Uber warns EU regulations are holding back Europe’s tech startups December 7, 2015 Cab hailing app Uber has warned European Union (EU) regulation could mean that technology startups from Europe are unable to compete internationally. Uber’s head of public policy in Europe Mark McGann slammed the EU digital single market and said: “I’m concerned about domestic companies in the UK and across Europe not being able to make [...]
Tyrie pushes for changes to inheritance tax relief reforms December 7, 2015 Proposals to extend inheritance tax relief for residential properties brought in by George Osborne this year have been criticised for being too complex. Andrew Tyrie, chairman of the Treasury Select Committee, has written to the chancellor asking him to rethink the proposals. He has suggested using the 2016 Finance Bill to clarify the changes, the first [...]
Euler Hermes: Brexit could knock £30bn off export sales by 2020 December 7, 2015 The cost of a Brexit on exports could hit £30bn if the UK decides to leave the EU without a new free trade agreement (FTA), according to new research released yesterday. The report from credit insurance giant Euler Hermes said Brexit without an FTA would cause a sharp contraction in the UK economy, with total [...]
Eurogroup gives Greece a week to pass second set of milestones December 7, 2015 Another week, another Greek bailout deadline. Greece needs to get a move on with passing reforms, the group of Eurozone finance ministers told the country yesterday. Greece is inline for a further €1bn (£720m) to boost its state finances if it can pass a second set of ‘milestones’. The anti-austerity government has reluctantly passed reforms to [...]
Smart Beta tops Investopedia’s list of 2015 finance buzzwords December 7, 2015 Investopedia, the wikipedia of finance, added 672 terms to its site in 2015. The list partly a reflection of the financial trends that took 2015 by storm including, Unicorns such as Uber and Snapchat, the renewed fear that Greece would ditch the euro, and the popularity of Fintech. Here's Investopedia's top 10: 10. Backdoor Roth IRA An [...]
Sentix: Investors optimistic on Eurozone growth despite Draghi disappointment December 7, 2015 Investors are backing the Eurozone economy to pick up the pace over the next six months, according to new survey figures published today. The Sentix economic index for the Eurozone, compiled from a survey of over 1,000 investors, climbed 0.6 points to a score 15.7. The rise in sentiment on the Eurozone’s growth prospects comes despite investors [...]
More proof the Help to Buy Isa is pointless for first-time buyers in London? December 7, 2015 The Help to Buy Isa is the government's latest wizard wheeze to help first-time buyers onto the property ladder: under the scheme, they receive a £50 government "bonus" for every £200 they spend. But the launch of the scheme, at the beginning of this month, hasn't gone down quite as well as you might expect. [...]
Fitch: Emerging market weakness won’t create a global recession December 7, 2015 The world will avoid a global recession next year, despite weakness in emerging markets, a leading credit ratings agency has said – while the Federal Reserve will hike rates four times next year In fact, its forecast for next year paints a cautiously optimistic view of the world. Here's how it sees the world in [...]
German industrial production fails to stage a convincing rebound in October December 7, 2015 German industry struggled to rebound from two months of decline in October, according to official figures released today. German industrial production, which makes up nearly a third of the German economy, rose 0.2 per cent compared with September, data from Destatis shows. However, it declined sharply over the last two months and has failed to [...]
Bank of England: Poorly designed banker bonus clawbacks can actually encourage risk-taking December 7, 2015 Poorly designed banker bonus clawbacks can actually encourage risk-taking and short-termism, according to a new blog post by the Bank of England. It argues that bonuses linked to financial performance rather than risk management can encourage excessive risk-taking, as execs expect to suffer large losses when their firm performs poorly, meaning they’re more likely to [...]