Eurozone bank lending rate quickens despite growth concerns January 3, 2019 Bank lending to eurozone households and companies accelerated in November despite signs the bloc’s economy is slowing, the European Central Bank said. Corporate loans grew four per cent year-on-year in November, compared with 3.9 per cent the previous month and loans to households grew to 3.3 per cent from 3.2 per cent in October – [...]
Ex-Virgin Money boss among two women replacing men on Bank of England’s financial policy committee January 3, 2019 Former boss of Virgin Money Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia has been added to the Bank of England’s financial policy committee alongside the chair of the Banking Standards Board Dame Colette Bowe, chancellor Philip Hammond announced today. The pair will replace Richard Sharp and Martin Taylor, who are stepping down at the end of the first quarter [...]
Seven skills to help you beat the January blues January 3, 2019 The run-up to Christmas is full of bonhomie, parties and cheer, but the weeks afterwards can often seem empty and dreary, with months of winter still to get through. We’re all at risk of the blues, with that crucial third Monday of January – Blue Monday – being the worst day of all. So here [...]
Turkey’s inflation rate eases to 20 per cent in December January 3, 2019 Turkey’s inflation rate fell to 20.3 per cent last month following a slow down in the country’s economy. The drop, which is the second fall in two consecutive months, was driven by a slump in price rises for clothing, footwear and transport according to the latest data from the Turkish Statistical Insititute. The inflation rate [...]
Saudi prosecutor demands death penalty for five suspects in Khashoggi case, reports state news agency January 3, 2019 A prosecutor in Saudi Arabia has called for the death penalty for five of the 11 suspects held in connection with the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October. The demand came during the first court hearing over the Washington Post journalist’s murder at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last year, according to state-run Saudi [...]
Drones, cybercrime, AR, and robots – the tech trends to watch out for in 2019 January 3, 2019 It is finally 2019, and I can’t wait to see what surprises the technology industry has in store for us. What should we keep our eyes peeled for over the next 12 months? To whet your appetite about the future, I asked the experts for their predictions for the top tech trends of this year. Devious [...]
Army withdraws anti-drone equipment from Gatwick following Christmas travel chaos January 3, 2019 Military equipment installed at Gatwick to stop drones disrupting flights has now been removed, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said today. The army was deployed to the airport shortly before Christmas to help bring an end to the saga that affected roughly 1,000 flights. Israeli-developed systems designed to jam drone signals were reportedly among the military-grade [...]
UK construction sector slows to three-month low January 3, 2019 Growth in the UK construction sector eased to its slowest rate in three months in December but business optimism has sharply risen. Construction firms noted a disappointing end to 2018 with business activity growth slowing down, according to the closely-followed IHS Markit/ CIPS Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) figures. PMI fell to 52.8, down from 53.4 [...]
Shares up after construction firm Costain’s order book hits a record £4.2bn January 3, 2019 Shares in Costain are up more than five per cent after the construction and engineering company announced today that it finished the year with a record-breaking order book of £4.2bn. In a trading update the firm, which is a major supplier to Network Rail and Highways England, said it had an order book of £4.2bn, up from [...]
Next defies Christmas fears with online sales boost but outlook remains cautious amid Brexit uncertainty January 3, 2019 Next has opened the crucial post-Christmas trading update season by reducing its full-year profit expectations, but defied investor worries by increasing sales. The retailer said full-price sales for the festive period were up 1.5 per cent between 28 October and 29 December, in line with its expectations. Next reported a 14.9 per cent increase in online [...]