Just less than half of financial professionals think bosses’ business decisions are based on gut feelings, as many feel undervalued by the organisations they work in November 12, 2015 Are the spreadsheets scattered across your boss's desk just an illusion? A report out today by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and professional services firm KPMG has found that almost 40 per cent financial professionals believe that most business decisions are made primarily on gut feeling rather than cold, hard facts. In the [...]
HMRC plans to shut local tax offices and replace them with 13 new regional hubs November 12, 2015 HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has today announced that it is planning to close 137 of its local tax offices, replacing them with 13 new regional tax offices. The regional centres, the first one of which could be launched as early as 2016 with the rest opening between 2017 and 2021, will generally be in [...]
ONS figures: UK businesses earned over £1 trillion in 2014, although mining and quarrying slowdown dents figures November 12, 2015 UK businesses earned over £1 trillion last year, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures published today. The ONS Annual Business Survey showed that the Gross Value Added at basic prices (aGVA), which relates to the income of businesses less the cost of goods and services consumed in creating that income, for UK non-financial businesses [...]
UK house prices: Buyers and sellers care about completely different things when assessing the value of a property November 12, 2015 What would you care most about when buying a house? That it smells of fresh-baked bread or what the local crime figures are like? You might think that buyers and sellers would place value on similar things, especially considering that most people in the process of buying one house are also simultaneously selling another, and [...]
The moment Mario Draghi got glitter-bombed by a protestor November 12, 2015 Spectators were shocked when this protester livened up European Central Bank president Mario Draghi's regular press conference … by jumping onto the table, screaming "end ECB dictatorship" and showering him with what looked like a glitter bomb. She was then rushed away by security guards, as she smiled and made a "V for victory" sign at [...]
Euro falls as European Central Bank boss Mario Draghi hints at more monetary stimulus November 12, 2015 The euro fell against the dollar this morning after European Central Bank boss Mario Draghi strengthened speculation that the Bank is preparing to fire yet another bazooka to kickstart the sluggish Eurozone economy. Speaking to the European parliament's economic and monetary affairs committee, Draghi said: "Downside risks stemming from global growth and trade are clearly visible." "Moreover, inflation [...]
UK house prices will rise by 25 per cent in the next five years as demand outstrips supply: Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors November 12, 2015 House prices will rise by 25 per cent over the next five years, The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has estimated, issuing another warning that supply is failing to keep up with demand. Properties sold at higher prices throughout the UK for the third consecutive month in October, with 49 per cent more chartered surveyors seeing an increase, [...]
Law Society recommends minimum salary for trainee solicitors based on combination of living wage and training course fees November 11, 2015 The Law Society has today recommended those hiring solicitors on a training contract should pay a minimum salary of £20,276 in London and £18,183 outside of London. The representative body for legal eagles based their calculation on a combination of the living wage, set by the Living Wage foundation at £9.40 per hour in London [...]
Eurozone asset purchases could be ramped up in December, says European Central Bank’s Benoit Coeure November 11, 2015 A European Central Bank (ECB) official has hinted that the central bank could ramp up its €1.1 trillion (£780bn) asset purchase programme as soon as December. “The debate is open” due to the fact that inflation expectations are still weak, Benoit Coeure told Le Figaro in an interview due to be published tomorrow. A major issue [...]
A tiny insect is wiping out Florida orange groves and causing juice prices to soar November 11, 2015 Orange juice drinkers face a fresh squeeze. Orange juice futures – agreements to buy orange juice at a specific future date – are soaring in price due to growing concerns over pest damage across orange producers in Florida. Citrus greening – a bacteria spread by the Asian citrus psyllid bug that causes fruit to shrink [...]