Recovery keeps on going for UK industry in 2014 March 11, 2014 THE UK is set to be the fastest-growing economy in the G7 during the next quarter, outstripping Germany and the United States, according to a major official forecast. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said yesterday that they projected 3.3 per cent growth at an annualised rate both this quarter and next. Germany is [...]
Hundreds of banks set for stress tests as Eurozone lays out terms March 11, 2014 THE EUROPEAN Central Bank (ECB) revealed the framework for forthcoming stress tests yesterday, as the institution prepares to take up a role as the currency union’s banking regulator later this year. According to information on the asset quality review (AQR) published yesterday, the ECB will focus on 128 of the Eurozone’s biggest banks, and attempt [...]
Firms call to Stem the scientist shortage March 11, 2014 The CBI has today called for cuts in tuition fees for science and technology courses to try and fix a shortfall in graduates with much-needed skills in these areas. The business group also suggested government-set gender targets to encourage more women to take up training in the so-called Stem subjects: science, technology, engineering and maths.
Brand Index: How brands should appeal to the wallets of the wealthy March 11, 2014 YOUTH-OBSESSED marketers are barking up the wrong tree, and the over-45 crowd is the real consumer goldmine, according to a new study named Generation Wealth. The principal mistake that marketers have made in the past is deciding to treat the over-45s differently from other potential customers, according to the research published by YouGov and Immediate [...]
Housebuilders urged to sell to Londoners first March 11, 2014 BORIS Johnson has urged housebuilders and developers to sign up to a new deal to stop giving buyers living abroad the first chance to buy London homes sold before they’re built, in a bid to get more Londoners onto the housing ladder. Speaking at Mipim, the property industry’s annual conference in Cannes yesterday, the London [...]
Entrepreneurs are held back March 11, 2014 A BUNDLE of reforms to restrictive government policies that hold back entrepreneurship in the UK were proposed by a think tank yesterday. Policy suggestions like the extension of specific reliefs for entrepreneurs, new advice vouchers and reform to business rates are endorsed by a range of start-up owners and a range of politicians from several parties. [...]
Think tank calls for jobs tax cut March 11, 2014 POLICY Exchange is calling on the chancellor George Osborne to cut National Insurance for all businesses in the UK in his Budget statement next week. In a report out today the think tank argues that increasing the threshold at which employers pay the so-called jobs tax from £157 to £192 per week would save bosses [...]
Zurich will cut 800 jobs in bid to slash costs March 11, 2014 GLOBAL insurer Zurich is to cut 800 jobs from its operations in the UK, Ireland and Switzerland as part of a cost-cutting exercise. A spokesperson for the insurer said the job losses reflect 1.4 per cent of the total headcount at the group, and that the scheme will remove management layers. The news comes after [...]
FCA urges new rules for add-on policies March 11, 2014 THE FINANCIAL regulator has called for tighter restrictions on the sale of add-on insurance, which it believes is poor value and often sold to customers who don’t need it. Christopher Woolard, director of policy at the Financial Conduct Authority, said this £1bn market is not operating competitively, adding that there is a clear case for [...]
Small firms get raw credit deal March 11, 2014 SMALL businesses get a bad deal from the banking industry because it is too hard to set up new lenders, the Office of Fair Trading said yesterday. The agency said the lack of competition in the market is combined with a lack of information on alternative sources of funding, together damaging business customers. The OFT is handing over its [...]