals June 17, 2014 UK fund managers are going against the grain somewhat on where the next big growth driver for the industry will emerge, according to a major new study out today. Despite the upheaval set to be wrought by Chancellor George Osborne’s pensions overhaul next April, fund managers across Square Mile are showing a buccaneering spirit for [...]
Middle East sets sights on UK real estate June 17, 2014 It is estimated that investors from the Middle East will spend $180bn on commercial real estate abroad in the coming decade, and that nearly half of that will be directed at the UK. The research, conducted by CBRE, predicts that $85 will flow into the UK and a further $60bn to continental Europe: in total [...]
Five things WPP boss Sir Martin Sorrell said at Cannes June 17, 2014 WPP chief exec Sir Martin Sorrell made an appearance at the Cannes Lions ad industry festival today, talking "state of the industry" at an event hosted by Wunderman. Here are the highlights, as shared by the audience on Twitter. 1. There are no such things as mergers, there are only acquisitions. via @RandomlyRuna 2. No [...]
Interactive: London house prices compared to 2007 June 17, 2014 Everyone is talking about the ONS stats out today showing that London house prices rose 18.7 per cent in the year to April, against the backdrop of a 9.9 per cent rise nationally. Housing market analyst Neal Hudson made this great scatter graph showing how prices in individual London boroughs are increasing currently and how much [...]
Ashton Kutcher has his Bitcoin moment June 17, 2014 Bitcoin security platform BitGo has landed $12m in new funding thanks to a host of venture capitalists, as well as Hollywood A-lister Ashton Kutcher. The series A funding round makes BitGo "one of the most well-funded companies in the Bitcoin ecosystem". Kutcher has sung the praises of the company, saying BitGo is “the best solution [...]