French firm Carmat to launch artificial hearts by 2015 November 15, 2013 French company Carmat is hoping that its artificial hearts will be available to patients by 2015 and that its human trials will come to end in 2014. The company will need to be given regulatory approval by the EU before the product can be launched on the European market. In an interview with Reuters, chief [...]
US exports miss as New York business conditions take a hit November 15, 2013 US export prices fell 0.5 per cent in October, following expectations of no increase and September's 0.3 per cent rise. Import prices fell 0.7 per cent, after expectations of a 0.2 per cent fall after September's 0.2 per cent increase. Business conditions in the manufacturing sector have taken a tumble, according to the NY Empire [...]
Hopes dwindle for Hong Kong’s recovery November 15, 2013 Hong Kong's economy expanded by a disappointing seasonally adjusted 0.5 per cent in the third quarter, weighed down by weak export numbers and a drop in retail sales, said the government today. On a year-on-year basis, economic growth was 2.9 per cent, slower than the 3.2 per cent growth seen in the second quarter. Mark [...]
China to reduce death penalty crimes, abolish labour camps and loosen one-child policy November 15, 2013 State media Xinhua News Agency has reported a series of policy changes following the approval of "deepening reforms" in China by the CPC's Third Plenum. This morning, Xinhua posted a series of tweets stating a loosening of the one-child policy, a reduction in the number of crimes subject to the death penalty and the abolition of [...]
Nestle to create 1,600 jobs and says industry needs to step up on youth unemployment November 15, 2013 Swiss food giant Nestle has announced it will create 1,600 jobs for young people in the UK and Ireland over the three years. The company will also create 300 paid work experience placements. These placements will last for four weeks and be paid above the national minimum wage. Nestle chief executive, Fiona Kendrick, said: We [...]
Eurozone consumer price inflation at 47-month low November 15, 2013 Inflation has slowed in the Eurozone in line with analysts expectations, with the consumer price index coming in at 0.7 per cent in October year-on-year. Core inflation was 0.8 per cent for October year-on-year. Eurozone inflation is now at its lowest point since November 2009. The slowdown in inflation will be cause for concern for [...]
Samsung to launch three-sided display phone November 15, 2013 Next year Samsung plans to launch a smartphone with a three-sided display, according to reports by Bloomberg. The phone will be designed so messages, emails and possibly share prices and notifications, can be read from any angle. The new handset will use an upgraded version of its Youm series of flexible OLED screens. Each side [...]
Help to Buy assists 155 per cent boost in Nationwide profits November 15, 2013 British building society Nationwide has reported a whopping underlying profit increase of 155 per cent, for the six months to the end of September. Underlying profit was £332m compared to £130m during the same period in 2012. Nationwide attributed the dramatic growth to increased lending and a burst of new customers switching to the building [...]
IAG hikes 2015 profit target by 12.5 per cent November 15, 2013 On Friday, International Airline Group (IAG) raised its 2015 operating profit target by 12.5 per cent, or €1.8bn (£1.5bn). The British-Spanish multinational, which owns British Airways (BA) and Iberia, attributed the increased profit target to improved performance at BA and its Spanish based airline, Vueling. BA's 2015 operating profit target was raised from £1.1bn to [...]
Capco reports strong financial position on back of Covent Garden estate November 15, 2013 Capital and Counties (Capco) has posted strong results this morning, announcing that its Covent Garden estate is on track to achieve £60-65m estimated rental value (ERV) by December 2015. It also said that its achieved significant progress in its £8bn Earls Court development. (Release) Since 30 June, Covent Garden has seen new lettings and renewals [...]