UK set to be the second-fastest growing economy in the G7 March 18, 2015 The UK economy will be the second fastest growing in the G7 group of nations, an international economic group said yesterday. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is predicting growth of 2.6 per cent this year. While the US is predicted to grow 3.1 per cent and the UK’s forecast marking a downgrade [...]
RBS scraps Amsterdam listing in latest sign of global withdrawal March 18, 2015 RBS abandoned its listing on Euronext Amsterdam yesterday, as so few traders buy and sell stocks on the exchange. The Dutch listing is a legacy of RBS’ ill-fated acquisition of ABN Amro in 2007, which contributed to the bank’s collapse and subsequent bailout the following year. But since then RBS has slashed its overseas and [...]
Henderson Group fund managers get bumper bonus March 18, 2015 Staff at investment firm Henderson Group saw their bonus pool increase to £144m after seeing a 22 per cent rise in management fees during 2014. Henderson said the increase in the bonus pool was a reward for strong net flows, investment performance and business performance and marks an 11 per cent rise on last year. [...]
Imagination Technologies share price slumps on 2015 forecast March 18, 2015 Shares in multimedia tech firm Imagination Technologies tumbled yesterday after it lowered expectations for revenue growth for 2015, it emerged yesterday. Imagination technologies, founded in 1985, listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1994 and is a key provider of graphics technology to Apple. The company said it expected revenue to be broadly flat [...]
Budget 2015: Banks bear brunt of pre-election tax increases March 18, 2015 Britain’s banks were targeted yet again for a tax raid yesterday, as the chancellor hit them with the biggest tax hike of any sector. George Osborne increased the bank levy for the ninth time since it was introduced in 2011, in a move which will raise an extra £4.4bn in five years. The tax, which [...]
Budget 2015: Britain’s savers rewarded with new tax breaks March 18, 2015 Savers are to be rewarded with a new personal savers allowance, which the Treasury said would take 95 per cent of taxpayers out of savings tax altogether. In a nod to the difficulties imposed on savers by unimpressive interest rates, the chancellor has introduced an allowance of £1,000 of interest earned on savings. Those whose [...]
Budget 2015: Boozers set for a boost with cuts to beer, cider and Scotch duties March 18, 2015 Britain’s publicans raised a toast after further cuts to alcohol duties were announced in the 2015 Budget. With 1p off a pint and two per cent off cider duty, it marks the third year in a row duties have been cut. However, Britain’s budding wine growers will be disappointed as their duty was frozen. Ernst [...]
Budget 2015: Reactions to the chancellor’s statement March 18, 2015 THE BUSINESS GROUP Confederation of British Industry director generalJohn Cridland The Budget provides a clear plan for fiscal health and growth and will help businesses create jobs. “Stability and consistency are what businesses need to grow and prosper. This Budget sets the tone, providing a clear plan for fiscal health and growth. [...]
Budget 2015: George Osborne has discovered his mojo March 18, 2015 George Osborne has long been considered a cunning political strategist – in some circles, at least. Personally, for a long time, I found that argument difficult to accept. His first few Budgets hardly showed signs of high-level Westminster acumen. The debut of 2010 was inevitably tough, confirming an unpopular hike in VAT. The next prompted [...]
Budget 2015: Take-home pay set to increase for UK workers March 18, 2015 Britain's workers will take home more of their income from April onwards, when the personal allowance goes up to £10,600. The amount that can be earned before tax is applied will increase again, to £10,800, in 2016, and then go up to £11,000 in 2017. For those paying the higher rate of tax, at [...]