A weakening diamond market has pushed Gem Diamonds to mothball a mine February 16, 2017 Low diamond prices have pushed Britain's Gem Diamonds to mothball its Ghaghoo mine in Botswana. Gem Diamonds, which works in the Letseng mine in Lesotho and the Ghaghoo mine, will place the mine on care and maintenance with immediate effect, resulting in an annualised care and maintenance cost of $3m (£2.4m), post settlement expenses. Shares in the [...]
Record-breaking employment numbers threatened by government short-termism February 16, 2017 The Office for National Statistics published the latest labour market statistics yesterday, once again confirming that it has been a record-breaking year for employment. With 31.84m people in work, the unemployment rate at the lowest it has been for over a decade (4.8 per cent), and, with a record 70 per cent of women in work, there [...]
Under Armour boss backtracks after calling Donald Trump an “asset to this country” as analyst downgrades stock February 16, 2017 Kevin Plank hasn't had the best week. The Under Armour chief executive came under fire for his comments on Donald Trump, after giving an interview to CNBC last week saying: "To have such a pro-business President is something that is a real asset to this country." It caused a backlash, including from some of Under [...]
How can brands avoid social media crises? February 16, 2017 The London Dungeon apologised this week after its “dark Valentine campaign” on social media drew widespread criticism. This incident got me revisiting a familiar issue: how can brands avoid social media crises? With policies, practice runs and neutral second opinions. There are often just a few origins for social media crises: Misjudgement: Brands can [...]
Deutsche Boerse boss plays down UK HQ of London Stock Exchange merger and promises new Frankfurt jobs February 16, 2017 Deutsche Boerse chief executive Carsten Kengeter this morning attempted to win more German support for the company’s merger with the London Stock Exchange, playing down the UK headquarters and promising new jobs for Frankfurt. Speaking at a full-year results conference, Kengeter downplayed the significance the London legal base of the combined exchange, saying: “There are to be [...]
Both GM’s Opel and PSA lost European market share last month as the firms mull a deal February 16, 2017 A bumper European car market has underlined the reasons behind a prospective deal between General Motors (GM) and PSA over GM's European business. Both companies posted weaker European sales in January than any other carmaker according to the Association of European Carmakers (ACEA). They also lost market share to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in Europe – [...]
World stocks hit fresh record highs as investors around the world look for risk February 16, 2017 World stock markets have risen to fresh all-time record highs as investors around the globe anticipate economic growth after a sustained period of stagnating economies. The MSCI all-country world index added further to Wednesday’s record highs with small gains on Asian markets mimicking those in US markets, despite futures suggesting the rally may pause when [...]
This tiny house in Chelsea has gone on sale at £600,000 February 16, 2017 If you're a fan of Miss Honey and her doll's house-style home in Roald Dahl's Matilda, this might resonate with you: a tiny house in Chelsea, dubbed one of London's smallest houses, has been put up for sale – with a price tag of £600,000. Described as a "proper Chelsea gem" by estate agent Douglas & [...]
Lancashire bolsters its balance sheet and beats expectations despite a tough market February 16, 2017 Shares in Lloyd's insurer Lancashire rocketed by nine per cent this morning after beating expectations during a "turbulent" economic environment and a "very challenging" insurance market. The figures Gross written premiums for the full-year fell by 1.1 per cent from $641m (£513m) to $634m with net written premiums falling from $482m to $459m. Profits dropped to £150m from £182m [...]
A Punch in the face: The CMA opens its investigation into Heineken’s Punch Taverns takeover February 16, 2017 The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has opened an initial investigation into Heineken's £403m deal to snap up British pub operator Punch Taverns. The UK watchdog will consider whether the deal would reduce competition and choice for customers and whether it needs to launch an in-depth investigation into the takeover. The deadline for the decision is 24 April. Pub landlords [...]