Eager for a house price fall? It’s time for a lesson in economics January 15, 2019 Would it be a good thing if house prices in the UK fell? The British public, a host of commentators on Twitter, and even some economists seem to think so. A recent YouGov poll asked Britons whether a 30 per cent fall in property values after Brexit would be a “bad thing”. Just 32 per [...]
Brexit high noon spells danger for currency traders January 15, 2019 Theresa May’s ultimate showdown has finally arrived. The high-stakes parliamentary vote on her Brexit plans is due later today, and the outcomes vary wildly – from soaring success to complete political collapse. Currency traders lie in wait, hoping not to be caught on the wrong side of a sterling trade, which could whip wildly in [...]
Big brands doing big deals show the UK sports sponsorship industry remains in rude health January 14, 2019 January is typically the time to look forward, to forecast and predict what will happen in the coming year. To understand the state of the UK sponsorship industry, however, it’s more worthwhile to look at what happened in the months leading up to Christmas. Rewind to the week after Black Friday in December and big [...]
Data and machine-learning needs human intelligence to achieve the best business results January 14, 2019 Data has become the most valuable currency in business. But without the right tools or intelligence, its true value will not be realised. According to a MiQ survey, 43 per cent of US and UK brand marketers think that the lack of measurement of business impact, such as sales or growth, is the main hurdle [...]
Let Jeff Bezos be a lesson: Have a plan for if your marriage ends January 14, 2019 Amazon chief Jeff Bezos and his wife MacKenzie have announced that their marriage is ending, likely leading to the largest divorce settlement in history. Though the couple has asserted that their separation will be amicable, the divorce proceedings could still be complex, highlighting the risks to entrepreneurs when marriages end. The law in Washington State, [...]
Britain’s economic hopes rest not on productivity, but happiness January 14, 2019 They were the best of times, they were the worst of times. Thank you, Dickens, for words that capture the daily diet of our much-divided Britain. Happiness seems to be much on our minds, mainly because it seems so difficult to attain and then maintain. Next week we face Blue Monday, allegedly the most depressing [...]
DEBATE: As Open Banking turns one year old, has it been a success? January 14, 2019 As Open Banking turns one year old, has it been a success? Didier Baclin, chief innovation officer at Zopa, says YES. A year on, Open Banking has already helped many people enjoy smoother experiences with certain financial providers, by enabling them to securely share their data through the open application programming interfaces. The initiative is about [...]
As London heads back to school, here’s how the City is kickstarting careers January 14, 2019 It’s back to school for students across the country. A new term is always an exciting prospect; pupils and teachers return with renewed energy and a readiness to learn and teach. Last month, the City of London Corporation, which sponsors 10 academies in London, was named by the Sutton Trust as the best UK academy [...]
Opinion: If we want to stop families fleeing London, we need to design new apartments with their needs in mind January 11, 2019 Encouraging families to stay in London is vital to the economy and the social fabric of the capital. According to the latest figures from the influential think tank, Centre for London, the number of people aged between 25 to 34 fell by about 30,000 people between mid-2016 and mid-2017, with a net reduction of 21,000 [...]
DEBATE: Has John Bercow damaged the reputation of the office of speaker with his actions this week? January 11, 2019 Has John Bercow damaged the reputation of the office of speaker with his actions this week? Alex Deane, a Conservative commentator, says YES. Naturally, most people aren’t interested in parliamentary procedure. They are in favour of a position when it aligns with their views, and against it when it doesn’t. But rather than viewing John Bercow’s [...]