UK finance chiefs are worried about losing their top workers amid competition for talent January 18, 2016 UK finance directors are worried about losing their top talent as a professional talent war breaks out among finance firms. Of over 200 finance directors surveyed by recruiter Robert Half, 38 per cent said a major internal concern for 2016 was keeping hold of talent. The headache for firms was evident last year – 58 per [...]
Small UK businesses fear EU referendum currency swings January 18, 2016 A large number of smaller UK businesses trading internationally are concerned about potential swings in the exchange rate caused by an EU referendum, according to new survey figures published today. The survey of over 1,000 senior decision makers at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) revealed 75 per cent of them feared currency volatility related to [...]
US economy gets off to a slow start to 2016, according to new business survey January 18, 2016 The US economy is undergoing a slow start to the year, according to a survey of businesses released today. The sales managers’ index (SMI) compiled by World Economics dropped to a score of 51.1 in January from 51.3 in the previous month. Scores above 50 indicate the economy expanded on the month. Firms also said [...]
Davos 2016: Economists say Oxfam claim that 62 people own as much as the poorest half of the world’s population is “meaningless and misleading” January 18, 2016 Economists have slammed Oxfam for claiming 62 people own as much as the poorest half of the world’s population, saying the statistics are “meaningless and misleading”. Oxfam, a global aid and development charity, issued a new report today, ahead of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, claiming that the wealth of the [...]
Oxfam’s pre-Davos wealth report says the world’s 62 richest people own half the wealth – but global inequality is actually falling January 18, 2016 Oxfam gets a lot of mileage out of its global inequality statistics. Back in 2014, we were told that the world's top 85 wealthiest people owned as much as the bottom half, 3.5bn. Now we’re told 62 own as much as the other half—you could fit them all on a coach, the Oxfam chief executive helpfully told us in [...]
Empyrean Energy share price rockets more than 50 per cent to the top of Aim January 18, 2016 Empyrean Energy shares soared to the top of the Aim today, on the sale of its stake in a US shale gas project for $71.5m (£50m) despite the oil price rout. The company's shares rose as much as 76 per cent to 8.8p per share this morning, after it announced the sale of its three per [...]
Davos 2016: What the global elites will be talking about at this year’s World Economic Forum January 18, 2016 More than 2,500 of the world’s top business leaders, politicians, economists and celebrities from over 100 countries will descend on Davos this week, taking over the Swiss ski resort for the World Economic Forum’s 46th annual meeting. While the four-day meeting’s official theme is “Mastering the Fourth Industrial Revolution” – WEF’s way of describing the [...]
Forget peak oil, Ikea says we’ve hit “peak stuff”: It’s curtains for home furnishings says sustainability boss Steve Howard January 18, 2016 Someone clearly got Marie Kondo's book for Christmas. Apparently we've reached "peak stuff", bringing to an and the era of cheap flat pack furniture frustration and a desire for the latest designer cushions, according to – of all people – an executive at furniture giant Ikea. "If we look on a global basis, in the west we [...]
Australian company advertises the “worst job in town” on Seek – and there’s already a good number of applications January 18, 2016 If complaining about your day at work takes up most of your Monday evening conversation, this Melbourne-based role might just be perfect for you. A position for senior digital producer has been put up on Australian jobs website Seek, describing the role as the "worst job in town", complete with poor location and below market pay. Other [...]
New London Underground map reveals how much you pay in average rent at every Tube stop on the Piccadilly, Victoria, District, Central, Northern, Bakerloo, Jubilee and Metropolitan line January 18, 2016 A new London Underground map reveals the average (staggering) rent at every Tube stop in London. London’s exorbitant rents are obviously nothing new, but this map clearly lays bare the disparity between different parts of London. A flat by London’s most expensive Tube station will set you back nine times more than the same size [...]