Jeremy Hunt tries to calm China’s fear of a bad Brexit deal December 6, 2016 Jeremy Hunt told worried Chinese investors today Britain's doors are still open to global business after Brexit. For Chinese investors looking to break into the larger European Union market, Britain is seen as an entry point. With uncertainty surrounding what kind of deal Britain will get with the EU, investors are worried about what this means for China, Reuters reported. [...]
Edinburgh: a city of lights offering a box of delights December 6, 2016 | City Talk The festive season is a magical time. Comforting childhood memories of twinkling city centre lights, carol singers and sipping hot chocolate mingle with familiar festive music and echoes of the butterflies once felt before meeting Santa in the local department store. Today, the hot chocolate might have been supplanted by a mug of warming mulled [...]
No-go zone: With Matteo Renzi set to resign following his defeat in the Italian referendum, should investors stay away from the Eurozone? December 6, 2016 Italy’s referendum will not weaken the European project as much as critics hope, and Trump could help equities, says Will Railton "The vote looks to me to be more about the euro than constitutional change”, tweeted Nigel Farage shortly after the Italian polls closed on Sunday night. Eurosceptics are heralding the resounding result (a 59.1 [...]
Consumer spending growth was at its second highest since 2011 last month December 6, 2016 Consumer spending received its second highest boost since 2011 last month, even though consumer confidence was flat. Spending growth was 5.1 per cent year-on-year, according to data from Barclaycard. The highest consumer spending growth that Barclaycard recorded (5.5 per cent) was in October. Read more: Black Friday: Customers of this lender are spending £32,000 a [...]
Black Friday wasn’t quite the sales boost retailers may have expected December 6, 2016 Black Friday wasn't quite the spending boom that retailers were expecting. Figures from KPMG and the British Retail Consortium (BRC) show that like-for-like UK retail sales increased 0.6 per cent in November. Read more: Piccadilly Line delays likely to continue until after Christmas, TfL admits And, although non-food sales increased around 40 per cent on [...]
Sports Direct has had an annus horribilis, raising questions about Mike Ashley’s game plan December 6, 2016 SPORTS Direct has had an annus horribilis, from being slammed by MPs for working conditions in Derbyshire that resemble a Victorian workhouse to a share price plunge of 47 per cent in the year to date. Corporate governance has been an issue. Mike Ashley, a dominant founder and shareholder, is now CEO. The retailer has [...]
Italy’s referendum has started the clock ticking on the collapse of Europe December 6, 2016 There are real advantages to playing the dumb American. As much of the world thinks no one born on my continent could ever know anything about their country, I am at a perpetual advantage. Just over a week ago I found myself in Milan, explaining to investors the reasons for the Trump phenomenon. Late in [...]
The government’s stampede to placate big business post-Brexit risks overlooking growth firms December 6, 2016 When Theresa May struck a grand bargain to secure Nissan’s commitment to manufacturing in the North East, she helped to save 7,000 jobs. She also triggered a debate about the level of support the government should provide for businesses in a post-Brexit world. After all, what is fair for Nissan should probably also be fair [...]
Those who benefit from new infrastructure should pay for it December 6, 2016 To many people’s relief, there were not many big ideas in Philip Hammond’s Autumn Statement last month. In so far as there was anything new, it was the widely-trailed extra investment in innovation, infrastructure and housing. The justification for spending money on these things is that it will raise productivity and growth. There is no question [...]
As the Supreme Court’s Article 50 hearing enters its second day, does it matter if the government loses? December 6, 2016 Olly Kendall, managing director and founder of Westminster Public Affairs, says Yes. The Supreme Court’s decision will turn Parliament into a powerful backseat driver, forcing Theresa May to reset the destination on the Brexit GPS. The government is likely to lose its legal battle and when it does – particularly in the absence of a [...]