Saga picks KPMG as its new auditor, replacing EY after a 10-year relationship January 17, 2017 Saga has ditched Ernst & Young (EY) as auditors in favour of KPMG, the company announced this morning. EY has been the FTSE 250 firm's group auditor since September 2014, having previously been appointed auditor across the Saga's principal trading subsidiaries in 2007. Read more: Over 50 per cent growth to Saga profits Under audit directives, listed [...]
How does the UK rank in the world’s 50 most innovative economies? January 17, 2017 The UK lags behind 16 global economies when it comes to innovation, as Scandinavian countries plough ahead in pushing boundaries. The UK has grasped on to its spot at number 17 for the second year, however, in Bloomberg's 2017 Innovation Index, which ranks 50 of the world's economies based on six factors which indicate a recipe for innovation. [...]
Hotel Chocolat’s revenue is up and chief exec Angus Thirlwell is “quietly confident” for the year ahead January 17, 2017 British chocolatier Hotel Chocolat has said it is "quietly confident" for the year ahead after posting increased revenue for the six months to 25 December. The figures Total group revenue for the period was up 16.2 per cent compared with the prior year, or 14.6 per cent on a constant currency basis. The chocolatier opened 10 new stores during [...]
London house prices edged closer to £500,000 in November January 17, 2017 The average house price in the capital edged closer to the half a million pound mark in November, rising to £482,000 for the first time. Figures published this morning by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed house prices in the capital jumped 8.1 per cent in the year to November, rising 1.9 per cent [...]
Standard Chartered: Analysts say the bank is a wise place to invest in light of Brexit and Trump January 17, 2017 Shares in Standard Chartered leapt over six per cent this morning after market upgrades and traders saw the stock as a good hedge against the tumbling pound. Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BoAML) raised its expectations of StanChart's profit before tax by 18 per cent and raised its target price for the stock to 900p from 735p. [...]
Hunt called off for MH370: Here’s what we do know January 17, 2017 Teams from Australia, Malaysia and China working together to find an airliner which disappeared three years ago say they have called off their search. The Press Association reported today that authorities hunting for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which disappeared with 239 people on board, had taken the decision with "sadness", after they scoured more than [...]
UK inflation rises faster than expected to hit highest rate in more than two years January 17, 2017 Prices in the UK increased faster than expected in December, as the impact of a weaker pound continues to feed through on consumer shopping baskets. The consumer price index rose by an annual rate of 1.6 per cent, beating market expectations of around a 1.4 per cent increase in prices, according to the Office for [...]
Dechra Pharmaceuticals buys wisely as acquisitions boost revenues January 17, 2017 Shares in animal drugmaker Dechra jumped over six per cent in early trading morning after it revealed "significant growth" in its annual trading statement. The figures The hard data will come when the FTSE 250 firm releases its full results, but in the trading update, the firm announced group revenue had grown by 34 per cent at [...]
Davos 2017: This is what’s happening at the World Economic Forum today January 17, 2017 The 2017 World Economic Forum kicked off at Davos today, with a star line up of speakers ready to air their views on subjects ranging from the future of the digital economy to safe water. The first panel discussion on today's agenda, which began at 7.15am, was the Size Matters talk on the future of [...]
Global giant Shell helping Edinburgh innovators to harness power of air turbulence January 17, 2017 | City Talk Capture Mobility’s award-winning roadside micro-turbine can generate electricity from the turbulence of passing traffic – enough to supply an average-sized home for 24 hours. Integrated solar panels at the top of the turbine add extra energy to the system during the day and air filters inside the fins of the turbines also help to clean the [...]