Exit the dragon: Moonpig founder Nick Jenkins rubbish tips, accurately exercising dogs and how to make a difference February 1, 2017 "My mental maths has certainly got loads better. They take your phone away so we have to do all the calculations in our heads, on the spot," says Nick Jenkins, the Dragons’ Den dragon, founder of Moonpig and businessman whose personal wealth stands at around £150m. Jenkins, who is leaving the BBC show at the end of [...]
After Donald Trump sacked the acting attorney general, are America’s checks and balances under threat? February 1, 2017 Dr Brian Klaas, fellow in comparative politics at the London School of Economics, says Yes. Students of American democracy around the world learn that the brilliance of the system lies in three magic words: checks and balances. The problem is that the checks and balances themselves are not magic. America’s democratic institutions are only as [...]
Shop prices drop at the beginning of January as retailers clear Christmas stock February 1, 2017 Shop prices fell at the beginning of January as retailers cut prices to clear leftover Christmas stock. Overall, shop prices fell by 1.7 per cent year-on-year between 3 January and 9 January, according to figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Nielsen. Price cuts were particularly dramatic in clothing and footwear, with prices falling [...]
The Department for Transport pledges to improve accessibility on trains for disabled people February 1, 2017 The Department for Transport (DfT) has committed to improving disabled access to toilets on trains and stages. Clearer information will be made about the availability of accessible toilets in advance of journeys and the DfT will work with train companies to assess how staff training can be improved. It added that where facilities are out [...]
UK consumers are set for a big hit as inflation spikes this year February 1, 2017 Inflation is set to spike this year with the hit to consumer spending denting UK growth, according to an influential group of economists. Annual growth in the consumer price index will average 3.3 per cent in 2017, according to the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (Niesr), before slowing to 2.9 per cent next [...]
Star manager Neil Woodford set to launch new higher-yielding fund January 31, 2017 Britain’s best known fund manager Neil Woodford is set to launch a new fund focused on higher returns for investors, according to reports. The CF Woodford Income Focus fund will invest in more foreign stocks in an attempt to offer investors a yield 20 per cent higher than the FTSE All-Share index over a five-year [...]
Chinese tourist spending soars in London’s West End as Brexit fall in sterling leaves more bang for the yuan January 31, 2017 WEST END sales to Chinese shoppers rose by a whopping 154 per cent year-on-year last week as visitors from the country took advantage of the cheap pound to celebrate the Chinese New Year in London’s key shopping district. Jace Tyrrell, chief executive of New West End Company which represents businesses around Oxford Street said: “The [...]
Apple of my iPhone: Records tumble as quarterly revenue sets all-time high January 31, 2017 Apple has smashed investor expectations to post its best ever quarterly revenue on the back of record-breaking sales of its iPhone. The Cupertino-based company saw revenue for the quarter increase to $78.4bn, a rise of $2.5bn from the previous year. Apple's share price rose by over three per cent in after-hours trading. Read more: Here's how top [...]
Deutsche Boerse boss wants London Stock Exchange merger to bring Anglo-Saxon spirit to Europe January 31, 2017 Deutsche Boerse chief executive Carsten Kengeter wants his company’s merger with the London Stock Exchange to help introduce a more Anglo-Saxon attitude to Europe. Kengeter also spoke of the “urgent” need for the merger in order for Europe to retain its global significance in the face of intensifying competition from the United States and Asia. “Capital [...]
Sky and Discovery reach a deal – but the war of words isn’t over January 31, 2017 Discovery and Sky have reached a last-minute deal in a very public spat which had threatened to see popular channels removed from the satellite TV provider. Discovery had threatened to pull its channels after it was dissatisfied with the price Sky had initially offered. The end-of-month deal ensures that its channels, which also include Eurosport [...]