Valley of death: How we can close Britain’s dire SME funding gap March 2, 2015 George Osborne should be satisfied with progress in driving forward the British economy, which the OECD applauded last week for its outperformance against other Western countries and its textbook economic reforms. As part of its package of initiatives to ensure momentum is maintained and growth accelerates, the UK government recently announced a new Help to [...]
With the US army chief warning on UK defence cuts, is Britain’s global position under threat? March 2, 2015 Dr John Hulsman is president of John C Hulsman Enterprises, says Yes Army chief of staff general Raymond Odierno is merely stating the glaringly obvious. During the Prime Minister’s recent January trip to Washington, he was told in no uncertain terms that the confidence of America – Britain’s seminal ally – is eroding, at the [...]
Why demography –not QE – is destiny – CNBC Comment March 2, 2015 The latest figures from Europe have been getting better. Let’s hope it lasts. Nonetheless, the debate continues over whether the European Central Bank (ECB) has done “too little too late” in terms of its trillion-euro QE program to avoid “Japanese-style” deflation. It is a debate that has raged ever since the US Federal Reserve embarked [...]
India rising: The re-awakening of this sleeping giant is the best news of 2015 March 1, 2015 “The Indian economy is a super giant, which moves slowly but surely.” – Arun Jaitley, Indian finance minister. After starting the year perpetually commenting on the gloomy tidings of the Greek crisis, Isis, and Putin, it is with palpable relief that I turn to what remains the single most positive international development of recent months [...]
Two cheers for Jean-Claude Juncker: The process of EU reform is already underway March 1, 2015 The business view of Britain’s membership of the European Union is clear: the UK needs to be in the EU and to be fully engaged. While this view is not unanimous – there are those businesses that legitimately have a different perspective, either because of the nature of the business or the priorities of the [...]
Dark side of the sharing economy: Don’t let short-lets ruin life for Londoners March 1, 2015 There has been much trumpeting of a change in legislation in the government’s Deregulation Bill that will allow Londoners to participate more fully in the “sharing economy” by renting their homes out on a short-let basis for up to 90 days a year. While many may be excited at the prospect of earning some extra [...]
As Lloyds resumes dividends, have UK banks now turned a corner from the financial crisis? March 1, 2015 Steve Davies is co-manager of the Jupiter UK Growth Fund, says Yes. Lloyds Bank’s return to dividend payments is a very significant step forward, and RBS may not be as far behind as people think either. The most encouraging news from Lloyds is that its capital position is now extremely strong, which not only gives [...]
Forget secular stagnation: America shows why the pessimists are wrong February 26, 2015 The US economic recovery is gathering momentum. January’s impressive labour market report showed that the US is in the midst of a long, sustainable upswing that could surpass any other business cycle in the post-1945 era. QE has proved to be a powerful monetary policy tool in the US. Low short- and long-term interest rates [...]
Growth and investment: The unintended victims of financial crime regulation February 26, 2015 It is perhaps the starkest example of the unintended consequences of regulatory reform that it is now so difficult to open a bank account at any UK financial institution, particularly for foreign investors. What began as a challenge to money launderers is now a palpable threat to the City’s position as one of the world’s [...]
London should take a cue from Paris to build transport of the future February 26, 2015 The Chancellor and mayor of London set out a long-term economic plan for the capital last week, challenging London’s transport authority and business community to make the case for much-needed infrastructure investment ahead of the next spending review. This commitment is hugely welcome. We desperately need to future-proof our transport network, as London’s population is [...]