Flexible working at the point of recruitment unlikely to become a legislated requirement, says Nick Boles, and the best employers offer it anyway February 10, 2016 The right to request flexible working at recruitment stage is unlikely to be something that is formally legislated for, the Women and Equalities Select Committee was told this morning. When asked if his department would consider introducing the right at the point of recruitment, as this is a stage when many women face issues, Nick Boles, [...]
January winter storms caused $4bn in economic damage worldwide, although Storm Gertrude inflicted comparatively few problems February 10, 2016 Winter weather caused $4bn (£2.8bn) in economic damages across the world this January. According to a report which released yesterday by Aon, the winter snow storms that battered the east coast of the United States in the latter half of January, killing 58 people and causing states of emergency to be declared in 11 states, [...]
UK manufacturing rounds off a poor 2015 with end-of-year stagnation February 10, 2016 The UK's manufacturing sector ended its decline toward the end of last year, but contracted over 2015 as a whole. Factory output was the same in the final three months of 2015 compared with the three months to September, the Office for National Statistics said this morning. The stagnation rounded off a poor year for the [...]
London houses have missed out on huge price increases because of Night Tube delays February 10, 2016 Delays to the launch of the 24-hour Night Tube could have stripped billions of pounds in potential increases from property values across London, new figures reveal. The Night Tube's arrival was expected to push up house prices along the route by as much as 10 per cent on top of growth in surrounding areas. In [...]
Almost half of UK professionals wish they had a workplace spouse, as they can be a great source for mentorship and advice February 10, 2016 Valentine's Day is now a mere four days away and love is in the air – and, apparently, the office, but not in the way you might be thinking. A survey released today by jobs website CV-Library has discovered that almost half (47 per cent) of UK professionals either have or wish they had a workplace spouse, a [...]
Slash foreign aid and boost immigration from poor countries to aid development, says Adam Smith Institute February 10, 2016 Foreign aid should slashed and replaced with a more liberal immigration system, a Westminster think tank has said today. In a new report the Adam Smith Institute (ASI) said allowing people to move to the UK from poor countries to work could boost their income 20 to 30 times. The report also argues that “doling [...]
UK house prices: The government’s revenues from stamp duty fell £620m in the first nine months of 2015 February 9, 2016 Changes to stamp duty by the government caused it to lose out on £620m of stamp duty revenues between January and October last year – and that's before changes to rules on buy-to-let properties come into force… Research by Knight Frank found the amount the Treasury made from stamp duty decreased 0.9 per cent between [...]
Oil skids lower, with the price of Brent crude hovering close to $30 while WTI crude falls six per cent February 9, 2016 Global oil price benchmark Brent crude fell 7.8 per cent to $30.32 per barrel in turbulent trading today today – hovering on the brink of the psychologically significant $30 mark. Meanwhile, US oil price benchmark WTI crude fell 5.9 per cent, crashing to $27.94 per barrel. Brent crude has traded above $30 since the end of January – but it was pushed [...]
Land Registry figures show London property sales fell almost 10 per cent in 2015, as UK house prices jumped February 9, 2016 The number of homes sold in the capital fell almost 10 per cent to just 103,772 in 2015, the first drop in four years, figures published today showed. Analysis of Land Registry figures by London Central Portfolio (LCP) showed prices in the capital increased 4.5 per cent during the year – less than half the 10.2 [...]
Tumbling brent crude prices plunge UK oil services sector into “unknown territory” February 9, 2016 Tumbling oil prices have plunged the UK oil services sector into "unknown territory", leading many companies to forecast a significant fall in earnings. Advisory firm E&Y's fifth annual review of the UK oilfield services sector said growth gave way to decline last year. The top 100 oilfield services companies are forecast to have shrunk by 18 per cent [...]