Was the Spanish government justified in its move to part-nationalise the ailing Bankia? May 10, 2012 YES Jason Gaywood This is a pragmatic and realistic attempt by Spain to shore up its beleaguered banking sector without overburdening government coffers. But it is likely to spell trouble for the wider Eurozone. Spain has grasped the nettle by taking a 45 per cent stake in the troubled institution. Parallels can be drawn with [...]
RAPID RESPONSES May 10, 2012 Fair regulation [Re: Is the Queen’s speech likely to reassure business?, yesterday] The Speech is a clear sign to business that the government supports fair and strong regulation. Many employers want to reduce the burden of unnecessary employment tribunal litigation and the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill is a step in that direction. However not [...]
Shareholder activism proves that regulating pay would be senseless May 9, 2012 ANDREW Moss, who had been in charge of Aviva since 2007, became the third chief executive to quit amid increasing shareholder discontent in recent weeks, following David Brennan at AstraZeneca and Trinity Mirror’s Sly Bailey. Just what is going on with the public limited company, one of the great inventions of capitalism? It has provided [...]
The US public is increasingly looking at leaderless Europe with trepidation May 9, 2012 PRESIDENT Barack Obama’s official re-election launch on Saturday fell largely flat. Despite all the campaign’s attempts to generate as much hype as possible, the main electoral events captivating American politicos were taking place in France and Greece with the presidential and parliamentary elections respectively. As Americans prepared to bid adieu to Sarkozy l’Américain and witness [...]
Clinton’s looming date with death was on the cards May 9, 2012 I’M SURPRISED about Clinton Cards. Not that it has gone into administration, you understand – I’m surprised it lasted so long. It’s a struggling retailer with a gigantic high street footprint (861 stores in the UK, including 188 Birthdays outlets) selling a disposable product with no intrinsic value that you could replace with a free [...]
Are the policies announced in the Queen’s Speech enough to reassure UK businesses? May 9, 2012 YES Mark Boleat The proposals outlined in the Queen’s Speech are good news for business. Strong corporate governance is the backbone of good regulation. The government’s endeavours to reinforce shareholder votes are a welcome move that will empower them to have a stronger say on pay packages and bonuses for directors. Ultimately, it is the [...]
RAPID RESPONSES May 9, 2012 Facebook’s trials [Re: Is Facebook’s estimated market value excessively high?, Tuesday] Facebook is often compared to Microsoft. They’re both hugely successful companies that tens of millions use, but which few really love (in contrast to Apple). Facebook has shown impressive growth in revenues and profitability, but to become a $100bn company it must face two [...]
Spain is heading for a bailout that the rest of the continent will fund May 8, 2012 ANOTHER day, another U-turn in the Eurozone – although this time it may mark the Spanish government’s acceptance of the huge problems in the country’s banking system. The Spanish government announced on Monday that it will be injecting Bankia, the country’s third largest bank, with up to €10bn (£8bn) in capital, using the state-backed FROB [...]
It’s hard to make a deal when democracy keeps on changing the rules May 8, 2012 WHAT’S the deal? That is what any sensible person wants to know before investing or otherwise transacting. The terms may be stated but that is not enough. People also need to know that these terms won’t change on them. Between private parties, including businesses, this confidence is created by enforceable contracts and by reputation. A [...]
A Bank of Britain is the best way to build a Big Society May 8, 2012 HARD economic times call for bold measures. With evidence that the UK is back in a technical recession, we propose the creation of a Bank of Britain. This would be a citizen-focused bank, designed to advance the Big Society. The government has already launched Big Society Capital, with capital mostly provided by the big four [...]