The Nikkei 225 hits 2016 highs and the yen weakens as the Bank of Japan holds interest rates steady December 20, 2016 The Nikkei 225 reached its highest point for over a year and the yen fell against the dollar as the Bank of Japan (BoJ) confirmed that it would hold interest rates as widely expected. The BoJ’s Policy Board maintained its stance of negative interest rates, keeping the rate at minus 0.1 per cent. It also [...]
The Southern rail strike saga has cost the economy £300m already, says university study December 20, 2016 The Southern rail strikes are costing the UK economy hundreds of millions of pounds, according to new research from the University of Chichester. A study, led by Dave Cooper, professor of management and economic development, has put the cost of the strike saga to the country's GDP at as much as £300m. The industrial action, carried [...]
Transport for London is opening the railway arches at Wood Lane December 20, 2016 Transport for London (TfL) is opening up the railway arches at Wood Lane. The 31 railway arches in west London, currently unused, will be transformed into commercial and retail space. There will also be new pedestrian passageways under the arches and new bicycle parking places. Read more: Weak pound draws tourists to London's Westfield centres TfL [...]
Cast of the Trainspotting sequel gather for the film’s world premiere December 20, 2016 | City Talk The cast of the Trainspotting sequel have gathered in Edinburgh for the film's world premiere. When it was released in 1996 Danny Boyle’s adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s source novel Trainspotting was a worldwide success and a cultural phenomenon. Twenty years on director Danny Boyle has reunited the original cast for the sequel T2: Trainspotting. T2: [...]
These will be London’s property hot spots in 2017 December 20, 2016 This year, Zoopla crowned Dalston the UK's top property hotspot after house prices in the neighbourhood rocketed 60 per cent over the last five years. Shoreditch came second, with prices shooting up 58 per cent over the period. Both of these locations are celebrated for their hipster cafes and second-hand furniture shops – but they're fast [...]
Ho-ho-how much? This is the energy cost of cooking Christmas dinner, leaving the lights on and working from home December 20, 2016 We're all aware that the festive season puts a strain on our wallets, but thanks to new research you can be rest assured it puts added pressure on your energy bills too. The average household can spend up to £50 extra on gas and electricity in December as parties get underway, turkeys get basted and [...]
East Midlands Airport has been spared a £12.5m fine for fixing car park prices December 20, 2016 An airport has avoided a £12.5m fine for fixing car park charges, according to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). East Midlands International Airport (EMIA), owned by Manchester Airports Group (MAG), and Prestige Parking Limited broke competition law, but the airport was spared the fine after disclosing full details of the wrongdoing. An investigation by the [...]
The RMT wants a Christmas truce over Southern rail saga – but says it’s in the government’s hands December 20, 2016 The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union wants a Christmas truce over Southern rail – only it says it's up to the government to make it happen. Commuters are battling through today's second day of delays as a 48-hour strike goes on by guards over proposed changes to their roles. There have been months of [...]
Are you with Britain’s most complained about telecoms provider? December 20, 2016 The number of people complaining about their broadband service is on the rise, according to the regulator. There were 20 complaints for every 100,000 customers in the three months to the end of September, up from 15 in the previous quarter according to the latest complaint data from Ofcom. BT topped the naughty list with 36 complaints [...]
We should be more worried about Theresa May’s migration policies December 20, 2016 While on the one hand 2016 saw the rise of inward-looking, nationalistic politics, no year to date has forced so many of us into a truly global anxiety about the near future. How will the rise of far-right groups impact EU decision-making on collective concerns? In what unpredictable way will Trump’s America leave its mark on [...]