A market cap is the quickest way to inject some competition into audit March 7, 2019 As you read this, the Kingman review, the Competition and Markets Authority review, the Brydon review, and the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee are all scrutinising the audit profession following a series of high-profile scandals. Failures such as Carillion, BHS, and Patisserie Valerie present very different problems, but each case rightly led to [...]
Chris Tremlett: Chris Jordan could make England comeback in time for the World Cup March 6, 2019 England’s comfortable win over West Indies in the first Twenty20 on Tuesday night may have felt slightly subdued after the one-day series, but for the players involved it was another opportunity to impress. While West Indies’ side looked similar to their 50-over incarnation, England’s reflected their desire to give fringe players a chance to shine. [...]
There are plenty of reasons for investors to be optimistic about China March 6, 2019 Since the election of Donald Trump, one story has dominated global markets news: the trade war between China and the US. As negotiations reached a critical phase last month, markets fluctuated as setbacks led to breakthroughs, only for talks to stall again. But while investors are right to worry about currents of protectionism in the world’s [...]
Financial institutions beware – big tech is moving into banking March 6, 2019 Despite Brexit uncertainties and stock market collapses, British banks concluded their 2018 earnings season with improved performance. Profitability increased thanks to cost drives, while balance sheets strengthened through derisking assets. Banks’ ability to grow revenue, however, remains a perennial challenge. The quest to growth may be harder in the digital age. In a recent report [...]
Theresa May is delusional if she thinks she can win over Labour MPs March 6, 2019 Has the Prime Minister been reading “How to win friends and influence people”, by Dale Carnegie? It would make a change from “The bluffer’s guide to negotiating”. The thought came to mind when I read of Theresa May’s latest attempt to get Labour MPs to support her withdrawal agreement in the vote next week – [...]
Like the myth that the Earth is flat, the socialist conspiracy theory never dies March 6, 2019 The idea that the Earth is flat is a rapidly growing trend on social media. The Flat Earth Society’s Twitter feed has the best part of 100,000 followers. The fact that the planet is a sphere has been known since at least the time of the ancient Greeks. The astronomer Eratosthenes demonstrated it with a simple [...]
DEBATE: Are cuts to police numbers the main factor behind the rise in London knife crime? March 6, 2019 Are cuts to police numbers the main factor behind the rise in London knife crime? Ken Marsh, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, says YES. There is most definitely a correlation between rising crime and falling police numbers – to say otherwise is absurd. In 2010, there were 143,734 police officers in England and Wales. There [...]
Hong Kong Horse Racing Tips: Super Turbo can get better of rivals and speed to glory March 5, 2019 THERE is no doubt the final race on the card at 2.50pm is a mouth-watering clash between some of the fastest handicap sprinters in Happy Valley. The old adage of “blink and you’ll miss it” will certainly spring to mind as a dozen of these speedsters leave the stalls at a frenetic pace and complete [...]
Hong Kong Horse Racing Tips: Punters hoping for Racing Luck at Happy Valley March 5, 2019 HAPPY Valley hosts another competitive and intriguing eight-race card today. Finding winners is never easy on the tight, turning inner city track. However, today’s winners will be even trickier to find as racing takes place on the ‘A’ course. The home straight of the ‘A’ course is just over 300 metres long, and statistics over [...]
Buckle your seatbelts for the next global recession – the world is not prepared March 5, 2019 A decade on from the global financial crisis, the world economy is not in good health. Britain is paralysed by Brexit uncertainty, the Eurozone – including its seemingly invincible German powerhouse – is stuttering, and China is experiencing its slowest economic growth since 1990. Read more: Eurozone economic confidence falls to fresh two-year low Even [...]