Money in your pocket? Here’s where the main parties stand on income tax April 19, 2015 The contents of voters’ pockets has always been a key motivating factor when it comes to deciding which party to place a cross next to. Few things encapsulate this kind of consumer politics more than the rate of income tax. The coalition has made great play of taking the lowest paid out of income tax [...]
Mike Ashley funds purchase of Chelsea development worth £900m April 19, 2015 Mike Ashley has financed a deal for a lucrative development in Chelsea that could be worth around £900m according to reports. The Newcastle United owner and Sports Direct founder is said to have provided the £200m paid by Citygrove and McLaren Properties for a development site from John Lewis. According to The Sunday Times, the money [...]
ECB President Mario Draghi warns Greek bailout deal is “urgent” April 19, 2015 European Central Bank (ECB) president Mario Draghi has warned the negotiations around Greece's €240bn (£181bn) bailout program are "urgent" and a default by the cash-strapped country would push the region into "uncharted territory". "Much more work is needed now, and it's urgent," he said at the International Monetary Fund – World Bank spring meeting in Washington. [...]
Standard & Poor’s upgrades Nokia and puts Alcatel-Lucent on positive watch April 17, 2015 Was selling off its mobile manufacturing arm the best decision Nokia's management ever made? Following a generally positive reaction to its proposal to buy Alcatel-Lucent earlier this week, it's only gone and been upgraded by credit ratings agency Standard & Poor's… In a statement today S&P said it was upgrading the Finnish former mobile manufacturer [...]
UK house prices hit new high, but growth slows to its lowest for 16 months as London feels the effects of stamp duty changes and mansion tax fears April 17, 2015 UK house price growth is at its slowest since 2013, despite the cost of buying a house hitting record highs. The capital was particularly affected, as changes in stamp duty and fears of a mansion tax hit sales. The figures According to figures from LSL property Services, March 2015 had the smallest annual rise in [...]
Quindell share price edges up as investors vote in favour of Slater & Gordon deal April 17, 2015 Quindell shareholders have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a deal to sell its professional services arm to Australian law firm Slater & Gordon, with 99.1 per cent in favour of the deal. Shares in the company rose 1.3 per cent to 133p after the vote, which took place at an extraordinary general meeting held in [...]
UK employment rate hit record high of 73.4 per cent in February April 17, 2015 Britain's employment rate has risen to its highest level since comparable records began around 44 years ago, which could provide a boost to the Tories and Lib Dems as they gear up for the General Election. The final jobs and earnings before the election, released today by the Office for National Statistics, showed the number of people [...]
Serco share price dips as investors back rights issue April 17, 2015 Some good news for Serco: the troubled outsourcer said this morning its shareholders had largely supported a rights issue, with acceptances for 520m of 549m (that's 95 per cent) of new ordinary shares offered. The one-for-one rights issue, priced at 101p per new ordinary share, closed on Thursday. This morning, shares dipped 0.2 per cent to [...]
Greek debt deadline: Finance minister Yanis Varoufakis hits back at creditors April 16, 2015 Greece’s defiant finance minister lashed out at the country’s lenders last night, insisting that he will not back down during crunch talks despite impending debt deadlines. Yanis Varoufakis was speaking after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) all but ruled out the prospect of Greece being allowed to delay its repayments to the bailout provider. “Payment [...]
Adultery site Ashley Madison faces tough test wooing London bankers for its flotation plans April 16, 2015 It may boast sales of £77m, 36m members globally and a 45 per cent annual growth rate, but cheating spouses website Ashley Madison faces a tougher test to float in London than it expects. The saucy Toronto-based group, which allows married people to link up online for affairs, is weighing plans to raise $200m, but [...]