Evolve or die: The high street is not dead but it must shape up fast to lure shoppers September 20, 2016 Reports on the impending death of the high street may be greatly exaggerated. According to the new Omnico Retail Gap barometer, browsing and paying in-store is still the nation's favourite way to shop, with 43 per cent of consumers choosing this method. This was followed by 17 per cent of people who said they liked [...]
City Moves for 20 September 2016 | Who’s switching jobs September 20, 2016 Newcore Capital Management Newcore Capital Management, the alternative real estate investment manager, has made two appointments to support its growth strategy. Neil Sarkhel has joined as an associate and Iain Cobban has joined as an assistant investment manager. Neil will be responsible for underwriting potential acquisitions and disposals, while leading on a number of business [...]
Things move slowly in the WTO – there’s a significant leadership opportunity for the UK September 20, 2016 Step changes typically pass unnoticed until after the event that triggered them has passed. The step change anticipated if Leave succeeded was a huge loss on the markets. That did not occur. But there is an unanticipated step change. An opportunity has emerged for the UK to lead action in reconstructing the World Trade Organisation [...]
Steepening the curve: The Bank of Japan may modify its bond buying scheme to ease pressure on commercial banks, insurers and pension funds September 20, 2016 In a defiant speech earlier this month, Bank of Japan (BoJ) governor Haruhiko Kuroda insisted that there is plenty of ammo left in his monetary policy clip. With a comprehensive review of the effects of monetary policy on prices and the economy promised at tomorrow’s BoJ meeting, speculation is rife about what surprises could be in [...]
As Neil Woodford criticises its attitude to funding startups, is the UK capable of producing the first trillion-dollar company? September 20, 2016 Luke Hakes, investment director at Octopus Ventures, says Yes. You have to believe the UK is capable of building the world’s first trillion-dollar company. Historically, the UK ecosystem lacked the weight of capital required to take startups to the next level, especially when compared to Silicon Valley. But that’s been changing and the UK has made [...]
Opec is like a latter-day Ratpack act: It doesn’t need new material to move the market September 20, 2016 How many stories are there in town at the moment? What are the current obsessions for traders who, now that September is here, are routinely swinging the equity market over one per cent on a daily basis? To my mind, after a seemingly endless succession of sessions in July and August without a one per cent [...]
Sir Win Bischoff: Trustworthy information isn’t enough – trustworthy behaviour in a company is equally as important September 20, 2016 What can business do to rebuild public trust? There may be no silver bullet, but there is no doubt that corporate behaviours need to be closely aligned with long-term value creation for all stakeholders. With the government and others taking a close interest in issues that portray business as out of touch, firms face a [...]
Uber’s “heartless” New York price surge actually shows the vital importance of market forces September 20, 2016 "How could they be so heartless?” declared a newspaper on Facebook. “Shame on you” screamed the paper’s headline. No, this was not about the despicable bomb attack in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighbourhood on Saturday. It was rather a public shaming for the ride-sharing app Uber after customers complained of increased prices following the explosion. With a [...]
Small housebuilders are struggling to find appropriate land to build on September 20, 2016 The biggest challenge for small and medium housebuilders in the UK is the lack of suitable land to build on, a survey has found. The report from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has revealed two thirds of medium sized developers can't find land to develop, making it impossible to build enough homes to meet [...]
London in line for new Internet of Things hubs September 20, 2016 The so-called Internet of Things (IoT) scene in London is set to get a boost from the government. The Innovate UK-funded Digital Catapult – set up to help small businesses grow their digital capabilities – is rolling out 50 IoT hubs around the capital, called the Digital Catapult Things Connected programme. Businesses will be able [...]