Grexit: The bell is tolling for Greece – but it’s tolling for Europe now too June 28, 2015 “I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”– John Donne Monaco – It is surely beyond odd that Alexis Tsipras – Marxist firebrand Premier of Greece – and I share a guilty pleasure: the works of Ernest Hemingway. When pressed to the [...]
Stop tinkering: How the City is leading the charge to get London building June 28, 2015 Housing has been the public policy “elephant in the room” for too long. City businesses warn me that high housing costs are reducing London’s competitiveness as a location, colleagues across London councils say that housing features more and more at the top of their agendas, and all the declared candidates in the mayoral election cite [...]
With the Fed expected to raise rates later this year, should investors be concerned? June 28, 2015 Anton Eser is co-head of global fixed income at Legal & General Investment Management, says Yes. The impact of tighter US policy seems to be underestimated. When markets were unsettled by the potential for QE tapering in 2013, bond yields rose, equity markets corrected, and high yield and emerging markets saw heavy fund outflows and [...]
The NHS isn’t unique – and we’ll never fix its many flaws until we realise this June 25, 2015 As an undergraduate student, I spent an Erasmus semester in a small town in Spain. During a flat viewing, the landlady who showed me around pointed at the microwave in the kitchen, and said: “This is a microwave. Do you know what a microwave is?” I got a bit confused by the question, which sounded [...]
Britain’s ageing population could boost economic growth – if we adapt June 25, 2015 The UK and other western economies face the prospect of an ageing population. As the post-war baby boomers grow older, and people live longer, the number of over-65s in the UK is expected to nearly double by 2050. This is often seen as a problem for society, leading to higher health care and social costs, [...]
Don’t write off startups as a threat to your company: Collaboration benefits all June 25, 2015 Digital disruption is snapping at the heels of London’s corporates. Many are only just waking up to the fact that tech startups like Zoopla, Skype and Funding Circle – all less than 10 years old and bred in the capital – have become billion dollar “unicorn” companies, rewriting the rules of whole industries. In [...]
With no deal yet, has the IMF compromised its credibility in its handling of Greece’s bailouts? June 25, 2015 Vicky Pryce, chief economic adviser at CEBR, says Yes Greece was the IMF’s biggest rescue ever. The austerity measures it imposed may have worked for developing countries that could devalue, but they were not appropriate for a developed country like Greece, a member of the Eurozone. The IMF admitted in a 2013 study that it [...]
Devolution is coming – the Midlands needs to make the most of it June 25, 2015 Speaking outside Number 10 on 8th May, the Prime Minister declared that his new Government’s mission is “ensuring this recovery reaches all parts of our country.” At Birmingham Airport, we are clear that unlocking new growth in our region means supporting new direct aviation connectivity opportunities around the world. This is why we are focused [...]
Devolution is coming – the Midlands needs to make the most of it June 25, 2015 Speaking outside Number 10 on 8th May, the Prime Minister declared that his new Government’s mission is “ensuring this recovery reaches all parts of our country.” At Birmingham Airport, we are clear that unlocking new growth in our region means supporting new direct aviation connectivity opportunities around the world. This is why we are focused [...]
Better small company reporting is key to unlocking EU Capital Markets Union June 24, 2015 Smaller quoted companies are vital to generating long-term sustainable economic growth and creating jobs. Smaller enterprises have the capacity for dynamic growth, development of new markets and sustainable job creation. But how best to attract the capital they need to achieve their potential? The European Commission’s proposal for a Capital Markets Union has sought [...]