Business loan complaints rise August 8, 2010 Complaints about small business loans jumped 119 per cent in the year to March, with the financial ombudsman receiving nearly 500 complaints on the subject. Small firms also grumbled about their current accounts, with a rise of 32 per cent to 3,300 complaints. Consumer grievances rose by 27 per cent in the same period, to [...]
CBI calls for clearer energy policy August 8, 2010 The government needs to clarify its energy policy before it loses private sector investment in low carbon projects, according to the CBI. The business group said in a report out today the government should speed up development of carbon capture and storage technology and provide more detail on electricity market reform if it is to [...]
UK oil firms expand after consolidation August 8, 2010 BRITISH oil firms are stepping up expansion and investment after a year of consolidation, says research out today. Companies are making the most of relatively high and stable oil prices to fast track development, according to Deloitte’s biannual rankings of oil producers. Tullow Oil, the largest oil firm to trade exclusively in the UK with [...]
We need to enhance London as a business hub August 8, 2010 LAST week, British Land and Blackstone agreed a deal to build the City of London’s largest office building to house the new European headquarters of UBS. And whilst we are still very early in the planning process – no formal application has been made – the City of London has, as always, been liaising with [...]
DUNSTONE SWEEPS THE BOARD AT COWES August 8, 2010 IT’S been a good year for Charles Dunstone. Not only did the Carphone Warehouse tycoon wed his long-time sweetheart Celia Gordon Shute and deliver robust profits for his shareholders over the past 12 months, he’s also continued to make waves in his beloved sport of sailing. Dunstone took the honours for the super-yacht class zero [...]
CITY EYE August 8, 2010 YOUNG Romy Keller was beaming yesterday after her father Philip, the head of sales at Diagnostic Health Solutions, won a City A.M. competition giving her the chance to walk out with Chelsea footballer Ashley Cole at the Community Shield match against Manchester United, sponsored by McDonald’s. A shame for her that Chelsea lost, but nevertheless [...]
US employment falls August 6, 2010 The US Labour Department has reported that the economy has cut jobs for a second month in a row. Overall employment fell by 131,000 in July. Meanwhile private sector employment rose by less than expected with 71,000 jobs created. The unemployment rate remained at 9.5 per cent, lower than the market’s expectations of 9.6 per [...]
Spanish economy grows by 0.2 per cent August 6, 2010 The Bank of Spain has announced that the Spanish economy has grown for a second successive quarter. Growth has accelerated with a 0.2 per cent rise in GDP from the first quarter of 2009 when it rose by 0.1 per cent. The provisional figures will be confirmed by the Spanish government later in the week. [...]
Inmarsat reports £94.3m profit and places new order August 6, 2010 The British satellite telecoms company Inmarsat placed an order for three new Ka-band satellites from Boeing, after announcing higher than expected pre-tax profit of £93.4m for the first half of the year, up 56 per cent on the same period last year. The company, which is the world’s largest provider of satellite services to the [...]
Apple to open its biggest store in Covent Garden August 6, 2010 APPLE is to open its biggest ever store in Covent Garden on Saturday (August 7). The three storey historic building will have separate rooms for all Apple products and more stock than any other shop. Staff will be equipped with iPod Touches to scan purchases without a till, for the first time. There will also [...]