Vince Cable calls Royal Mail boss Moya Greene’s stance over universal service scaremongering November 26, 2014 Business Secretary Vince Cable yesterday accused Royal Mail chief executive Moya Greene of scaremongering after she told MPs that there was a threat to the universal service. The universal service means Royal Mail has to deliver across the UK, six days a week, and for the same price. Appearing before the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee, [...]
2014 Black Friday to push UK Christmas spend to £91bn November 26, 2014 Half of Britain’s shoppers are set to storm online stores, shopping centres and supermarkets tomorrow in what is expected to be one of the biggest shopping occasions of the year. Some 47 per cent of shoppers are preparing to take part in Black Friday, which is expected to help push the UK’s Christmas spending up [...]
Economists are pessimistic over ECB purchases November 26, 2014 A EUROPEAN official yesterday hinted that controversial government bond purchases could begin early in 2015. However, economists remain pessimistic with regard to the size and scope of any future purchases. European Central Bank (ECB) vice president Vitor Constancio said policy makers would wait and see if current policies had any success in the first three [...]
Foreign languages in higher demand at city estate agents November 26, 2014 A LONDON estate agent is having to place foreign languages near the top of its skills requirements as the capital continues to attract talent from the struggling Eurozone. Estate agent Greene & Co said today that one quarter of its residential clients now came from overseas. To meet demand, they need staff to speak a [...]
Tetley takes out £1m insurance for its man with a golden tongue November 26, 2014 A MASTER blender working for Tetley has had his taste buds insured for £1m, after five years of intensive sipping. Sebastian Michaelis can identify any of 1,500 different types of tea in seconds – a rare ability even within the tea community. Michaelis, who has been sipping tea at the company for five years, graduated from [...]
Consumer confidence suggests further delay in EU’s recovery November 26, 2014 CONSUMER confidence in two of the major four Eurozone economies remains subdued, new data shows. Italian consumer confidence continued to edge down this month. The confidence climate index produced by official data office Istat slipped to a nine-month low of 100.2 in November from 101.3 in October. The 100 score marks the level of confidence [...]
More small firms use alternative finance as loan approvals grow November 26, 2014 SMALL and medium-sized enterprises (SME) are relying more on alternative sources of finance, despite more applications for loans and overdrafts being successful. The figures released today by market research firm BDRC Continental show that the proportion of SMEs using alternative financing such as trade credit – a delay between the receiving goods and paying for [...]
LondonMetric sees profits rise on £21.8m sale November 26, 2014 LONDONMETRIC Property yesterday reported strong first-half earnings growth, driven by a move away from offices and homes and into retail distribution properties. The company also continued its portfolio shuffle, selling the Cairngorm Retail Park in Milton Keynes to Royal London Asset Management for £21.8m, reflecting a net initial yield of 6.10 per cent, and exchanging [...]
Telford commits to £1.1bn London building plans as profits improve November 26, 2014 LONDON housebuilder Telford Homes yesterday announced it was pushing forward its construction plans, committing to build £1.1bn of new housing in the capital, a 25 per cent increase year-on-year. Telford sold 600 homes in the six months to 30 September, more than its entire total in the previous financial year. The company improved its first-half [...]
United Utilities celebrates good first-half results November 26, 2014 REVENUE improved at United Utilities in the six months to 30 September, up to £859.4m from £845.7m in the same period of last year, while operating profit also improved, up to £340.5m from £338.3m. Steve Mogford, chief executive at United Utilities, said the firm was “pleased with the progress we have made over the last [...]