Accountants call for a cut in national insurance contributions March 29, 2015 Accountants have put a reduction in employers’ national insurance contributions (NICs) at the top of their election wishlist. Cuts to NICs were seen as the highest priority for tax cuts with 49 per cent of accountants favouring a reduction, according to figures released today by Bloomsbury Professional, a tax and accounting information group. The second [...]
London rents more than double UK average as high property prices lift sector demand March 29, 2015 Rents in London rose by eight per cent in February compared with the same month last year, as high property prices forced more people into the rented sector. For the UK as a whole, average rents increased by seven per cent in February compared with last year, figures released by estate agents Barnard Marcus show [...]
Who you know, not what you know: Social contacts still key to a start in career March 29, 2015 Getting on to the career ladder is easy – if you are well connected and are willing and able to do about seven internships, a report suggests today. Young people today need, on average, to have seven work placements to get on to the career ladder, when in the past one would have normally been [...]
Banks stress as the Bank of England prepares to unveil tougher tests March 29, 2015 Britain's banks are bracing themselves for a batch of tougher stress tests to be unveiled by the Bank of England tomorrow, with the emphasis expected to shift away from domestic concerns and onto global risks. The tests take place annually, and focus on the potential impact of a different type of hypothetical crash each time. Last [...]
General Election 2015: Was David Cameron right about zero hours contracts during Paxman clash? March 27, 2015 David Cameron faced a harsh grilling from Jeremy Paxman last night with the former Newsnight presenter kicking off a tough round of questioning on food banks and zero hours contracts. Paxman challenged the Prime Minister on how many of the jobs created during the coalition's time in office were zero hours contracts, to which Cameron [...]
Japan just joined Britain in the “noflation” club March 27, 2015 Core consumer inflation in Japan stalled in February, meaning it has joined now Britain in the "noflation" club. The government said that its key inflation gauge, which strips out the effect of last year's sales tax hike, was flat from a year earlier. This means it has moved further away from the Bank of Japan's target [...]
Housing shortage hits first-time buyers despite government help March 26, 2015 The UK’s chronic housing shortage is forcing first-time buyers to accept lower quality properties. Natural light was cited as not being vital by 51 per cent of prospective buyers, survey figures released today by estate agents Your Move and Reeds Rains show. Additionally, 63 per cent would go without a bath while 11 per cent [...]
This map shows why airstrikes in Yemen are pushing up oil prices March 26, 2015 Yemen doesn't actually produce that much oil compared to some other Middle East nations. But news that it been hit by air strikes from Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies sent global oil prices berserk today. Nervous investors helped push Brent crude, the global benchmark, as high as $59.78 per barrel, or a two-and-a-half week high. But [...]
These are the four biggest threats to financial stability, according to the Bank of England March 26, 2015 The financial policy committee (FPC) which looks after financial stability over at the Bank of England, has outlined the areas it intends to keep a closer eye on in its quarterly assessment released today. 1. Geopolitical turmoil Eurozone turmoil could pose a threat to future financial stability. There have been some encouraging signs recently but [...]
Retail sales rise as shoppers reap “noflation” in February March 26, 2015 Retail sales beat expectations as low prices encouraged people onto high streets across the country in February, figures out today show. Sales on the high street rose 5.7 per cent annually according the Office for National Statistics. It marked the 23rd consecutive month of year-on-year growth, the longest winning-streak since May 2008. Retail sales grew 0.7 [...]