The best and worst office views in the world September 17, 2015 If you've ever sat at your desk, staring out towards the neighbouring office building glimpsing just a tiny square of sky, console yourself with the fact that it's definitely a better spot than at least one other person in the world (possibly several). The view from this Aldershot office takes some beating for the sheer [...]
This kind of lie can boost profits in a negotiation September 17, 2015 Most of us shy away from telling outright lies in the workplace, however we might feel less conflicted about using actual facts to mislead an opponent. And a study suggests that telling these little white lies could result in huge potential returns. It all depends how you go about it. Researchers at Harvard’s Kennedy School say [...]
Morgan Stanley: Is Thomas Piketty history? We think so September 17, 2015 Thomas Piketty's brand of anti-austerity economics is "history", according to an analysts' note from Morgan Stanley. The French economist's best-selling book Capital in the Twenty-First Century has influenced anti-austerity movements such as Jeremy Corbyn's Labour leadership campaign and has propelled him to worldwide recognition. The book's central thesis argues that returns on capital accumulate more quickly [...]
Coffee isn’t just a stimulant – it actually slows down your body clock and stops you releasing the sleep hormone September 17, 2015 Many of us are reliant on coffee for a much-needed boost first thing in the morning, but it if you drink it once the afternoon is over, you can say bye-bye to an early night. According to new research published in the journal Science Translation Medicine, the drink is more than just a stimulant [...]
Apple iOS 9 software update for iPhone and iPad: When to download, what features you’ll get – better battery life, smarter Siri and split screen September 17, 2015 If you have an Apple device (and let's be honest, who hasn't), then get ready for your iPhone or iPad to look different and do some exciting new things by the end of the day. The iOS 9 update lands today, and you'll be able to install it from 6pm in the UK, assuming everything [...]
Scottish independence: Low oil prices would have been of benefit to an independent Scotland September 17, 2015 On 18 September 2014 Scottish voters threw away the opportunity to take control of their own destiny by rejecting the idea of breaking away from the overpowering influence of Westminster. The reasons for the "no" vote are many and varied. But fear was high on the list of factors as many pensioners were consistently reminded [...]
Most expensive cities in the world: Londoners work longer than people in New York, Los Angeles, Luxembourg and Geneva to buy an iPhone 6 (and a Big Mac) September 17, 2015 We all know that London life can be expensive, not least when you factor in the cost of housing, but it turns out we have to slog it out at work to afford that most prevalent possession: our iPhones. Londoners have to work an average of 41.2 hours to be able to buy an iPhone [...]
Happy first birthday: Contactless cards have been on the Tube for a year September 17, 2015 They may account for 20 per cent of all pay-as-you-go journeys now, but contactless payments on the Tube were introduced just one year ago today. Over 180 million journeys have been made with contactless cards, more than 625,000 a day. A whopping one in seven of all contactless card payments in the UK are made [...]
Scottish independence: A yes vote would have plunged Scotland into a deep depression September 17, 2015 The first anniversary of the Scottish referendum on independence seems a useful point at which to take stock of the economic issues that would be facing an independent Scotland if it had voted ‘Yes’ in the referendum. There were two key strands to the Scottish National Party’s economic strategy which indicate that a Yes vote [...]
Just Retirement boss Rodney Cook hails “resilient” performance in post-pension freedom market September 17, 2015 Insurer Just Retirement showed the effects of George Osborne's pension reforms yesterday, with total retirement sales down 9.9 per cent in the year to 30 June. Sales of retirement products dropped to £1.15bn from £1.27bn in what the company described as “a largely pre-Budget comparative period”. However, shares in the firm were up by 1.69 [...]