Why the future of fintech (and financial services) is collaborative September 22, 2015 The UK is fast becoming one of the world’s leading fintech centres. So it was fitting that, last week, investors, consultants, multinationals, startups and entrepreneurs gathered in London’s East End for FinTech Week 2015: an event where attendees could share ideas, network and, most importantly, do business together. The expo focused on how to [...]
IMF’s Christine Lagarde says downside risks to global growth increased September 22, 2015 International Monetary Fund (IMF) boss Christine Lagarde today warned that the downside risks to the global economy have increased. "The downside risks are greater than they were," Lagarde said at a Brookings Institution event on global economic growth. She cited the commodity price rout, monetary policy realignment, as well as China. Fresh concerns over the [...]
MPs should be banned from all paid advisory work, claims Transparency International UK September 22, 2015 MPs should be banned from doing all paid advisory and consultancy work relating to parliamentary business, according to Transparency International UK, which claims current rules are "not fit for purpose". The anti-corruption group said there was a “significant risk of conflicts of interest” in the current status quo, estimating that £3.4m was paid to 73 [...]
UK cider producers fizz upwards to hit record high as sales near £1bn September 22, 2015 The UK cider industry is enjoying the sweet taste of success, as producers have climbed by 50 per cent in the past five years. Medium and large-scale producers numbered 150 across the country last year, up from 97 in 2010, figures from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) show, which also show there are also some [...]
Workplace bullying and harassment rife as one in two UK women experience sexual harassment in the office September 22, 2015 “In many respects, women are people too.” “Bisexuals are just greedy.” What’s the most offensive comment you’ve overheard at your office? Solicitor firm Thomas Mansfield asked this question in a survey and responses came pouring in. An image campaign of some of the worst responses illustrates that workplace bullying is a big problem. According to [...]
Apple rickrolls us all through the Apple Watch… again September 22, 2015 If you thought the folk at Apple were a serious po-faced bunch, think again – they're rickrolling everyone… and not for the first time. Rickrolling, if you're not familiar, is an internet phenomenon whereby people share a link to something – an article, video, picture, for example – but it turns out, in fact, to [...]
Velocity buys Cover: UK dining app startup buys US restaurant payment firm and lands $4m from Saxo’s Lars Christensen and others September 22, 2015 Velocity, an app which lets you pay in restaurants without requesting a bill, has raised a further $4m (£2.6m) from investors, following hot on the heels from a $12m round of funding less than three months ago. The London-based startup has also acquired US company Cover, a restaurant mobile payments app for an undisclosed sum, more than [...]
Volkswagen share price plummets for second day in a row as car giant sets aside €6.5bn to deal with emissions claims September 22, 2015 Volkswagen's share price plunged mid-morning after revealing it will set aside €6.5bn (£4.2bn) to deal with the escalating emissions-cheating scandal as it admitted at least 11m vehicles could be affected. The car giant said the write-down was needed to cover "the necessary service measures and other efforts to win back the trust of our [...]
TfL rubbishes claims that Night Tube will help only rich Londoners September 22, 2015 Transport for London has rubbished claims that the Night Tube would benefit only the richest of Londoners, insisting it will support thousands of jobs across the capital. A study published today claims that the service, which was due to launch on 12 September, was tilted in favour of people with higher-than-average house prices. [...]
Cyber attacks cost global business over £200bn a year – with finance industry hit worst September 22, 2015 Cybercrime is hitting businesses hard, with attacks costing billions every year, and the finance sector is worst exposed as one in four businesses were victims of attacks in the past year. Some 15 per cent of businesses have faced a cyber attack in the past year, with the EU region hit worst, global survey Grant [...]