Strong figures help Dow end three-day fall – New York Report December 11, 2014 US STOCKS rose yesterday as upbeat retail sales and other data pointed to a strengthening economy and lifted optimism about consumer spending. Indexes ended well off their highs for the day, however, paring gains late in the session as Brent Crude oil settled down 0.9 per cent, putting a lid on energy shares, and as [...]
Russell Brand Vs Nigel Farage: Play BBC Question Time bingo as political upstarts go head-to-head December 11, 2014 TV viewers of all persuasions will be treated to a political showdown between revolutionary jabberer Russell Brand and immigration delayed Nigel Farage on Question Time tonight. The must-see event (or must-avoid, depending on how strong your political gag reflex is), kicks of at 10.35pm. Be prepared for a war of words. But what choice words [...]
Orange Wednesdays cancelled: Cinema ticket prices have risen by 47 per cent in the 10 years since promotion was introduced December 11, 2014 EE is pulling the plug on Orange Wednesdays. The promotion, which for 10 years has offered two-for-one deals on cinema tickets and Pizza Express restaurants for all Orange users, will come to an end on 25 February next year. Although Valentine’s Day crowds will manage to sneak in a final two-for-one deal for [...]
Boris Johnson praises Chelsea for becoming first Premier League club to adopt living wage December 11, 2014 London mayor Boris Johnson has praised Chelsea for becoming the first Premier League club to sign up to the living wage. The current league leaders have been accredited by the Living Wage Foundation which advises companies pay staff a minimum of £9.15 per hour in London and £7.85 per hour everywhere else. Workers [...]
What the drop in oil price means to the UK December 11, 2014 The price of Brent crude oil is at its lowest level in more than four years. It has dropped by around 40 per cent this year, and now sits at $64.44 per barrel – significantly below the $107.95 it reached in June. With Opec – the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries – predicting a surplus [...]
In pictures: What the weather bomb has been doing in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Blackpool and Cumbria December 11, 2014 If you haven't heard, you might want to wrap up warm tomorrow. Having made a whistlestop tour of the UK the weather bomb is expected to batter London from midnight tonight and it could disrupt your commute in. The storm is probably not going to be as bad in the capital as it has [...]
Microsoft quietly starts to accept Bitcoin payments December 11, 2014 Microsoft has quietly started accepting Bitcoin payments. Customers can now use the cryptocurrency to buy content such as Windows phone apps, Xbox games and the Xbox video stores. The software giant made no formal announcement, instead creating an information page on its website which tells customers how to top up their accounts using the virtual currency. [...]
Airbus climbs on board mission to send humans into space… for £310m December 11, 2014 Airbus has signed a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) to build part of the US Orion vehicle, which is being designed to carry humans into space. The aircraft manufacturer will design a back section of the new spaceship – the part responsible for propelling it up into space. It will also carry [...]
Train companies warn over weather bomb delays as storm forecast to batter London from midnight tonight December 11, 2014 The weather bomb is coming to London and train companies are already warning that it could affect your commute in tomorrow morning. The Met Office has updated its yellow warning of high winds that are expected to reach the capital between midnight tonight and 9am tomorrow. It says we should expect severe gales – [...]
ECB’s second round of cheap loans disappoint again December 11, 2014 The European Central Bank's (ECB) second round of cheap loans has disappointed again, piling pressure onto the central bank to step up its monetary stimulus measures. The 255 participating lenders took a total of just €129.84bn (£102.6bn) from the targeted longer-term refinancing operation (TLTRO), slightly below the €130bn or more that economists had predicted. This [...]