Why the sharing economy could live up to the hype August 11, 2014 This was the summer the sharing economy truly hit London. First, we had black cabs bring Whitehall to a standstill with protests over the introduction of Uber, an app that allows you to call a cab wherever you are. Next, plans were announced to remove laws controlling short-term rentals, opening up the door for Airbnb [...]
Has Ofgem over-regulation hindered energy market competition and led to higher prices? August 11, 2014 Peter Atherton, an energy analyst at Liberum Capital, says Yes. The recent intervention by former regulators, suggesting the energy industry is “over-regulated”, has highlighted concerns that many of us who analyse the UK power market have had for some time. The suspicion is that Ofgem has lost its way in recent years: no longer acting like an [...]
Banking brain drain: Four unintended consequences of post-crisis regulation August 10, 2014 Since the financial crisis, governments have made wide-ranging changes to the way financial institutions are regulated. In particular, regulators have focused on the amount and type of capital that banks and other financial institutions must hold, and set new standards as to how they must interact with consumers and markets. This has given rise to [...]
City Matters: Yes Britain is an island nation – but we mustn’t romanticise leaving the EU August 10, 2014 SCARCELY a week has gone by in the last couple of years without a report being launched that explores the merits of remaining in the EU, or without a politician making an intervention. And as the debate has raged, the political and personal arguments have been conflated with the economic. It is unsurprising, therefore, that [...]
Young people are turning to entrepreneurship – but the trend isn’t inevitable August 10, 2014 ENTREPRENEURSHIP is all the rage. Research released today by HSBC shows that nearly a quarter of young people starting university this autumn want to work for themselves when they graduate. Banker, lawyer and consultant are no longer the default options. This news won’t please everyone. Due to the conspicuous wealth of Silicon Valley’s have-yachts and [...]
How to handle “Do you have any questions?” in a job interview August 8, 2014 “So do you have any questions for us?” This is not a polite way to end the interview and usher you out of the room quickly before they cross you off their list. It is another interview question and should be treated as such. It is also a huge chance to move from defensive “I” [...]
City & Gild: Boris Johnson, the brand ambassador August 8, 2014 I was watching a black & white film the other day (who needs a 4k television when a film has a plot?) about a naval captain who united his rebellious crew by forcing them to build him a wooden dinghy, and then sailing it back and forth in front of them while they sweated away [...]
Global free trade faces a fragmented future – but we shouldn’t give up yet August 7, 2014 What is the point of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the global body dedicated to helping trade flow smoothy and freely across the world? Before the collapse of talks last week on implementing an agreement on global trade facilitation, lauded at the time of its inking as a historic turning point for an increasingly moribund [...]
There’s no justice in the US government’s record Bank of America settlement August 7, 2014 Surely anyone who hoped to see banks punished in the wake of the financial crisis should be ecstatic with the new settlement between Bank of America and the US Department of Justice? They’re not, though. The only person coming out on top in this settlement is the US government, which gets to pocket a big [...]
Delaying Crossrail 2 would strangle London – and the private sector can help pay for it August 7, 2014 One of the most encouraging things about ministers considering an extension of Crossrail to Hertfordshire, giving commuter towns like Tring and Hemel Hempstead direct access to the City and Canary Wharf, is that it shows a commitment to long-term planning that has too often been absent in the UK. Admittedly, it’s rather late to be [...]