Number of firms in financial stress grows for thirteenth quarter in a row January 30, 2017 Over 275,000 companies were showing sings of financial distress at the end of 2016, the thirteenth quarter in a row that business stress in the UK has risen. The figures from insolvency firm Begbies Traynor show that the number of companies battling 'significant' financial distress grew three per cent year-on-year in the final quarter of 2016. Read [...]
What exactly is fake news? And 11 more questions MPs will ask tech and media companies in a new inquiry January 30, 2017 What is fake news? That's just one of the 11 questions politicians will seek to answer in a fresh inquiry into the phrase du-jour favoured by Donald Trump MPs have set their sights on tech companies such as Facebook, Google and Twitter, warning they must tackle fake news in the same way as they fight online piracy and [...]
Spain’s economy grows faster than the UK in 2016 January 30, 2017 Spain’s economy grew faster than the UK during 2016, as the tentative recovery in one of the countries hardest hit by the Eurozone crisis stabilises further. Growth of 0.7 per cent in the final quarter was enough to push growth in 2016 to 3.2 per cent, according to preliminary estimates from the National Statistics Institute [...]
The NASDAQ of advertising: Reprogramming programmatic with Infectious Media January 30, 2017 About 10 years ago, programmatic advertising was but a twinkle in the eye of some Silicon Valley bods, determined to bring about a sea change to digital advertising transactions. They were unaware, perhaps, of the flood that opening this sluice would bring to AdLand, nor the landscape that would remain when the new tide washed [...]
The government has sold more Lloyds Banking Group shares January 30, 2017 The government has sold more shares in Lloyds Banking Group, bringing its holding below the five per cent threshold. UK Financial Investments, which manages the government's stake in the bank, said today it now owns 4.998 per cent of the group. Shares in the bank dipped 1.4 per cent at the open. Until a few [...]
Enter The Dragon: Why China is snapping up British assets January 30, 2017 What do Heathrow, Thames Water, black cabs, Harvey Nichols and Rio Tinto have in common? They’re all part-owned by Chinese companies. “Britain holds a number of attractions for Chinese investors,” says Simon Bevan, head of the China Britain services group at Grant Thornton UK. “As a country, our language, business culture, rule of law and [...]
It matters not whether a payday lender or a dog groomer, morally policing advertising is a dangerous precedent January 30, 2017 One of the many perks of living in a democratic capitalist society is the laissez faire relationship between (legitimate, legal) business and government. But questions must be asked when giants step on smaller businesses. Especially when based on the moral posturing of a cabal of pious zealots. Such is the case with Google, who in [...]
March on Downing Street planned to protest Trump’s Muslim travel ban January 30, 2017 Protesters will gather outside Downing Street tonight to show opposition to US President Donald Trump's travel ban. The demonstration will start at 6pm at 10 Downing Street and there will be speeches from MPs including Ed Miliband and Caroline Lucas. The protest has been organised on Facebook, and 18,000 people have said they will attend. Read [...]
Six people have been killed in a gun attack at a Quebec mosque January 30, 2017 Six people have been killed after gunmen opened fire at a mosque in Quebec during Sunday night prayers, in what Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said was a "terrorist attack on Muslims". Eight people were also wounded in the attack. Police said two suspects had been arrested, but gave no details as to the motive [...]
Starbucks to hire 10,000 refugees in response to Donald Trump’s Muslim travel ban January 30, 2017 Coffee house chain Starbucks said it will hire 10,000 refugees globally over the next five years in response to US President Donald Trump's travel ban. The company's chief executive Howard Schultz said in an open letter that the "American Dream" was "being called into question" by Trump's latest executive order. Trump has blocked visitors from [...]