Millennial workers place value on office culture and the social side of work March 29, 2016 Kids these days may face criticism for spending too much time chatting, texting or checking social media but that's something that employers also need to take note of. Research released today by specialist recruiter Robert Walters found that nearly four out of five (79 per cent) millennials – referring to those born between 1980 and 1999 – [...]
EU referendum: Bank of England warns In/Out vote is the most significant short-term risk to the UK economy March 29, 2016 The referendum on Britain’s European Union membership poses the most significant short-term risk to the UK economy, the Bank of England has warned. In a statement today, the Bank’s Financial Policy Committee (FPC) said the outlook for Britain’s financial stability has “deteriorated” since the end of last year, with existing risks “supplemented” by uncertainty in [...]
Lending to Eurozone households climbs at fastest rate since 2011 as money supply growth remains robust March 29, 2016 Lending to Eurozone households and businesses gained momentum in February, according to figures published by the European Central Bank this morning. The money supply also continued to grow at a robust rate, an indication stronger demand is on the way. Household borrowing from banks climbed by 1.6 per cent in February compared with the same month [...]
Pet insurance claims hit record numbers, according to figures from the Association of British Insurers, with just short of one million claims being made in 2015 March 29, 2016 Pet insurance claims hit a record high in 2015, according to figures released today by the Association of British Insurers (ABI). The number of insurance claims made reached 911,000, up nine per cent compared with 2014, while their value clocked in at £657m, which is the equivalent of £1.8m a day. The average pet insurance premium came in [...]
Landlords braced for tough new lending restrictions, as Bank of England concludes investigation into buy-to-let mortgages March 29, 2016 The Bank of England could today respond to concerns about a frothy housing market by announcing new lending restrictions on landlords and those taking out buy-to-let mortgages. This morning the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), the Bank’s supervisory arm, will publish the results of a four-month long investigation into underwriting standards – the terms and conditions lenders [...]
How does London sound? The urban soundscape of the capital, mapped in one stunning visualisation March 29, 2016 It's the sights and sounds around us which make the city feel like the city – the beeps of the Tube door trains or the chatter of tourists – but while a traditional map can guide us around the must-see landmarks and landscapes, what about those sounds? This question has led researchers to chart and map in intense detail the sounds of the city, creating an urban [...]
Why the US West Texas Intermediate oil price could clock its best month in around a year March 29, 2016 Despite today's losses, US oil is heading for its biggest monthly gain in nearly a year. West Texas Intermediate crude, the US benchmark, is currently down 1.1 per cent at $38.96 per barrel. Nevertheless, it's gained around 13 per cent so far this month, putting it on course for its largest jump since April last year. [...]
London house prices: Qataris now own £1bn chunk of Mayfair property – and their favourite addresses are Park Lane, Green Street and Mount Street March 29, 2016 Members of the Qatari royal family, other Qatari nationals and wealth funds now own a £1bn chunk of Mayfair real estate, a new report estimates. Almost a quarter of Mayfair’s 279 acres and over 4,300 residential properties is now dominated by Qataris, prompting estate agent Rokstone to dub the area between Park Lane, Hyde Park and North Row "Qatari [...]
Samsung Pay launches in China following Apple Pay but faces Alibaba’s AliPay, Tencent’s WeChat Pay and other homegrown rivals March 29, 2016 Samsung will let its smartphone users in China pay with just a swipe of their mobile as it launches Samsung Pay in the country in a partnership with China UnionPay. Samsung follows Apple, which launched in China in February – also with UnionPay – and counted 3m cards set up with Apple Pay within the first two days. Samsung Pay will [...]
Why those with a head for compliance and regulation are in hot demand, as skills shortages cause salaries to rise March 29, 2016 Believe it or not, the red tape brigade look set to become the rock stars of the City as a study out today has found that demand for highly-skilled compliance professionals is outpacing supply. The report by specialist recruiter Barclay Simpson discovered that three-quarters (75 per cent) of managers believe that workers skilled in compliance are [...]