EU referendum: British households save £200 per year thanks to EU free trade agreements – new London School of Economics (LSE) study March 31, 2016 British households save £200 per year thanks to European Union free trade agreements, according to a new report out today from the London School of Economics. The study from the LSE’s Centre for Economic Performance says British families will benefit from more savings from planned EU trade agreements with the US and Japan, worth an [...]
Think tank slams government policy to avoid future blackouts March 31, 2016 A leading think tank has slammed the government’s policy to avoid future blackouts as “not fit for purpose”, in a report released today. The IPPR said despite awarding £2.8bn in subsidies to power companies, the government’s “capacity market” scheme is failing to meet its own objectives. It comes amid rising concern Britain isn't building enough new [...]
Nanny state? Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) says taxes on wine, beer, cigarettes and sugar make Britain among the most meddling countries in the EU March 31, 2016 Excessive regulation and so-called "sin taxes" make Britain among the most meddling countries in the European Union, according to a new report out today from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA). The free market think tank published its annual "Nanny State Index" league table with the European Policy Information Centre, putting Britain in the number [...]
Brexit uncertainty could be weighing on consumer optimism March 31, 2016 Consumers have become more concerned over the UK’s economic outlook, according to new survey data released this morning. The confidence index produced by market researchers GFK remained at a score of zero in March. It is equal to February’s score of zero which was the lowest since 2014. Yet the index remains high by historical [...]
As the fate of Tata Steel’s UK operations hangs in the balance, is the writing on the wall for the British steel industry? March 30, 2016 The fate of Port Talbot steelworks and thousands of jobs lies in the hands of the government today with investors showing little appetite for buying the UK operations of Tata Steel outright. Prime Minister David Cameron will chair an emergency meeting of key ministers as Number 10 pledges to “ensure a sustainable future” for the troubled [...]
Allianz looking to sell its €4.5bn Italian life insurance portfolio due to interest rate pressures March 30, 2016 Insurance major Allianz is looking to sell its €4.5bn (£3.5bn) asset portfolio for life insurance in Italy. The German insurance firm, which is Italy's fourth biggest health and life insurer, has chosen Goldman Sachs to assist with the closure of various life policies, according to reports. Pressures from low interest rates have prompted the company to sell life [...]
Baketime biscuits and crackers retailing in Aldi recalled by Food Standards Agency in pest contamination scare March 30, 2016 NULL
Baketime biscuits and crackers retailing in Aldi recalled by Food Standards Agency in pest contamination scare March 30, 2016 The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has urged customers not to eat a number of biscuit and cracker products sold at the discount supermarket chain Aldi as they have been manufactured in "unhygienic conditions". The 16 affected products, made in a factory on Teeside by a company called Baketime, have been recalled in a notice on the [...]
Cabbies group abandons bid to have rival Uber’s licence revoked in London March 30, 2016 Action for Cabbies, a London taxi drivers group, has abandoned its attempt to mount a legal challenge to Uber's licence to operate in the capital. The group launched a crowdfunding campaign earlier this year with the aim of raising £600,000 to fund the first phase of a judicial review (JR), arguing that in 2012 TfL was wrong [...]
MetLife’s share price jumps as its found to be too small to count as too big to fail March 30, 2016 Shares in US insurance giant MetLife surged today after a judge overturned the government's decision that the company is a systemically important financial institution (SIFI). The ruling to brand MetLife as an SIFI, originally brought in by the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC), meant it was subjected to increased regulatory oversight and higher capital requirements. Shares climbed by five per cent [...]