THE LONDON REPORT June 25, 2009 THE FTSE 100 dropped 0.6 per cent yesterday, led by banks after a trading update from Standard Chartered failed to excite investors while commodity stocks were also under pressure. The index closed down 27.41 points at 4,252.57, after gaining 1.2 pe rcent in the previous session. Banks shaved most points off the index after Asia-focused [...]
NEW YORK REPORT June 25, 2009 US stocks rallied yesterday as investors were relieved that Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke withstood congressional questioning without problems. Retailers and home builders led stocks higher for much of the session, helped by a suprising profit increase from retailer Bed Bath & Beyond. Stocks extended gains shortly before midday as investors took Bernanke’s hearing in [...]
PA sought: grads with languages, intellect and drive may apply June 24, 2009 ANYBODY in the financial industry looking to employ a competent secretary or executive assistant would do well to avoid BBC3’s latest drama offering. Personal Affairs, about a trio of secretaries working for a London bank, proposes a world of twirling bimbos who appear to be good for little other than photocopying, gossiping and inspiring the [...]
CAREER CASE STUDY June 24, 2009 CARMEL BOURKE, SENIOR PA AT GLOBAL INSURANCE FIRMI didn’t go to secretarial school or anything, but that’s not really what it’s about now. Most people think of it as filling in calendars and taking dictation, but it’s not that anymore. It’s really about understanding the message being put across to the client, asking lots of [...]
CAREERS CLINIC June 24, 2009 LINDA JACKSONMANAGING DIRECTOR, FAIRPLACEI used to work in fund management, but quit three years ago to bring up my children. I’m looking to return to work, but have lost touch with most of my old contacts and am worried, in this job market, that I’ll have trouble getting employed. What can I do to improve [...]
THE LONDON REPORT June 24, 2009 MINERS and banks were buoyed by better US durable goods data yesterday, offsetting weaker food retailers and producers and driving the FTSE 100 up by 1.2 per cent, or 49.96 points, to close at 4,279.98. The index has gained more than 23 per cent since hitting a six-year low in March, but is still down [...]
NEW YORK REPORT June 24, 2009 THE Dow fell for the fourth day and other indexes ended well off the day’s highs yesterday after the Federal Reserve reiterated concerns about the economic outlook at the end of its policy meeting. Technology shares sustained some strength, bolstered by stronger-than-expected quarterly results from software maker Oracle. The Fed, as expected, left the benchmark [...]
All change for the law, post downturn June 23, 2009 LAW firms have been hit hard by the recession, and many have been radically slimmed down to survive plummeting demand. Increasingly, it looks that the industry will look dramatically different after this downturn. One area where there will be change will be in terms of leverage structures – the number of junior lawyers per partner. [...]
TURNING THE LAW GREEN, BIT BY BIT June 23, 2009 DESMOND HUDSONLAW SOCIETY CHIEF EXECUTIVEWE are all aware of the dangers of climate change, but the fact is that we spend much of our lives at work. If we are going to tackle the problem, businesses need to do their bit. So is it possible to save the polar bears from the comfort of your [...]
Even neutral news from the Fed will boost the greenback June 23, 2009 FEDERAL RESERVE Chairman Ben Bernanke and the rest of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) have an unenviable job today as they discuss the next steps for US monetary policy against the backdrop of improving global conditions – the decision is due at 7.15pm this evening Since the committee last met on 28-29 April, the [...]
