UK house prices: Mortgage lending has strongest start to the year since 2008 February 18, 2016 Mortgage lending had its strongest start to the year for eight years, according to figures released this morning. Gross mortgage lending hit £17.9bn in January, 21 per cent higher than the same month last year, the Council of Mortgage Lenders said. It is the largest amount of mortgage lending conducted in January since 2008 when £25.2bn [...]
EU referendum: Frexit? France-EU relationship could be set for change if Le Pen’s National Front wins presidential election February 18, 2016 French National Front (FN) leader Marine Le Pen is revelling in the EU drama that has been unfolding over recent months, hoping a potential Brexit vote could lead to growing euroscepticism in France. Currently garnering support, Le Pen is planning a push for the French presidency next year, and if she wins she hopes to renegotiate France's membership terms [...]
You are what you eat: How our eating habits have changed since the 1970s (and what to expect by 2050) February 18, 2016 If we are what we eat, the UK has changed from being a nation of canned mik puddings and canned peas to one of frozen pizzas and pasta. A major new study of 150,000 households in the UK has found just how much our eating habits have changed since the 1970s – and it's fair [...]
UK weather: January 2016 was the hottest January ever recorded, scientists say February 18, 2016 If it felt like January was freakishly warm, you're not wrong. Scientists have crunched the numbers to determine that last month was indeed a scorcher (relatively speaking). Temperatures across the globe were 1.13 degrees Celsius above average, making it the hottest since records began 137 years ago. The last time the record was broken was 2007 and [...]
Which? survey shows Arriva, Thameslink, Great Northern, First Great Western and Southern are among the UK’s most delayed train services February 18, 2016 If you're reading this while swaying on one of the capital's much-maligned commuter train services, take heed: new research has found commuters suffer the UK's worst train services – and Londoners are among the worst hit. The research, by Which?, found a third of commuters experienced delays on their last journey – with Arriva Trains Wales, [...]
Apple iPhone sales fell for the first time in history, Gartner figures reveal February 18, 2016 Sales of Apple's iconic iPhones have fallen for the first time in history, analysts say. Global sales of the device declined 4.4 per cent at the end of last year, with 71.5m handsets sold in the last quarter of 2015. Apple sparked fears that the world has reached "peak Apple" in January when it revealed sales had fallen to [...]
EU referendum: Tim Montgomerie, co-founder of ConservativeHome, quits Conservative party over Prime Minister’s stance on the European Union February 18, 2016 Tim Montgomerie, co-founder of grassroots ConservativeHome website, has announced he is quitting the Conservative party over Prime Minister David Cameron's position on the European Union. The influential Tory wrote in the Times that he would not be joining another party, but wouldn't be giving any more time, money or love to the "Cameron project". He wrote [...]
Oil price rises again as Brent crude climbs – but Tullow Oil share price is hit February 18, 2016 Oil prices climbed again in early trading today, after Iran "welcomed" (but made no commitments to) a deal between Russia and Saudi Arabia to keep a lid on production. Brent crude climbed to $34.44 per barrel today, while WTI crude, the US benchmark, rose to $31.14. That puts Brent crude just shy of 25 per [...]
EU referendum vote odds: 73 per cent of bets since David Cameron’s Brussels trip back Brexit as people also bet on the referendum being held before the end of June February 18, 2016 Prime Minister David Cameron might be forgiven for feeling like the world is against him at the moment. He's simultaneously trying to win the backing of European leaders and Conservative MPs on his draft EU proposals, not forgetting the public who are due to cast their votes later this year. And the public don't seem [...]
EU referendum: Fund manager Neil Woodford says economic arguments on staying in and leaving Europe are “bogus” ahead of EU Council summit February 18, 2016 Star fund manager Neil Woodford has thrown his two cents into the EU referendum debate, saying economic arguments about whether the UK should remain in the 28-member bloc are "bogus". Woodford said economic arguments making the case for or against staying in the EU ahead of the referendum lack credibility. "I think it's really hard to [...]