Christmas is giving us the gift of retail relationships December 16, 2018 This year’s flagship Christmas advert from John Lewis shows how the gift of a piano to Elton John as a child gave him a talent that he nurtured into an incredible career as a musician. The ad also raised an important question – what can marketers learn from the idea behind the slogan “a gift [...]
The unstoppable rise of podcasts: How an industry was reborn December 16, 2018 It seems nothing can stop the rise of podcasts. On-demand listening has become the sine qua non of the commuter; the lifeblood of dinner party conversation. Popular podcasters attract millions of listeners, and advertisers are starting to reap the rewards. And yet podcasts are not a new phenomenon. They predate Facebook, Youtube and Twitter, and [...]
TP Icap takes legal action over Nex Group deal December 16, 2018 Broker TP Icap is taking legal action against trading business Nex Group over claims that it broke the terms of a deal. TP Icap was formed in 2016 when Tullett Prebon took over Icap’s voice broking business. The rest of the company was renamed Nex Group. TP Icap has accused Nex of breaking a warranty [...]
Aston Martin remains in short sellers’ sights despite Soros cash-out, as stock continues to fall December 16, 2018 Aston Martin's struggling stock continues to be targeted by short sellers, with London-based Adelphi Capital raising its bet against the carmaker to £15m last week. The manufacturer behind James Bond’s vehicle of choice would have wished to slip under the radar of hedge funds after its shares crashed from an initial £19 in October to £11.49 [...]
Could the UK be on the brink of a US-style class action explosion? December 16, 2018 The Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds Banking Group, Tesco, Google and Mastercard. These are just a handful of the household names that have been targeted in group action lawsuits in the UK with billions of pounds at stake. The UK, unlike the US or Australia, does not have a long history of class action-style lawsuits, [...]
Men’s fashion retailer Blue Inc victim of high street carnage as it enters administration December 16, 2018 Men's fashion retailer Blue Inc has become the latest victim of the carnage on the high street as it crashed into administration last week. The chain appointed turnaround specialist Begbies Traynor to find a buyer last month after a string of cost-cutting and restructuring measures had failed to take it into the black. However, no [...]
Federal Reserve expected to raise US interest rates this week as all eyes on predictions for 2019 December 16, 2018 The US Federal Reserve is this week widely expected to raise interest rates for the fourth time this year, with an anticipated range of between 2.25 and 2.50 per cent. But doubts have begun to emerge about Wednesday’s announcement among analysts, after comments from Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell that the level of interest rates [...]
Jaguar Land Rover prepares to axe up to 5,000 jobs in January December 16, 2018 Jaguar Land Rover is expected to cut up to 5000 jobs next year as part of its £2.5bn turnaround plan. The car manufacturer, which posted a £90m loss in the third quarter, has been hit by a lessening demand for diesel cars and costs associated with Brexit. Read more: Losses deepen as JLR embarks on [...]
Tube driver salaries break £100,000 barrier despite train automation December 16, 2018 Some London Tube drivers are now earning more than £100,000 a year, despite new technology that makes their jobs easier. Figures obtained by the Sunday Times reveal the highest-paid driver earned £103,374 in the year to November, a 69 per cent rise since 2012. The surge in pay comes despite five of the network’s 11 lines [...]
Downing Street denies reports of preparing no-deal Brexit holiday warnings December 16, 2018 Downing Street has denied reports that the government is to suggest families do not book holidays after 29 March amid preparations for a no-deal Brexit. The Sunday Times reported that the government was supposed to discuss the contingency plans at last week's cancelled cabinet meeting after May received a vote of no confidence in her [...]