Still pale, still stale: We need more role models to address the black, Asian and minority ethnic diversity deficit in business March 9, 2016 It may only be March but the issue of diversity, specifically ethnic diversity, has already been one of the most widely covered topics of 2016. From university admissions to the Oscars, there has been an unsettling sense of regression in the number of visibly successful black, Asian and minority ethnic (bame) people in both the UK [...]
The number of people on zero-hours contracts leaped in the final quarter of 2015 – but it’s not why you think March 9, 2016 Oh dear. The government may be doing everything in its power to rid the UK of those pesky zero-hours contracts, but it seems its efforts aren't working: the number of employees on the contracts jumped by 15 per cent in the final quarter of last year, new figures have shown. But before you grab your pitchfork, take [...]
Car sharing, science and brewing: The UK’s fastest-growing industries revealed March 9, 2016 Thinking of starting a business? You could do a lot worse than going into car rental , a new report suggests. Figures by O2 Business and the Centre of Economic and Business Research suggests the UK's "leasing and rental" sector is one of the fastest-growing industries – driven in part by sharing economy businesses, such as [...]
UK companies went on a shopping spree last quarter, as outward mergers and acquisitions deals jumped March 8, 2016 NULL
Here’s what the Bank of England’s Mark Carney thinks of David Cameron’s EU membership settlement March 8, 2016 The Bank of England has been forced to make a controversial foray into the debate on the UK's membership of the EU. Bank governor Mark Carney has written to Andrew Tyrie, chair of the Treasury Select Committee, in response to a request for the Bank's view on David Cameron's renegotiation settlement. Here's what Carney thinks of the [...]
Bad news: Bonuses on Wall Street have fallen as companies were hit by compliance costs March 8, 2016 If you're in securities, look away now. A new report has shown the average bonus paid on Wall Street has fallen nine per cent to $146,200 (£102,565) as finance firms' revenues were hit by extra compliance costs. The figure, by the Office of the New York State Comptroller, Thomas DiNapoli, showed profits at New York City's securities [...]
Foxtons hit by stamp duty changes and EU uncertainty March 8, 2016 Foxtons said it has been hit by falling volumes in central London as stamp duty pressures put off buyers. The figures Although revenues grew 4.1 per cent to £149.8m in the year to the end of December, pre-tax profits fell 2.6 per cent to £41m, Foxtons said this morning. But sales revenue rose 3.4 per cent to £72.2m as the number of units it sold rose 4.4 [...]
International Women’s Day 2016: Sorry, but quotas aren’t the way to get more women into executive roles March 8, 2016 Countries around the world are increasingly using quotas to redress gender imbalance in corporate leadership. This raises an important question: Do quotas work? The answer to this question brings to mind Harvard Business School Professor Boris Groysberg’s quote: “Diversity is about counting the numbers. Inclusiveness is about making the numbers count.” The distinction between “diversity” [...]
International Women’s Day 2016: Government nagging hasn’t worked – so businesses must take responsibility for helping women to climb the career ladder themselves March 8, 2016 Another International Women’s Day, another opportunity for the usual merry-go-round of politicians and academics to lecture businesses on gender diversity. By now, the complaints are well-rehearsed. Women earn 24 per cent less than their male counterparts. At a senior level, they make up only 14 per cent of senior executive roles. On the FTSE 100, [...]
London house prices: Prime Central London property is experiencing a dead-cat bounce, after demand for high-end homes suddenly rose March 7, 2016 London's high-end property market may be experiencing a dead-cat bounce – after demand for homes in London's most exclusive areas spiked as investors attempt to squeeze in transactions before stamp duty is hiked in April. Research by online estate agent Emoov, seen exclusively by City A.M., showed demand for homes worth £1m or more has jumped by [...]
