WTI and Brent crude oil price floating on calm seas after a rough week February 22, 2016 The oil price has remained stable this morning, coming off the back of a week of wild swings. International benchmark Brent crude this morning is up by around two per cent at $33.08, however US West Texas Intermediate jumped by over over four per cent to $32.84, up from under $30 at the close of [...]
Negative interest rates: A “dangerous experiment” with “insidious” effects, economists say – but they’re creeping in to economies around the world. Cash could be abolished while asset bubbles grow February 22, 2016 Negative interest rates creeping into economies around the world have “insidious” effects which is the world is yet to see – and are part of a "dangerous experiment", experts are warning. The impact includes currency weakness, raising bank costs and could even lead to the abolition of cash. The hubbub over interest rate rises in the [...]
Manufacturers’ disappointing start to 2016 continues in February February 22, 2016 Manufacturers' disappointing start to the year continued this month, according to survey figures released this morning. The Confederation of British Industry's (CBI) headline total orders balance drooped to a score of minus 17 in February from minus 15 in January. The long run average of the total orders balance is minus 15. However, the survey of 497 [...]
EU referendum: Lord Sugar backs Remain camp over Brexit February 22, 2016 Lord Sugar has come out as being in. He's known for being straight to the point, so it's no surprise that The Apprentice host summed up his stance on the EU referendum in one word. in https://t.co/rPmbXHyq0o — Lord Sugar (@Lord_Sugar) February 21, 2016 The Remain camp will be thanking its lucky stars to have a high [...]
Airbnb: Most people have given up on their dream house and dream job by the time they’re 20 February 22, 2016 Still hanging on to those dreams of being a princess/astronaut/England midfielder/Spice Girl? That puts you in the minority – after new research suggested most people have given up on their childhood dreams by the age of 20. The research, by Airbnb, showed a mere five per cent of people are doing their dream job, while 57 per [...]
EU referendum: Full text of letter signed by FTSE 100 bosses backing Prime Minister David Cameron’s reform efforts is leaked February 22, 2016 It was first reported over the weekend that up to half of Britain's biggest businesses will voice their support for Prime Minister David Cameron's campaign to keep the UK in the European Union by putting their names to an open letter backing the reforms Cameron secured in Brussels last week. Now it looks like the full text [...]
China to close more than 1,000 coal mines this year to tackle supply glut February 22, 2016 China is planning on shutting down more than 1,000 coal mines this year to counter a mammoth supply glut, the country's energy regulator said today. The Asian superpower is the world's largest consumer of commodities, including coal, but demand has decreased in recent years due to the country's well-documented slowdown in economic growth. Read more: Slowdown [...]
Eurozone economy growing at its slowest pace for over a year, according to business survey February 22, 2016 A gauge of economic growth in the Eurozone fell to a 13-month low this month. Markit's flash purchasing managers' index (PMI) – compiled from a survey of businesses – dropped to a score of 52.7 in February from 53.6 in January, according to figures released this morning. Scores above 50 indicated growth, with February's lower score implying slower growth. The [...]
“House blocking” and the property standstill: We need a housing market that addresses the whole population’s needs, not just first-time buyers February 22, 2016 There is a ‘house-blocking’ issue in the UK that must be addressed if we are to free up vital space, ease resources and stop the property market grinding to a complete standstill. The latest English housing survey revealed that, during the past 10 years, the number of owner-occupiers aged over 65 who own their home [...]
Forget early birds and night owls: Study shows there are four kinds of sleeping pattern February 22, 2016 NULL