Liberate Isa cash to aim it at SMEs September 9, 2012 SIGNING an e-petition is about as close as the British get to the direct democracy of ancient Athens. And although it’s easy to doubt the efficacy of adding your digital weight behind something that politicians can ultimately ignore, 100,000 signatures will at least mean the issue is considered for debate in the House of Commons. [...]
These politicians are wrong – a tax on wealth would be bad for Britain September 9, 2012 A NUMBER of leading political figures – including Nick Clegg, Vince Cable and Ed Balls – have recently voiced their support for a new wealth tax. It is easy to see why this idea is attractive to politicians. In the UK, personal wealth totals around £7 trillion – around 5 times GDP – even after [...]
The City is poised to take advantage of Chinese currency liberalisation September 9, 2012 OFFSHORE renminbi (RMB) – or dim sum bonds, as they have affectionately come to be known in the West – have more in common with their culinary counterparts than meets the eye. Traditionally enjoyed at yum cha – the Chinese equivalent of afternoon tea – by farmers after a hard day’s work, dim sum have [...]
TUC’s plan to ban business in public sector is outdated September 9, 2012 ACROSS Europe, governments are trying to take the tough decisions to get their economies moving again. The Spanish constitution has been changed so every part of government has to balance its budget. Public sector salaries have been cut, and hours have been increased. Italian trade unions have just agreed a package of reforms, including spending [...]
Will the Glencore and Xstrata merger create a company that can deliver for shareholders? September 9, 2012 YES Mike Franklin Determining the correct valuation terms for a deal like this is a minefield and opinions will vary widely. Diehard mining fans will claim that Xstrata is worth more than even the new higher terms. However, much depends on the timing of a deal like this and, given the long history between these [...]
Rapid responses September 9, 2012 Grow Heathrow [Re: Which is the best option for expanding airport capacity?, Thursday] Infrastructure is the lifeblood of British business, and air links are no exception. Ministers want new infrastructure funded by the private sector, but they’re missing the one option staring them right in the face. A privately-funded third runway at Heathrow would add [...]
Your first move onto the property ladder September 9, 2012 UK HOUSE prices saw their biggest fall for a year in the three months to July 2012, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics). But the capital is bucking the trend. London property prices grew by 6.5 per cent over the last year, according to last quarter’s Greater London Authority London Housing Market [...]
To nest or invest is the crucial decision buyers must make September 9, 2012 FOR most, buying a property is likely to be the most expensive purchase that they will ever make. As such, one of the key decisions that buyers face is where to buy their property. The average price of a London property currently stands at £302,000, according to Nationwide. But the performance of house prices have [...]
Maybe it’s because you’re a Londoner: The capital is optimistic about prices September 9, 2012 Take a step back before deciding if your glass is half full or empty IT IS often hard to move for the number of property analysts discussing price movements in the housing market. But what do UK households think? The Knight Frank/Markit House Price Sentiment index sets out to answer that question. Every month, we [...]
More homes would make climbing the second step easier September 9, 2012 GETTING a foot on the property ladder is hard. But, taking the second step could be even harder. Agonising market conditions mean that it could now be the most challenging time to be a “second stepper” in years. Research shows that a first-time buyer stays in their first property for around four years. Since the [...]
