Europe remains the main trade partner for UK small businesses despite recent Chinese trade visit November 4, 2015 The UK’s small businesses remain dependent on Europe as their main trading partner, despite the much-vaunted Chinese visit to boost trade relations. UK SMEs do 22-times as much trade with their European neighbours than with China, according to data from money transfer firm World First. In October, UK companies bought £198m-worth of euros, up 59 [...]
Candy Crush creator King Digital Entertainment sees revenue fall seven per cent in third quarter November 4, 2015 Revenue for King Digital Entertainment has taken a knock for its third quarter results, revealed today, dropping seven per cent to $480m (£312m), compared to $514m for the same period in 2014. The mobile phone games developer highlighted falling sales in its popular Candy Crush franchise as one of the reasons behind the drop in [...]
Investors hold back after Fed hint on rates – New York Report November 4, 2015 Investor caution after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen yesterday pointed to a possible rate hike in December weighed on Wall Street, retracing recent gains along with energy shares. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 50.57 points, or 0.28 per cent, to 17,867.58, the S&P 500 lost 7.48 points, or 0.35 per cent, to 2,102.31 and [...]
21st Century Fox’s first quarter revenues are a fantastic flop, slipping 6 per cent and sending share prices falling November 4, 2015 21st Century Fox saw its revenue drop to $6.1bn for its first quarter of 2016, falling six per cent from $6.5bn for the same period in the prior year. The media giant, known for films like The Fantastic Four, blamed lower cinema ticket takings as part of the reason behind the results. Revenue for its film [...]
Women and Equalities Committee examining impact of UK gender pay gap proposals on over 40s in new inquiry November 4, 2015 An inquiry into reducing the gender pay gap, which focuses on women over 40, was launched by the Women and Equalities Committee yesterday. “The gender pay gap is mainly a problem for women over 40, and currently hits women in their 50s even harder,” said Committee chair Maria Miller. “However, the measures already announced by the [...]
M&G Investments completes £247m refinancing for 33 Lightsource solar parks November 4, 2015 M&G Investments, Prudential's European asset-management arm, has completed a £247m refinancing for 33 solar parks. The deal with European solar energy company Lightsource is a 22-year, inflation-linked senior financing (which has repayment priority over other lenders) and brings M&G’s debt investment in the sector to over £385m in the past 12 months. Lightsource has raised [...]
OneSavings Bank results: challenger bank reports a rise in its loan book November 4, 2015 Challenger OneSavings Bank reported a rise in its loan book for the first three quarters today, saying it continued to expect full-year growth to be a “few percentage points ahead” of the 29 per cent growth delivered last year. The specialist lending and retail savings bank first listed on the London Stock Exchange last year. The [...]
This chart shows panic over housing in the UK is rising to levels last seen in the 1970s November 4, 2015 People are freaking out about housing in the UK – and the panic hasn't been this bad since the 1970s. According to the latest Ipsos Mori Issues Index for October, 20 per cent of people see housing as the most important issue facing Britain today. The only time Brits have seen housing as even more of an [...]
Andrew Tyrie criticises CMA retail banking review November 4, 2015 The chairman of an influential parliamentary committee has sharply criticised the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over its retail banking probe, accusing the competition watchdog of "downplay[ing] the problems created by free-in-credit banking". “The public have concluded that they have been ripped off by banks for years, and there is a good deal of evidence [...]
At the close: Mining companies Glencore, Anglo American and BHP Billiton take FTSE 100 higher November 4, 2015 The FTSE 100 ended Wednesday's session slightly higher, led by gains in mining companies. The UK's top blue chip index ended the day 0.46 per cent up at 6,412 points. The day's biggest riser was Glencore, the embattled mining giant, which has been struggling to reassure investors worried about the size of its debt pile. It today announced a [...]