UK Steel crisis: Industry in showdown with European ministers as top bosses march in demonstration February 15, 2016 The European steel industry and governmental ministers are set for a showdown later today over how best to implement higher tariffs on foreign steel imports. Industry leaders are demanding that more is done to help Europe's steel sector survive, while European ministers claim removing the so-called lesser duty rule, which seeks to apply the lowest possible [...]
Debrett’s Ask the Expert: I’ve been passed over for a promotion: Should I move jobs? February 15, 2016 I’ve been in my role for several years and, while I like my job and have received good feedback, I have yet to be promoted to a manager role. What can I do to show my bosses I’m ready? Or should I just look for a new job? Being passed over for promotion can be demoralising, [...]
What are your chances of a payrise? Pay growth expectations fall to their lowest point for more than two years thanks to rocketing costs of employing staff, including minimum wage rises February 15, 2016 Businesses believe wages will rise at the lowest rate for more than two years as rising costs of employing staff place pressure on pay packets, according to a report out today. The study by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) discovered that companies expect pay for their employees to rise by an average [...]
Let the good times roll: EY Item Club forecasts strong growth for UK financial services February 15, 2016 The financial services industry can expect decent growth over the next few years, a group of forecasters have said today. Mortgage lending, business borrowing and consumer credit are all set to grow at healthy rates over the coming years, as the UK economy shrugs off recent severe stock market declines. However, the EY Item Club said [...]
London house prices: Asking prices hit record high as concerns grow over help to buy eligibilty February 15, 2016 London asking prices reached a new record high in February, property website Rightmove said this morning. Rising prices are making buying a new home difficult for many Londoners even when using the government’s help to buy scheme. Prices in Greater London climbed 5.4 per cent over the course of last month and are 10.5 per cent higher than [...]
Treasury is saddling British businesses with £29bn in extra costs from National Living Wage (NLW), apprenticeship levy and business rates – Confederation of British Industry (CBI) February 15, 2016 British businesses will be hit with a bill for almost £30bn in additional costs as a result of government policies including the National Living Wage (NLW) and the apprenticeship levy. The flagship schemes, along with the existing business rates regime, will cost British businesses around £9bn every year by 2020-21, according to new analysis out [...]
CEBR: Stock market rout is not a sign of impending downturn February 15, 2016 This year’s stock market rout is not a sign of impending doom for the world economy, an economics consultancy has said today. Global GDP should grow by 2.6 per cent this year, the same rate as in 2015, according to the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR). China is slowing, not collapsing, the CEBR [...]
China ramps up patent activity as Europe and the UK fall behind – IAM February 15, 2016 China has cemented its position as the world’s most prolific patent-filer after lodging 928,000 applications in 2014, stoking fears of Chinese patent-holders launching high profile court cases. Patent applications grew by 12 per cent in China between 2013-14 as state-backed financial incentives and higher spending on research saw firms flocking to seek legal protection for their [...]
Banks are employing staff to listen in on traders’ conversations, after jargon and banter outsmarts surveillance technology February 14, 2016 Banks are now hiring staff to listen in on traders' conversations, after banter was found to flummox sophisticated surveillance technology, according to a new report on market abuse. The report from professional services firm PwC discovered that banks plan to spend £156m on surveillance technology over the next 18 months to make sure that trading [...]
Former chief executive Winterkorn warned of Volkswagen defeat device probe, according to reports February 14, 2016 NULL