Investor pessimism soars to three-year high as gold becomes second favourite asset class February 17, 2016 Investors are at their most pessimistic for nearly three years, according to survey data released today. Lloyds Bank Private Banking’s investor sentiment index dropped to a score of 2.98 per cent this month. The score is compiled from the views of nearly 5,000 adults including 1,123 investors. The index is at its lowest level since May [...]
Local governments demand more control over starter homes after warning they will be unaffordable February 17, 2016 Local governments have today warned Westminster that discounted starter homes will be unaffordable to the majority that need them unless the scheme is given more flexibility. First-time buyers will be able to buy 200,000 new starter homes over the next five years at a discount of at least 20 per cent to market value. Research by [...]
Colchester’s Tollgate Village: New shopping development in commuter hub faces fierce opposition from local retailers February 16, 2016 A proposed shopping development in a popular commuter hub is being met with disapproval by local retailers. Shopowners and other interested parties have petitioned Colchester Council ahead of a planning meeting on Thursday, where a vote on the proposed Tollgate Village retail park is due to take place. The retailers, who have gained backing from the Federation [...]
A new estate agent opened up every 1.6 days in London last year, with the City of Westminster seeing a particularly rapid increase in numbers February 16, 2016 Estate agents popped up across the capital at breakneck speed last year, with a new business opening its doors once every 1.6 days, according to research released today. The study by online estate agents HouseSimple.com discovered that greater London now has almost 2,900 estate agents lining its high streets, which equates to an average of [...]
CV format: How to make your CV stand out for a finance or accounting role, as companies reveal they review 21 applications on average before extending an offer February 16, 2016 Want to bag yourself a new job in accounting or finance? You'll have to get in line – companies review an average of 21 applications for these roles before making an offer, according to research by recruiter Robert Half. Some positions require an even pickier approach, with six per cent of companies confessing they wade [...]
This is one oil and gas market that’s booming despite the low brent crude price February 16, 2016 23 oil and gas projects are set to go offline in the Norwegian North Sea between now and 2024, creating NOK 160bn (£12.5bn) of opportunities, according to research from Oil & Gas UK. Decommissioning represents “a significant emerging business in the sector,” the industry body's study said, at a time when the oil and gas industry [...]
US growth and the risk of recession has replaced the China slowdown as biggest investor fear February 16, 2016 Fear over the US economy and risk of a recession has topped the deceleration of China’s economy as the biggest risk for investors, according to the latest Bank of America Merrill Lynch Fund Manager Survey. Global fund managers’ growth and profit expectations are both negative for the first time since July 2012. The survey also [...]
Gold price rally returns as it snaps two-day losing streak February 16, 2016 The gold price rally returned today, ending a two-day losing streak, as ongoing concerns over the global economy returned a sparkle to its safe-haven status. Spot gold rose 0.38 per cent to $1,213.95 an ounce in mid-afternoon trade. Earlier, it had fallen as low as $1,190.40, having shed 2.3 per cent yesterday, its biggest one-day loss [...]
Saudi-Russian pledge to freeze oil production may be smoke and mirrors February 16, 2016 Stop press!! Saudi Arabia and Russia have agreed to freeze oil output!! At first glance, the remarks at today's meeting in Doha were hugely significant, coming both from the notoriously stubborn leader of the Opec cartel and one of the largest non-Opec producers in the world. Opec members Qatar and Venezeula, who were also at [...]
Bank of Japan starts paying negative interest rate deposits February 16, 2016 The Bank of Japan introduced its radical policy of charging negative interest rates today. The move, first announced last week, will mean banks have to pay the Bank of Japan (BoJ) to keep reserves there. However, the negative interest rate of 0.1 per cent will only apply to new reserves created as part of the BoJ's asset purchase [...]