UK regions lift European real estate prices April 7, 2015 European commercial property prices grew by a record 7.8 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year, fuelled by the ongoing recovery in the UK’s regional property markets. Figures out yesterday by property adviser DTZ show that prices rose by 20 per cent for the year overall thanks to a record last quarter, when [...]
Half of British men do nothing for charity, says new report April 7, 2015 Almost half of British men do not contribute anything to help charitable causes, according to new research from the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF). 48 per cent of men don't engage in volunteering, donating or sponsoring in a typical month. The figure differs radically for women, with 63 per cent engaging in some sort of charitable [...]
Savills chief executive Jeremy Helsby takes home £2.2m after record year April 7, 2015 The property market may be something of a minefield to navigate currently, with supply pressures and low interest rates on the one hand and the mortgage market review and the threat of new taxes on the other. But there are no jitters at upmarket estate agent Savills, which awarded its executive directors a healthy jump [...]
Afren share price jumps on confirmation Alan Linn will become new chief executive April 7, 2015 Embattled oil firm Afren has confirmed speculation that Alan Linn is the anointed one, saying he will become chief executive and concluding a six-month search. Shares in the Aim-listed company shot up seven per cent as investors were buoyed by the news, which signals a return to less choppy waters. Afren said Linn, formerly the [...]
UK services sector activity surges as PMI jumps in March April 7, 2015 Activity in the UK's services sector surged in March, new data suggests: Markit's purchasing managers' index (PMI) rose to 58.9 in March, its highest in seven months. Not only was the figure a sharp rise on the previous month's reading of 56.7, it was also way above the 57 analysts were expecting. Any figure above 50 [...]
Ryanair share price rises as passengers soar more than a quarter in March April 7, 2015 Confirmation Ryanair's attempts to show its softer side are working? Passenger numbers at the airline rose 28 per cent in March, figures published this morning showed. Ryanair said it carried 6.7m passengers during the month, up from 5.2m in March last year. Its load factor – how full its planes were, on average – rose [...]
Fedex to buy TNT Europe in €4.4bn deal April 7, 2015 FedEx is making a major acquisition to expand its business in Europe with a billion-euro bid for TNT Europe. The US delivery firm has made an all-cash offer of €8.00 per share for the Dutch delivery group, valuing TNT at €4.4bn (£3.2bn). The offer represents a 33 per cent premium on its previous closing price. A major shareholder, PostNL [...]
Samsung profit decline to moderate in first quarter ahead of Galaxy S6 launch April 7, 2015 The figures Operating profit at the Korean electronics firm is expected to be 5.9tn won (£4bn) for the quarter to the end of March – down 31 per cent on the same quarter last year, but a more moderate decline than expected. It remains the sixth consecutive quarterly decline for the firm. But sales for [...]
Flash Boy firm Virtu set to launch new flotation bid to raise $314m April 7, 2015 Virtu, which delayed its initial public offering (IPO) amid a furore over high-frequency traders, renewed the fundraising effort with a plan to raise as much as $314m (£211m). The company will offer about 16.5m shares at $17 to $19 apiece, according to a regulatory filing yesterday. At the high end of the range, Virtu would [...]
Stamp duty and mansion taxes: Which taxes apply to you? April 7, 2015 Money is tight in Whitehall. Both Labour and the Conservatives are promising to cut the deficit to varying degrees if they win the General Election. And Westminster is surrounded by some of the most valuable real estate in the world. House prices in London have boomed since 2013, so an obvious solution presents [...]